Plans for the transfer of University of Maryland Shore Behavioral Health’s Inpatient Care Unit from UM Shore Medical Center at Dorchester to UM Shore Medical Center at Easton have begun.
“As our newly renovated and secured, 12-bed unit on the third floor of the Easton hospital is being readied for occupancy, we are making plans for the transition period, August 25 through September 9,” said Laurence Pezor, MD, Medical Director, UM Shore Behavioral Health. “We have notified our community partners and referral sources that as of August 25, we will discontinue involuntary psychiatric admissions at the Dorchester hospital, and as of September 1, we will discontinue voluntary psychiatric admissions. Both types of admission will resume on September 9 at UM Shore Medical Center in Easton.”
Patients needing assessment for behavioral health issues may still present at any UM Shore Regional Health Emergency Department for evaluation by the Behavioral Health Response Team (BHRT). This team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide mental health and substance abuse evaluations and referrals for adults and children in need. Patients needing inpatient behavioral health care during the transition will be referred to other community providers.
In addition to inpatient care and rapid assessments for behavioral health issues in emergency care settings, UM Shore Behavioral Health provides a Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). When the new UM Shore Regional Health at Cambridge opens in late September 2021, the Mental Health IOP will relocate to this new facility along with a separate suite of three designated behavioral health beds adjacent to the Emergency Department for patients needing assessment, observation and/or care prior to admission for inpatient care.
”Our team of providers, nurses, therapists, licensed clinical social workers, certified addiction counselors and other support staff is committed to delivering compassionate, community based care to those in need of behavioral health services,” said Dr. Pezor. “We are looking forward to moving into our new space in the Easton hospital and continuing our tradition of evidence-based practice and our integrated, collaborative approach to supporting patients in their recovery journey.”
About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health
As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.
About the University of Maryland Medical System
The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state’s future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools (Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry) in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s more than 29,500 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations, including 13 hospitals and 9 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers. The UMMS flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care. Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. For more information, visit www.umms.org.
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