Chika Logie, MD

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) recently welcomed Chika Logie, MD, to Shore Radiology, an independent medical practice in partnership with UM SRH for more than four decades.

Dr. Logie is board certified by the American Board of Radiology and is a fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologist. Her focus is on MRI of joints, bone oncology and imaging the entire musculoskeletal system.

A graduate of University of Maryland, College Park, Dr. Logie received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She completed her residency in diagnostic radiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and completed additional training at the Department of Radiology at Washington Hospital Center (formerly the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology), where she focused on musculoskeletal intervention and biopsies, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where the core of her work centered around musculoskeletal radiology diagnostics.

In 2019, Dr. Logie was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan to the Maryland Board of Physicians. She has published and presented extensively on musculoskeletal radiology, including authorship of two books. She also was an adjunct professor of Radiology and Radiological Services with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

“Shore Radiology is pleased to welcome Dr. Logie,” says Kimberly Oster, MD, president, Shore Radiology. “She is a well-trained general radiologist with dedicated subspecialty training in musculoskeletal MRI. Our skilled radiologists have subspecialty training, and Dr. Logie brings additional expertise in the diagnosis of bone and joint disorders and diseases. Musculoskeletal MRI is quite complex and requires additional knowledge to interpret. She is considered an expert in her field, and our community is so very fortunate to have a radiologist of her caliber at UM Shore Regional Health.”

Shore Radiology provides services for all UM SRH locations, including UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton; the Diagnostic and Imaging Center and Clark Comprehensive Breast Center in Easton; UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown; UM Shore Imaging Center at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Queenstown; and UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Denton. Shore Radiology also will provide services at the new UM Shore Medical Campus at Cambridge that is scheduled for completion in 2021.

At Shore Radiology, Dr. Logie joins Dr. Oster, Dr. Dale B. Johnson, Radiology Department chair; Dr. Brian T. Callahan; Dr. Christopher S. Levey; Dr. Minh Lu; Dr. Stephen T. Sauter; Dr. Mithilesh K. Singh; Dr. Kathleen H. Straub; and Dr. Matthew P. Wagner. All radiologists have fellowship training in at least one of several subspecialties, including women’s imaging, nuclear medicine, body and musculoskeletal MRI, body CT and ultrasound and interventional and angiography.

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.

Melissa Krempasky

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health recently welcomed Melissa Krempasky, speech/language pathologist, to the outpatient rehabilitation services team at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Queenstown.

Certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and licensed by the State of Maryland, Krempasky graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She has over 15 years of experience in various settings, including pediatric and adult rehabilitation for communication and swallowing disorders.

In the area of pediatric evaluation and treatment, Krempasky provides rehabilitative care including early intervention, developmental delay, communication related to autism spectrum, apraxia of speech, articulation disorders, expressive/receptive language impairment, pediatric voice disorders, traumatic brain injury and paradoxical vocal fold dysfunction.

Her adult evaluation and treatment practice includes aphasia, dysphagia, apraxia of speech, dysarthria, head/neck cancer, voice disorders, cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease and traumatic brain injury.

More information about outpatient rehabilitation services provided by UM Shore Regional Health, visit https://www.umms.org/shore/health-services/rehabilitation/outpatient-services or call (410) 827-3818.

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.

The University of Maryland Medical System has released an internally-produced Public Service Announcement, “Schedule A Mammogram,” urging women to not delay care and schedule their annual screening mammogram now if it has been delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PSA was created by the System’s Creative Communications team and is being shared with media outlets across the state and posted on social media accounts for UMMS’ member organizations.

“COVID-19 put plenty of plans on hold,” the PSA states, with a call to action supported by catchy visuals and music. “If your annual mammogram coincided with the pandemic, now is the time to schedule an appointment. It’s as easy as riding a bike, simple as pie, something you can do with your eyes shut. Stop putting it off, because these screenings detect early cancers which can save lives.  Don’t delay getting your annual mammogram, do it now.”

The “Don’t Forget to Get Your Annual Mammogram” PSA can be viewed here on the UMMS You Tube channel and a media download version is available here.

Breast cancer is the second-highest cause of death among women in Maryland, exceeded only by lung cancer. In Maryland in 2020, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be 34,710 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed across the state and 10,790 deaths.

“Screening mammograms save lives by detecting breast cancer early when it is more easily treated,” said Katherine H.R. Tkaczuk, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Director of the Breast Evaluation and Treatment Program at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We want to assure women that having a mammogram now is safe and urge them to not delay having their regularly scheduled exams because of their concerns about COVID-19.”

UMMS is also addressing women’s health issues with another installment of the System’s free lunchtime “Let’s Talk About Health” webinars. On Oct 21^st at 12pm,Nakia Renee Ware, CRNP, a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner with University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Group, will be presenting about women’s health topics, including mental and physical health, covering issues including breast cancer and domestic violence. Registration information is available at umms.org/letstalk.

“During the pandemic, many women have put off attending to their medical needs, including regular well-woman exams and management of chronic conditions. This webinar will help you identify the care you need,” said Ware.

Across the United States this year, ACS estimates:

• About 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
• About 48,530 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
• About 42,170 women will die from breast cancer.

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 the UM Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s 28,000 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations and at 13 hospitals. UMMS’ flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore is partnered with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and 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. In addition, UMMS operates health insurance plans serving Medicare and Medicaid members. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The UM Shore Regional Health Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Clinic puts organ transplantation within easier reach of Eastern Shore residents. An affiliate program to University of Maryland Medical System’s Transplant Program in Baltimore, the UM SRH clinic, located in the Multispecialty Clinic at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton, provides evaluation and pre-operative testing for patients living on the Delmarva Peninsula who are referred for kidney and/or pancreas transplant.

Cambridge resident Ronnie Wilcox is a 49-year-old kidney transplant candidate who appreciates not having to drive over the Bay Bridge for access to care. Wilcox is originally from Baltimore, but says he is glad to be able to receive his pre-transplant care in Easton. “I like being close to home,” he said with a grin during a recent visit to the Multispecialty Clinic. “I like it better on the Shore.”

According to Transplant Coordinator Shirley Banks, once referred by their primary care provider, patients undergo an extensive evaluation. They attend a transplant clinic at the hospital where they learn that successful transplantation offers many advantages, including freedom from dialysis, a less restrictive diet and better overall health. The Kidney and Transplant Clinic team, which also includes nurses Hope Padilla and Wendy Greenwood, also serving as transplant coordinators, and Brandi Young, medical assistant, assesses each patient on several measures — medical, surgical, financial, nutritional, social and psychological. The process includes multiple laboratory tests, an EKG, education that will support a successful transplant and signing consent forms.

Not all candidates for transplant can be approved, but some disqualifying factors, such a high body-mass index (BMI), can be resolved. “We’ve had patients who were told they are too overweight, but they lose it and improve their health, and they come back and they qualify,” says Banks.

Shirley Banks, transplant coordinator, chats with transplant candidate Ronnie Wilcox outside the Multispecialty Clinic at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton.

After evaluation, the patient’s case is presented via Zoom to the Baltimore-based UMMC Transplant Patient Selection Committee – a multi-specialty group that includes transplant surgeons, nephrologists, cardiologists, pharmacists and finance officers. An accepted candidate then undergoes a rigorous work-up to ensure that he or she is stable for transplant surgery and deemed likely to succeed post-transplant. Assuming all goes well, the patient is then presented to the same committee for approval to be added to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waitlist.

Says Banks, “We work closely with patients to get them ready for listing on UNOS. It’s a long and sometimes winding path. Patient safety is key, so additional tests or specialist clearances may be indicated beyond the standard work-up. Also, it’s imperative that organ transplant candidates stay engaged in their own care by communicating well and completing required medical tests quickly, including chest X-rays, EKG, colonoscopy, mammogram and abdominal ultrasound.”

The linchpin for the success of UM Shore Regional Health’s Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Clinic success? UMMC transplant surgeons who travel to Easton to evaluate patients in person — Dr. Silke Niederhaus, Dr. Jonathan Bromberg and Dr. Eugene Schweitzer.

Says Dr. Niederhaus, who has undergone two kidney transplants herself, “There are many benefits to having a local option for pre-transplant care. Plus, the transplant surgery team becomes familiar with the pre-op team at Shore Medical Center at Easton, which improves our collaboration.”

Post-operative care is provided in Baltimore, which can mean multiple trips to Baltimore within the week after surgery. “That can be a challenge that remains for the immediate post-transplant period,” says Dr. Niederhaus.

Most patients approved as candidates for transplant are on UNOS list for at least three years and in some cases, as many as nine. But along the way, a close, collaborative relationship builds between the transplant clinic staff and their patients. Says Banks, “Because it is such an involved and lengthy process, we really get to know our patients as individuals, not just as ‘cases’. It’s a great feeling to get someone through transplant to a better and healthier life.”

Ronnie Wilcox agrees. “I just like that they take their time with me,” he says. “I feel the love from the transplant clinic staff — they really look out for me and I feel confident in their care.”

For more information about the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Clinic at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, call 410-822-1000, ext. 5782. 

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.

As National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October is always a time for events and activities that promote public understanding of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and support resources for patients. This year, while public events are precluded by the COVID-19 pandemic, providers and staff at the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center and Cancer Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health are eager to share the latest breast cancer information to women and men throughout Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties.

Breast cancer is the second-highest cause of death among women in Maryland, exceeded only by lung cancer, and breast cancer rates among residents of Maryland’s Eastern Shore are higher than the state-wide rate. According to the Cancer Center’s 2019 annual report, of 113 breast cancer cases diagnosed by the Center, 109 were women and four were men.

“We continue to emphasize the importance of annual mammograms for women aged 40 and older,” says Roberta Lilly, MD, medical director, Clark Comprehensive Breast Center. “Getting a mammogram is the best way to detect breast cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage – and even to detect breast tissue with abnormalities that may become cancerous in the future and therefore should be closely monitored.”

In addition to the Diagnostic and Imaging Center at Easton, state of the art 3-D mammography with tomosynthesis is provided for patients by appointment at the Leh Women’s Center in UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, and at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Denton. UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Queenstown is expected to add this service in the coming months, and UM Shore Medical Campus at Cambridge, now under construction and scheduled for completion next summer, also will offer it.

Photo: To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Clark Comprehensive Breast Center providers pause in front of the tree in the circle at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton that is decorated with pink ribbons. Left to right, Dr. Roberta Lilly, Dr. Karen Barbosa and nurse practitioner Brittany Krautheim.

Beyond mammography, there is an important new emphasis on genetic testing and counseling for breast cancer patients and also for survivors. According to breast surgical oncologist Karen Barbosa, DO, who joined the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center earlier this year, the American Society of Breast Surgeons recently revised its recommendations for genetic testing to include all women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, including survivors who may be several years out from their diagnosis, rather than just those who have a family history of breast cancer.

“Genetic testing can reveal gene mutations that are associated with increased risk for various types of cancer,” said Dr. Barbosa. “It’s not just a question of ‘did your mother or grandmother or aunt have breast cancer,’ but how can understanding your genetic profile make you aware of possible cancer risks and inform your health care decisions? Genetic testing also can provide information that you may want to share with close relatives so they can consider whether or not they want to undergo testing themselves.”

A University of Maryland certified genetics counselor provides genetic counseling via telemedicine. The counseling appointment includes a risk assessment of your personal and familial risk factors, a review of information related to hereditary cancer genes, a discussion of cancer screening and risk reduction strategies, and a review of the benefits and drawbacks of genetic testing.

Genetic testing for Eastern Shore breast health patients is done in the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center, via a blood test or a saliva test. Results are sent to the Center and shared with the patient during a follow-up appointment.

“As providers, we go over the results in detail with our patients they will understand exactly what the implications are for their health and ask questions,” says Dr. Barbosa. “We also discuss what the results indicate in terms of their own treatment plan and their health care decisions going forward.”

The cost of the test depends on the patient’s insurance, but the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center will be participating in research studies through which the cost may be defrayed or reduced for patients who enroll. Dr. Barbosa invites women who have been treated for cancer or believe they may be high risk to request a consult regarding genetic testing and consider participating in a clinical trial.

“Even if you’ve already been diagnosed and/or treated for cancer, a genetic test can help you make critical decisions related to your treatment plan, understand how your cancer might correlate with your risk for other cancers, and consider possible lifestyle changes,” says Dr. Barbosa. “And because your test results may have implications down the line for your family members, any information you take away from a genetic screening can be helpful.”

To learn more about genetic testing and counseling services available through UM Shore Regional Health, call 410-820-9400 or visit https://www.umms.org/shore/health-services/womens/breast/cancer-education-support/genetic-counseling.

To make an appointment for a mammogram (which may require an order from your health care provider), call 410-822-1000, ext. 2600.

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.

Mandy Bounds, director, Patient Safety & High Reliability UM Shore Regional Health

Mandy Bounds has been named director, Patient Safety & High Reliability at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health. In this role, Bounds is the primary point of contact for the patient safety program as Patient Safety Officer.

Bounds most recently served as project manager, Organizational Excellence, and brings more than 13 years of frontline experience as a registered nurse (RN) working in critical care and acute care settings, as well as experience as a nurse leader and educator in management and administrative roles. She completed her doctoral degree in nursing practice in August, 2020 and presently serves as adjunct faculty for the nursing program at Wilmington University.

“Mandy has been a valuable asset to the UM Shore Regional Health team for many years and in particular to the Quality division over the last year and a half as our Organizational Excellence Project Manager, said Sherri Hobbs, vice president, Quality and Patient Safety. “She brings a high level of passion and knowledge to this role, along with excellent project management and cause analysis skills.”

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.

Sunday, October 4, 2020 marked the 10th anniversary of the opening of University of Maryland Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown, and while a public celebration could not take place due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the milestone was celebrated with a video and a small celebration for the team.

Located at 115 Shoreway Drive in Queenstown, the emergency center came into being thanks to the collaborative efforts of Shore Regional Health with the University of Maryland Medical System, Maryland state emergency officials, Queen Anne’s County government officials and community leaders. It was created primarily to meet the emergency care needs of Queen Anne’s County resident, but thanks to its convenient location just off Route 50 close to the Bay Bridge, it is truly a regional facility, now serving approximately 16,000 patients per year.

While it was created primarily to meet the emergency care needs of Queen Anne’s County, thanks to its convenient location just off Route 50 close to the Bay Bridge, it is truly a regional facility, now serving approximately 16,000 patients per year. While the great majority of patients are treated and released to go home, seriously ill or injured patients who need inpatient care – more than 800 annually – are transferred via ambulance or helicopter for admission hospitals in Maryland and elsewhere, depending on the needs of the patient.

Ken Kozel, president and CEO, UM Shore Regional Health, attributes the success of the Center to the expert, multi-disciplinary team that cares for patients who come through its doors. “Medical Director Dr. Jane Wang and Nurse Manager Mary Alice Vanhoy lead an outstanding team of emergency physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, med techs and nurse techs, and radiological and laboratory staff,” said Kozel. “This team is supported by equally dedicated professionals from Security, Patient Access, Environmental Services, IT, Maintenance, and last but certainly not least, the Queen Anne’s County’s Department of Emergency Services EMS teams.”

Several members of the team at Shore Emergency Center who were there on its opening day remain, including those shown above: (l. to r.) Truneal Johnson, security officer, Mary Alice Vanhoy, manager, Lisa Lisle, clinical nurse coordinator and Jane Wang, MD, medical director. Not shown are Anne George, Carolyn Sutch, Christine Peters, Mary Holden and Colleen Davidson-Ronning.

Kozel also credits the many neighbors and friends in Queen Anne’s County who supported the creation of Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown and have provided ongoing volunteer and fundraising support over the past 10 years.

“Through galas, receptions and more recently, the annual Claws for a Cause crab feast, local volunteers and community members have raised more than $1 million dollars for the Center, first for its construction, and in the decade since, to help fund the of purchase equipment, technology and other important emergency care needs,” Kozel said. “The sense of pride and ownership the community has maintained in the Center’s success is truly gratifying.”

Team members in the Center go out of their way to serve the community that supports them. “We are happy to staff community events like the Bay Bridge Run and the Queen Anne’s County Senior Expo,” says Vanhoy. “These provide us the opportunity to be out in front of our friends and neighbors, talking with them and showing them we appreciate their support. And just about everyone who works in the Center has stories about being out in public and having someone come up to say, ‘I was at your place and I thank you for the great care I received.”

When its doors opened ten years ago, UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown represented a new model of emergency care, but it has proven itself 24/7, 365 days a year, over the past decade – so successfully that UM Shore Regional Health is now building a second freestanding medical facility, 35 miles away, that will provide emergency care in Cambridge, Maryland. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2021.

To see the video created in honor of Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown’s 10th anniversary, visit http://bit.ly/QAEC10th

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.