MENU

Sections

More

November 1, 2024

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

Health Health Notes

Choptank Health Announces New Medical Providers in Denton

by

Choptank Community Health System has recently welcomed Family Nurse Practitioners Laura Bland, DNP, CRNP, FNP of Federalsburg, Md., and Dara Winfield, MSN, MPH, CRNP, FNP-BC of Preston, Md. to its Denton Health Center medical practice.

Bland has nine years of nursing experience and holds a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Salisbury University. She became a Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse in 2017 through the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing.

Bland is a current member of the Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

Laura Bland, DNP, CRNP, FNP and Dara Winfield, MSN, MPH, CRNP, FNP-BC

Winfield has more than 15 years of nursing experience, including work in Baltimore, Md., and New York City’s Bronx and Harlem communities. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. with a focus on diabetes quality improvement processes. She also holds a Master of Public Health from the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, La.

Winfield is a current member of the American Academy of HIV Medicine and the American Nurses Association. She specializes in working with patients with HIV and Hep C and provides gender-affirming care. Winfield is fluent in Spanish and has a passion for taking care of Latino and immigrant populations.

Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties to more than 30,000 adults and children, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare for all.

Choptank Community Health’s medical services include primary health care, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, chronic health management, and care navigation, with new medical patients now being welcomed. New and existing Choptank Health medical patients can call the Denton Office at 410-479-2650 to schedule a virtual or in-person appointment, with more information at www.choptankhealth.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Plans For New Regional Medical Center In Easton Advance With Governor’s Funding Announcement

by

During his Fiscal Year 2024 budget recommendation announcement today, Governor Larry Hogan today included $100 million in proposed funding for University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s new Regional Medical Center at Easton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“Building a new Regional Medical Center in Easton marks the most significant milestone in fulfilling our decades-long integrated facility and clinical service delivery plan,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO of UM SRH. “Our growing communities expect and deserve access to a state-of-the-art center with advanced clinical care.”

UM SRH officials will submit the Certificate of Need (CON) for the new medical center, which will replace the current hospital on Washington Street in downtown Easton, to the Maryland Health Care Commission in January 2023. The CON submission is the first of several regulatory actions that will occur in the next year required to replace the existing hospital, UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, parts of which date back to the early 1900s.

SRMC Front Entrance

“When I first ran for Governor, we promised that the Eastern Shore would not be left behind in our administration, and for the past eight years we have consistently invested in agriculture, broadband, energy, transportation and education to bring jobs and more opportunity to the Shore,” said Gov. Hogan.  “With the support of local leaders like Senator Hershey and Senator-Elect Mautz, we are incredibly proud to move forward on a path that will help address and transform rural healthcare in the Mid-Shore region and beyond.”

In the past several years, UM SRH has established the foundation for the development of the new Regional Medical Center through investments in other key projects identified in the System’s integrated facility and clinical service delivery plan. These projects include the construction of a new Emergency Department at the Chestertown hospital; new medical pavilions in Queenstown, Denton and Cambridge; the state’s first stand-alone emergency center in Queen Anne’s County; urgent care centers in Denton, Easton and Kent Island; and most recently, a freestanding medical facility in Cambridge. Upgrades to medical equipment and technology have totaled over $150 million in capital investments which include the creation of an Aging & Wellness Center, which is in progress on the campus of UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.

“We are building upon our long tradition of excellence in patient care and innovation to be a leader in the transformation of healthcare statewide. As an academic health system, we are working throughout Maryland in diverse rural, urban and suburban settings to solve unique healthcare challenges,” said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, President & CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS). “Over the last decade, we have invested in a comprehensive and integrated care delivery system with a presence in every county inthe Mid-Shore and this new Regional Medical Center in Talbot County will allow our team members to maximize our capacity to deliver better outcomes for patients from Hoopers Island to Rock Hall and everywhere in between.”

At today’s press conference, Gov. Hogan noted the proposed funding is part of$220 million “in comprehensive and transformative health care investments to further improve access to quality care invulnerable and rural communities.” Speaking of the Easton hospital project, the governor said,”This is an idea that the community has been pleading for for years if not decades.  It’s desperately needed and we are finally in a financial position to make this critical investment.”

Since the former Shore Health System’s affiliation with UMMS in 2006 and subsequent merger with Chester River Health System to form University of Maryland Shore Regional Health in 2013, UM SRH and UMMS leaders have worked steadily with community partners throughout the five-county region to reimagine and improve health care delivery across roughly 2,000 square miles of rural communities. UM SRH investments in the region to-date have provided innovative solutions to address county-based health care needs while creating a connected care delivery system for residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties.  Complementing these investments with plans to construct a regional medical center for the Mid-Shore ensures UM SRH will provide best-in-class health care services for all aspects of inpatient and outpatient care.

The new Regional Medical Center campus is slated to occupy over 230 acres off Longwoods Road nearthe intersection of U.S. Route 50, adjacent to the Talbot County Community Center. This more centralized location will provide greater visibility, easier and safer access for ambulance and helicopter transport as well as ample parking for patients, staff and visitors living in our mid-shore region.

While final specifications are subject to state regulatory approval and planning commission support, the facility’s current design encompasses over 325,000 total square feet with an adjacent medical office and outpatient services building occupying an additional 60,000 square feet. The CON plans will include data- driven assumptions for ample inpatient and observation beds, operating rooms and Emergency Department treatment rooms to meet the needs of our Mid-Shore community.

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 an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

UM Shore Regional Health Welcomes New Occupational Therapist

by

Danielle Santiago, MS, OTR/L

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services recently welcomed Danielle Santiago, MS, OTR/L, to its outpatient rehab teams at UM Shore Medical Pavilions at Denton and Queenstown.

Prior to joining Shore Rehab, Santiago worked for the ICU team at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she provided occupational therapy for adults and children; for the Pediatric Development Center, which has locations in Rockville, Md. and Silver Spring, Md.; and the Kinera Foundation in Stevensville, Md. Santiago earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y. She also has completed specialized training in treating pediatric feeding disorders including avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), sensory-based restricted eating, extreme pickiness, transition to feeding by mouth, congenital torticollis and developmental delay.

Santiago also works with patients in post-stroke rehabilitation and in cognitive rehabilitation. She is registered by the American Occupational Therapy Association and licensed by the state of Maryland.

“We are excited that Danielle brings 10 years of experience across pediatric and adult rehabilitation settings,” said Frank Rath, Manager of Outpatient Rehabilitation Services. “She is passionate about helping her patients meet rehab goals in order to improve their functionality and participation in meaningful activities.”

To make an appointment with Santiago, call 410-327-3818 (Queenstown) or 410-479-3300 (Denton).

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 an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Hurley Promoted to Director of Support Services at UM Shore Regional Health

by

Robert Hurley

Robert Hurley has been promoted to Director of Support Services at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health. He has served as UM SRH’s facilities operations manager since 2005.

Hurley has been employed with UM Shore Regional Health since 1982, serving in several capacities, including as a stationary engineer with UM Shore Medical Center at Dorchester and later as facilities manager and plant operations manager for the hospital.

“Robert is a valued employee of more than 40 years with Shore Regional Health. He brings to us a confidence brought about through many years of experience in the Shore Regional Health system,” said Dee Murphy, Vice President, Support Services, UM SRH.

Prior to working for UM Shore Regional Health, Hurley was a propulsion engineer with the United States Navy. He received his associate degree in Applied Science Professional/Technical Studies from Chesapeake College in Wye Mills.

Hurley is certified as a healthcare facility manager by the American Hospital Association and has been a licensed first grade stationary engineer by the state of Maryland since 1983.

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 an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of 10 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

UM Memorial Hospital Foundation Hosts Donor & Volunteer Appreciation Reception

by

The University of Maryland Memorial Hospital Foundation (UM MHF) recently hosted its annual donor appreciation reception at Talbot Country Club. Donors and friends who supported 2022 fundraising campaigns and events benefiting UM Shore Medical Center at Easton and its ancillary health care programs, services and scholarships gathered to celebrate.

The program was led by Charles T. Capute, board member for UM Shore Regional Health and chair of the UM MHF board. Capute introduced fellow UM SRH board members in attendance: Art Cecil, Kathy Deoudes, David Milligan and Robert Roth. Members of the UM MHF Board of Directors in attendance were also recognized: David Nagel, Ken Kozel, Joe Shultz, and Jacque Smith. Capute also acknowledged Easton Auxiliary President Liz Hannegan and the Auxiliary at large, for their continued support.

Following Capute, UM SRH President and CEO Ken Kozel took the podium to offer his profound gratitude, on behalf of the UM SRH Board of Directors and senior leadership, for the “time, talents and financial support” of the Foundation, its donors and volunteers. Kozel reported that during 2022, the Foundation provided $310,723 in support of health care programs and services, and also nursing scholarships.

Timothy Shanahan, DO, Medical Director, UM Shore Medical Group; Hilary Cassel, Director, UM SRH Heart and Vascular Center; Roberta Lilly, MD, Medical Director, Clark Comprehensive Breast Center, Stephanie Bryan, Donor Coordinator, UM MHF; Charlie Capute, Chair of the UM MHF Board; and Ken Kozel, UM SRH President and CEO.

Hilary Cassel, director of the Heart and Vascular Center at UM SRH, thanked sponsors and golfers who made the UM SRH golf tournament a success, noting that over $78,000 was raised to benefit the center. The Easton Auxiliary was a lead sponsor of the event with a donation of $25,000.

“On behalf of the Heart and Vascular Center, I am deeply grateful for the generosity of our donors,” said Cassel. “The proceeds were used to fund a new cardiac ultrasound machine, which will help the center continue its leadership in providing excellent cardiac care.”

Roberta Lilly, MD, Medical Director of the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center, thanked supporters of the Breast Center. Donations to the 2022-2023 annual appeal will support equipment and services at the center, including state-of-the art imaging software that will allow providers to gather the most precise 3D images of breast tissue.

To make a tax-deductible gift to the appeal, contact Stephanie Bryan, Development Coordinator, 410-822-1000, ext. 5481, or email [email protected]. To donate online, visit ummhospfoundation.org.

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 an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Clark Comprehensive Breast Center Welcomes Nurse Practitioner Jo-Ayne Kerry-Turner

by

Jo-Ayne Kerry-Turner, MSN, FNP

Jo-Ayne Kerry-Turner, MSN, FNP, has joined the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s Clark Comprehensive Breast Center team after more than 15 years as a provider with Chesapeake Healthcare in Salisbury, Md.

Prior to her position with Chesapeake Healthcare, Kerry-Turner served as an emergency department nurse for both UM Shore Medical Center at Dorchester (2003- 2006) and Peninsula Regional Medical Center/Tidal Health (2002- 2003). Early in her career, she worked in oncology and medical-surgical nursing at the former McCready Hospital in Crisfield, Md.

Kerry-Turner earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Salisbury University, and her Master of Science in Nursing and Nurse Practitioner Certification from Wilmington University.

“We are excited to welcome Jo-Ayne to our team,” said Jeanie Scott, Director of Oncology Services at UM Shore Regional Health. “She fits in wonderfully thanks to her eagerness to care for and learn from our patients. We are confident she will provide compassionate care to the women we serve in our community.”

To learn more about the services of the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center, call 410-820-9400 or visit https://www.umms.org/shore/health-services/womens/breast.

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 work 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 an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

UM Memorial Hospital Foundation Announces Annual Appeal

by

The University of Maryland Memorial Hospital Foundation’s 2022 annual appeal will benefit the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center at UM Shore Regional Health (UM SRH). Donations to the appeal, which is now in progress, will help support Breast Center services and the purchase of state-of-the art imaging software that enables providers to gather the most precise 3D images of breast tissue.

“Better imaging promotes earlier diagnosis and treatment that helps save lives,” said Roberta Lilly, MD, Medical Director, Clark Comprehensive Breast Center. “Breast cancer rates in Maryland are higher than many other states, and rates on the Eastern Shore exceed the Maryland state average. However, the good news is that in the five-county region served by the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center, breast cancer survival rates also are higher than the state average,” Dr. Lilly said. “This good news speaks to the ongoing advancements made in breast cancer detection technologies, and also to the comprehensive care provided by medical staff and team members in our center.”

Tax-deductible gifts to benefit the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center can be made online at ummhospfoundation.org, or by mail to: UM Memorial Hospital Foundation, 219 S. Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601. For more information, contact Stephanie Bryan at 410-822-1000, ext. 5481.

Team members from the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center display vital state-of-the-art mammography equipment. Left to right: Jeanie Scott, Director, Oncology Services, Roberta Lilly, MD, Medical Director, and Jo-Ayne Kerry-Turner, NP.

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 an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Choptank Health Brings Health Programs to BAAM

by

Choptank Community Health System is partnering with Building African American Minds as a participant in BAAM’s ‘Your Wellness Matters’ program to help address students’ physical and mental health needs through monthly educational sessions.

BAAM’s ‘Your Wellness Matters’ program was recently announced by BAAM Director of Instruction, Academic Support and Community Wellness Dr. James Bell. The program is a component of BAAM’s after-school programs and activities for Easton Elementary School students, with the wellness program receiving grant funding through the Talbot County Health Department and Talbot Family Network.

“Each child’s education doesn’t end when the last school bell rings,” said Dr. Bell. “Our after-school programs bring enrichment and education to further each student’s knowledge and understanding of the world. Choptank Health is a great partner to have in our after-school programs, and as well with their School-Based Health Centers throughout the Mid-Shore.”

From left: Choptank Community Health System CEO Sara Rich, BAAM Director of Instruction, Academic Support and Community Wellness Dr. James Bell, and BAAM Executive Director Dina Daly at the BAAM campus in Easton, Md.

As part of the wellness program, Choptank Health’s school-based medical and dental team will be onsite at the BAAM campus to work with students enrolled in BAAM’s after-school programs to cover topics like the importance of nutrition, hygiene, behavioral health, and more.

“Accessibility to healthcare is at the core of Choptank Health’s mission and everything we do,” said Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich. “Our partnership with BAAM furthers that mission by bringing health and wellness education further into our rural communities and meeting people where they are.”

“We are grateful to have Choptank Health as a partner for this program,” says BAAM Executive Director Dina Daly. “This program fortifies our commitment of BAAM participants that we are here for life, and by that, I mean we are here for more than the athletics and academics BAAM offers. We’re here for each participant’s life.”

BAAM helps at-risk children succeed through a network of partnerships with local health and faith-based organizations, educators, parents, and individuals, with more at www.baaminc.org.

Choptank Community Health System provides medical, dental, and school-based health services to more than 30,000 adults and children in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare for all. In addition to accepting most major insurance plans, Choptank participates in Medicare and Medicaid and offers a sliding fee scale to uninsured patients. More is at www.choptankhealth.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Choptank Health Launches “Ask a Provider” Video Series

by

Choptank Community Health System has launched an “Ask a Provider” video series in partnership with the Avalon Foundation to provide educational resources and advice from physicians and advanced practice providers.

“We want to continue empowering more people to take control of their own health,” says Choptank Health Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Megan Wojtko, DNP, MBA, FNP-BC. “This series addresses the concerns we hear most often in our offices while helping to provide essential information for the community at large.”

In the most recent episode of the series, Avalon host Jessica Bellis interviews Wotjko to discuss the best ways to stay well this holiday season, including protecting individuals and children from viruses like influenza and RSV.

Other topics covered in the series include the importance of taking care of your mental health and childhood immunizations.

“Accessibility to health care is at the core of our mission,” says Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich. “Our continued partnership with the Avalon Foundation is an important component of expanding our mission, and we’re grateful for their help in producing this series.”

“This partnership is an important part of the Avalon’s work in fostering a strong community on the Eastern Shore,” says Avalon Foundation COO/CFO Jessica Bellis. “Sharing this information through video brings reliable, trustworthy medical advice for more people to count on throughout the Mid-Shore”

Choptank Health began partnering with the Avalon Foundation during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with numerous outreach efforts, including producing a series of videos addressing COVID-19 concerns. Choptank Health also worked with the Avalon to host vaccination clinics at the 2021 Chesapeake Multicultural Festival and Easton Carnival and continues with fresh produce prescriptions for local students at the Easton Farmer’s Market and through Caroline County Public Schools this past summer.

The video series can be found on YouTube at www.youtube.com/MidshoreCommunityTelevision.

Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties to more than 30,000 adults and children, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated healthcare for all. Choptank Community Health’s medical services include primary healthcare, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, chronic health management, and care navigation, with new medical patients now being accepted. More information is at www.choptankhealth.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

UM Shore Medical Group-Cardiology Welcomes Two New Providers

by

University of Maryland Shore Medical Group – Cardiology recently welcomed two new providers to the practice based at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Easton, 500 Cadmus Lane, suite 207; Robert Malacoff, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FHRS, CCDS, and Robyn Lanasa, CRNP, FNP-BC.

Dr. Malacoff’s career includes extensive clinical cardiology experience. He previously served as Director of the Cardiac Catheterization and EP Laboratories at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass.; as Medical Director and Chief of Cardiology and Director of Electrophysiology at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa; and as Medical Director of Cardiology at Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, N.Y. Most recently, he served three years with the Veterans Administration Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic in Allentown, Pa. He also has lectured and published widely in the field of cardiology, and organized several cardiology symposia.

A graduate of Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science in New York, N.Y., Dr. Malacoff earned his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and completed his residency at Yale New Haven Hospital. He also completed research and clinical fellowships in electrophysiology and cardiovascular medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, respectively, in Boston, Mass.

Robert Malacoff, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FHRS, CCDS and Robyn Lanasa, CRNP, FNP-BC

Lanasa completed her Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner at Simmons College in Boston, Mass. During her clinical rotations, she gained experience in internal medicine/geriatrics, women’s health, emergency medicine, cardiology and pediatrics. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore. Prior to her nursing career, she received her Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services from University of Maryland Baltimore County and worked as an emergency medical services coordinator for University of Maryland Medical Center’s R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.

Lanasa was employed by Luminis Health Kent Island Primary Care for several years after obtaining her nurse practitioner degree. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, she worked in pre-operative/post-anesthesia care at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, and in cardiac surgery intensive care at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. She also worked in several emergency departments, including at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton.

Dr. Malacoff and Lanasa are accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, please call 410-822-5571.

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 an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.