The Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD) has declared a severe blood shortage and is asking people across the region to donate blood to help replenish blood supplies.

The UM Chester River Health Foundation (CRHF), a Kent County based affiliate of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, is answering the call by holding a blood drive on Friday, August 25, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown Conference Center. Donors should use the hospital’s main entrance and request directions to the Conference Center at the front desk; the blood draws will take place in BBD’s mobile van in the parking lot. The goal is to collect a minimum of 40 pints of all types of blood, including double red cells.

“Our second goal is to collect at least 10 pints of O negative blood, said Maryann Ruehrmund, Executive Director, UM CRHF. “This type is in the highest demand because it can be given to anyone.”

According to Blood Bank of Delmarva officials, it takes at least 380 donors per day to supply the 19 local hospitals throughout the Delmarva Peninsula with the blood they need. To maintain a safe blood supply, a seven-day inventory of all blood types must be continually replenished. Right now, the available inventory is at just three days for the core four blood types, i.e. O positive, O negative, A negative and B negative.

These low levels are particularly dangerous in the summer months, when people are less likely to donate blood due to vacations.

According to national blood banking statistics, 38 percent of the American population is eligible to give blood but only 3 percent actually donates. If every eligible blood donor gave at least twice a year, there would never be a blood shortage.

To donate blood donors must:

• be between the ages of 17 and 79 years old and have a photo ID with proof of birth date.
• weigh at least 110 pounds.

• be in general good health.
• adhere to piercing and tattoo guidelines. Donors are ineligible if they have received a tattoo, body piercing, or branding within the past 12 months.

Make an appointment today by visiting donate.bbd.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/9168 or by calling the Delmarva Blood Bank at 1-888-825-6638. (If calling the DBB directly, donors should indicate their donation is for the Chester River Health Foundation Blood Drive.) Donors can also download the scheduling app to register from an Android or iPhone.

If you have traveled outside of the United States recently, please call the Blood Bank for more information on your eligibility to donate blood. If you had an initial positive COVID-19 test more than 10 days ago and your symptoms are resolving, you are eligible to donate.

About UM Chester River Health Foundation

The Chester River Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Maryland corporation and the fiduciary responsible for soliciting, holding and disbursing charitable gifts that support excellence in patient care services exclusively at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Contributions fund the purchase of new and replacement medical equipment and technology, capital projects and scholarships for advanced health care education. The Foundation offers a complete array of philanthropy programs, from soliciting annual gifts through assistance with estate and legacy gift planning.

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.

Rebecca Bair, Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) has been named Vice President, Philanthropy, for UM Memorial Hospital Foundation.

UM Memorial Hospital Foundation raises funds to advance health care programs and services at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown, the Cancer Center at UM SRH and the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center. Bair joined the UM SRH leadership team after serving three years as Associate Vice President, Development, at Memorial Hermann Foundation in Houston, Texas, where she led a fundraising team that generated over $15 million annually, while personally raising $7 million in her first two years.

Bair also held leadership positions in fundraising for educational and health care organizations including Stony Brook University and Medical Center in Stony Brook, N.Y.; Banner Health in Phoenix, Ariz.; Yavapai Regional Medical Center and Foundation in Prescott, Ariz.; and Catholic Healthcare West- Shared Business Services, in Phoenix, Ariz.

Bair’s significant career achievements include managing a campaign that successfully raised more than $70 million for the State University of New York Stony Brook College of Arts and Sciences, raising almost $4 million in 2013 for Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and leading and managing numerous successful annual, capital and planned giving campaigns.

Bair holds multiple academic degrees including a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Maryland College Park, a Master of Science in Human Relations and Training and Development from University of Oklahoma and a Doctorate of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

“We are indeed fortunate to have Rebecca Bair taking the reins of our Memorial Hospital Foundation,” said Ken Kozel, President and Chief Executive Officer, UM SRH. “In the course of her 25-year career in philanthropy, she has led fundraising teams at multiple organizations in successfully securing more than $100 million in financial support. As we look forward to the next phase in the advancement of UM Shore Regional Health, Rebecca’s considerable talent, expertise and energy will be a valuable asset.”

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 Population Health team at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) launched a campaign in July 2022 to encourage people of all ages to complete an advance directive and share it with the health care system to be scanned into their personal electronic medical record (EMR).

During the first year of the campaign, Population Health team members Kathy Sellers and Terry Satchell, RN were given an ambitious goal: Collect and scan at least 1,000 advance directives for inclusion in individuals’ EMRs by July 1, 2023. To make it easy for locals to file their advance directive paperwork with the health care system, secure drop boxes were installed outside all four UM Shore Regional Health emergency entrances – Cambridge, Chestertown, Easton and Queenstown. (The documents also may be scanned and sent via e-mail.)

Photo: UM Shore Regional Health Population Health team members Terry Satchell (left) and Kathy Sellers (right) congratulated Easton resident Richard “Brooke” Lynch (center) on being the 1,000th person to submit an Advance Directive for inclusion in his Electronic Medical Record (EMR) at UM SRH since July 2022.

“We also went out and about in all five counties, talking to people at health fairs, senior living communities and community organizations about the importance of advance directives, providing the paperwork and answering questions,” said Sellers.

This outreach helped the campaign gain momentum, and on June 19, 2023, the 1,000th advance directive – completed by Richard “Brooke” Lynch of Easton – landed in Sellers’ email inbox.

“I learned about this opportunity when I spoke to Terry and Kathy during a health fair at the community center where I live,” said Lynch. “I had done my advance directive a few times over the years, so it was a matter of updating it and sending it for inclusion in my electronic medical record with the health care system.”

As the second year of the advance directive initiative gets under way, Sellers and Satchell have a new goal: 1,250 directives completed and scanned into the appropriate EMR by July 1, 2024.

“An advance directive is a gift to your loved ones if you become incapacitated,” said Satchell. “It spares them from having to make difficult choices, from high-tech medical interventions to palliative care, on your behalf. Through an advance directive, you document for health care providers what you want — or don’t want — in terms of your end-of-life care.”

While many people put off completing their advance directive, others do so, but keep the paperwork in a drawer at home or on file in their lawyer’s office, or both.

“In that case, there can be delays in locating your advance directive and contacting the person you appointed as your health care agent,” said Satchell. “This is why we are offering the option of having the paperwork scanned into your EMR, where it can be accessed promptly by the clinicians providing your care.”

“We hope more organizations will be willing to host us to talk to their members about this important aspect of managing their health care,” said Sellers. “We are now working on a new schedule of visits that will start in September.”

For more information or to send an advance directive for inclusion in your EMR, contact Sellers, [email protected]

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.

Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT) will offer a free program, “Organizing Your Health,” on Monday, July 17, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chestertown Town Hall, 118 North Cross Street. The event is sponsored by HomePorts, a 501(c)3 charitable organization serving the needs of greater Kent County residents 55 and over.HomePorts’ mission is to identify, monitor and ensure access to a wide range of services that help members to remain safe and live comfortably in their own homes.

“‘Organizing Your Health’ provides education, tips, and tricks for staying organized when managing your own health or a loved one’s health,” said Emily Welsh, MSN, RN, Nurse Coordinator for SCOT. “We appreciate HomePorts’ support in enabling us to offer this free workshop in such a central, convenient location in Chestertown, and we look forward to a strong turnout.”

Topics of the workshop will include communicating effectively with providers, what preventive care and screenings should be done and when, health journaling, advance directives, medication management, and use of health care technology. Light refreshments and socializing will be enjoyed after the presentation.

To register, visit https://homeports.org/homeportsevent/organizing-your-health/

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.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is launching an in-person and participatory five-session workshop titled “Breathe Again: A Journey to a Smoke-Free and Healthier YOU,” designed to help smokers who wish to quit. The class will be offered in-person from 1 to 3 p.m., beginning Monday, July 10, with sessions running through November. There is no charge for the course, but registration is required.

Led by Sandra Wilson-Hypes, Health Educator for University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, this course will offer guidance, information, tools and resources to help participants quit smoking. Course topics include: Smoking 101 on July 10, creating a quit-smoking plan on August 8, information on the various health risks of smoking on September 12, discussion on the challenges to quitting smoking on October 10, and information, tools and resources to staying smoke free on November 7. Attendance in all five sessions of the course is encouraged but not required.

Participants who complete the course can expect:

• improved health
• to gain a deeper understanding of the addiction of smoking and its effects on your health
• improvement in mood or with symptoms of depression
• a reduced need for doctors’ visits or hospitalization
• connection with a community of individuals on the same journey
• to learn effective strategies to overcome cravings and triggers
• increased chances of achieving long-term success in quitting smoking

“Quitting smoking is a crucial step toward improving your overall health and well-being,” said Wilson-Hypes.“By enrolling in a smoking cessation course, you can gain the necessary guidance and support to successfully break free from the habit and embrace a healthier lifestyle.”

Classes are open to all smokers. Family members and caretakers are encouraged to participate as well. Register online at umshoreregional.org/health-education and click on the date(s) of the course you wish to attend in the calendar provided.

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.

University of Maryland Memorial Hospital Foundation has scheduled its annual golf tournament fundraiser for Monday, August 28, at Talbot Country Club in Easton.

The UM Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) Golf Tournament is one of the premier golfing events in the area, with lunch on the course followed by an awards reception. Foundation organizers plan to host 32 teams, with the goal of raising $80,000 for a Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) system for the UM Shore Medical Center at Easton hospital. RPM allows health data such as vitals and medication reminders to be transmitted between patients and providers.

“This state-of-the-art technology will allow providers to monitor patients remotely, which is especially critical in rural settings like the Eastern Shore,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO, UM SRH. We are extremely grateful to all of our golfers and sponsors, who will help make this purchase possible.”

Over the last six years, UM Shore Medical Center at Easton has received support from the golf tournament benefiting the Requard Acute Care Rehabilitation Center, the Birthing Center, Cardiac Services, Intensive Care Unit, and Surgical Services.

The Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital at Easton is the lead sponsor of the tournament, with a generous gift of $25,000.

“The Auxiliary’s mission is to support Shore Medical Center at Easton through volunteer services and efforts to raise funds for the hospital,” said Liz Hannegan, Auxiliary President. The Foundation’s annual golf tournament is one that we are pleased to support.”

Additional sponsors include BluePoint Hospitality Group, Bullock Construction, Inc., Easton Utilities Commission, Farm Creek Insurance, LLC, Harbor House Seafood, Holiday Inn Express Cambridge, Kelly Distributors, Marshall Craft Associates, Inc., Miss Alice Ryan and Crew, Pep-Up, Inc. & Tri-Gas & Oil, Preston Ford Automotive Group, Shore United Bank-Easton, Susan and Jack Stoltz, Tidewater Anesthesia Associates, PA and Willow Construction, LLC.

Team registrations of $1,500 and sponsorships ranging from $500-$10,000 are available. Registrations will be accepted through August 8.

The tournament will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a single tee start. Lunch, snacks and beverages will be served on the course. Following the tournament, there will be a reception and awards ceremony along with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

For more information or to register, contact Stephanie Bryan at [email protected] or 410-822-1000 ext. 5481 or visit umshoreregional.org/golf-tournament

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.

University of Maryland Shore Medical Group-Women’s Health recently welcomedJanyne E. Althaus, MD, a University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) perinatologist who specializes in managing high-risk pregnancies, and Abbie L. Fields, MD, a leading gynecologic oncologist with UM SOM. Dr. Althaus and Dr. Fields are seeing patients at the Easton-based practice at 522 Idlewild Avenue.

Both specialists are highly trained in managing complex medical conditions that can surface during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, hypertension and fetal abnormalities. With their expertise, they can provide comprehensive care to both the mother and developing fetus, assuring the best possible outcomes.

With more than 20 years in her field, Dr. Althaus is board certified in gynecology and obstetrics, and in maternal-fetal medicine. She most recently worked at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, Wis., and prior to that served as a perinatologist with Essentia Health Saint Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth, Minn. Previously, she served as Director of Perinatal Outreach and Maternal Transport in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital/Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore.

Dr. Althaus received her Bachelor of Arts from Pennsylvania State University and her Doctor of Medicine from Michigan State University. She completed her residency in Hartford Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Hartford, Conn., and her fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’sDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Dr. Fields has more than three decades of experience in the field of gynecologic oncology. She is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and holds a sub-specialty certification in gynecologic oncology. Most recently, she served as Director of Gynecologic Oncology in the Pelvic Reconstruction and Complex Gynecologic Surgery Department at LifeBridge Health-Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, and as chair of the Integrated Network Cancer Program at the Alvin and Lois Lapidus Cancer Institute-LifeBridge Health in Baltimore. She previously served as Medical Director of Gynecologic Oncology at the Washington Cancer Institute in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Fields received her Bachelor of Arts from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and her Doctor of Medicine from Ohio State University’s College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University in Chicago, Ill., and her fellowship in gynecologic oncology from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

UM SMG-Women’s Health provides high quality, convenient obstetrics, midwifery and gynecology care to patients, including managing high-risk pregnancy and advanced cancer care and treatment monitoring.

To schedule an appointment, please call UM Shore Medical Group-Women’s Health at 410-820-4888.

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.

Claudia Tilley, MSN, RN, APRN-CNS, AGCNS-BC, patient education specialist and diabetes educator for University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, was instrumental in the passing of new legislation allowing clinical nurse specialists (CNS) in Maryland the authority to prescribe medication. Nurses who have achieved the CNS certification have had the legal authority to prescribe in 39 states, including Maryland’s border states – Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

A clinical nurse specialist is a master’s or doctorate-prepared nurse who is board certified by a national accrediting body and licensed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) on the state level. There are over 300 clinical nurse specialists in Maryland.

The CNS prescribing legislation (Senate Bill 213 and House Bill 278) which will go into effect October 1, was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore last month. Visit umshoreregional.org/Senate-Bill0213 to read the complete bill.

“Claudia worked tirelessly to move this legislation forward,” said Kathy Elliott, Director, Professional Nursing Practice/Magnet Program. “Without her hard work, this legislation may never have come to life.”

The new legislation allows the CNS profession to practice at the full extent of their training and licensure, and help fill gaps in care and improve health outcomes for the communities served, including those on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“I am very proud to say I played a part of this historic endeavor to advance nursing and the CNS profession in Maryland,” said Tilley.

Through the Chesapeake Bay Affiliate of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and the Maryland Academy of Advanced Practice Clinicians, Tilley participated in a work group with 11 other CNS nurses, two nurse practitioners and a lobbyist who provided guidance.

Tilley worked with the Maryland General Assembly to promote the bill and educate legislators, sending emails and providing written testimony for committee hearings in both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly. She spoke personally with Delegate Thomas Hutchinson, who represents Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, and Wicomico counties, to explain the importance of the bill with regard to improving patient outcomes. In February, Tilley presented oral testimony at the House of Delegates Health and Government Operations Committee hearing in Annapolis.

Support was also secured from the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, Maryland Board of Nursing, Maryland Nurses Association, Maryland APRN groups and other organizations, including Johns Hopkins Health System, University of Maryland Medical System and AARP.

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.

Multiple cardiovascular centers associated with the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) have re-earned the industry gold standard in echocardiography accreditation.

Cardiovascular Diagnostic Centers at UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown and Easton, and at Shore Medical Pavilions at Cambridge, Easton and Queenstown, have earned renewed three-year Echocardiography Reaccreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). UM SRH has been accredited through the IAC since 1991, earning it the Bronze distinction of being accredited for 20 consecutive years. The Bronze distinction also recognizes UM SRH’s continued commitment to improvement and quality patient care in echocardiography.

According to Melissa Svehla, Manager, Cardiovascular Services, UM Shore Regional Health, “We are proud to have been a part of this program since the IAC’s inception. This is truly a testament to the dedication of our entire team and the pride each team member takes in providing the best care to our patients.”

Echocardiography is used to assess different areas of the heart and can detect heart disease or signs of serious conditions. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, followed closely by stroke, the fourth highest cause of death.

Photo: Shown with echocardiography equipment are Bruce Helmly, MD, Medical Director, Non-invasive Cardiovascular Diagnostics, UM Shore Regional Health; Melissa Svehla,Manager, Cardiovascular Services, UM Shore Regional Health; and Hilary Schmitt MBA, BSN, RN, Regional Director, Heart and Vascular Center at UM Shore Regional Health.

“Twenty years of accreditation underscores our long-term commitment to provide the highest quality service to the community,” said Bruce Helmly, MD, Medical Director, Non-invasive Cardiovascular Diagnostics, UM Shore Regional Health.“More than 20 years ago, the original Chesapeake Cardiology group began working with Gary Jones, then-director of Cardio-Pulmonary Services for Shore Regional Health to offer echocardiography services for our patients. And together, along with Melissa Svehla, we have built an outstanding high-quality service for communities throughout the five counties of the Eastern Shore that UM Shore Regional Health serves.”

IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on. This reaccreditation signifies that all five facilities have undergone an intensive application and review process and have demonstrated a commitment to quality patient care in echocardiography, including accuracy and equipment standards.

The IAC is a nonprofit organization in operation to evaluate and accredit facilities that provide diagnostic imaging and interventional-based procedures, thus improving the quality of patient care provided in private offices, clinics and hospitals. Committed to its mission through a rigorous peer review process, the IAC has granted accreditation to more than 14,000 sites since its inception in 1991.

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.

Shannon Hart, RN, clinical nurse coordinator on the 2 East Multispecialty Unit at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, has been named SRH’s Nurse of the Year. Hart was chosen by the SRH Nurse Excellence Awards Committee from over 30 nominations. The annual award recognizes nursing excellence achieved through leadership, professionalism, commitment to others and commitment to patient experience.

“I am genuinely honored,” said Hart. “I’ve only ever wanted to be a nurse. This means so much to me.”

“Shannon is a resilient, flexible and dedicated nurse,” wrote fellow team member Ashley Burl, RN, in her nomination. “No matter what the assignment, she strives to interact and build rapport with patients and families in every encounter. Shannon is a hero to all.”

Ten additional nurses received awards in eight categories: Art of Caring, Contagious Positive Attitude, Education/Professional Development, Excellence in Core Values, Excellence in Leadership, Personifies Professionalism, Precepting/Mentoring, and Professional Practice/Excellence in Nursing. Hart won the “Art of Caring” award and was then chosen from among the following category winners for the title of Nurse of the Year:

Photo: Shown at the UM Shore Regional Health Nurse of the Year Award presentation are Mary Collins, Nurse Manager, 2 East Multispecialty Unit; Shannon Hart, Nurse of the Year; Jenny Bowie, Chief Nursing Officer; and Ashley Higgs, Clinical Nurse Coordinator. 

Art of Caring – Shannon Hart, BSN, RN, 2 East Multispecialty Unit

Contagious Positive Attitude – Jakisha Downing, MSN, RN, Emergency Department, Easton

Education/Professional Development – Lori Geisler, MSN, RN, Population Health

Excellence in Core Values (Excellence) – HarliArcieri, RN, Emergency Department, Easton

Excellence in Core Values (Compassion) – Kelly Vogt, RN, 2 East Multispecialty Unit, Easton

Excellence in Core Values (Integrity) – Rachel Wright, BSN, RN, Emergency Department, Easton

Excellence in Leadership – Mary Collins, BSN, RN, 2 East Multispecialty Unit, Easton

Excellence in Leadership – Stacy Dion, BSN, RN, Same Day Surgery, Easton

Excellence in Professional Nursing Practice – Alexa Blazejak, RN, 2 East Multispecialty Unit, Easton

Personifies Professionalism – Eden Kinser, BSN, RN, Emergency Department, Chestertown

Precepting/Mentoring – Rebecca Hutchinson, BSN, RN, CMSRN, 2 East Multispecialty Unit, Easton

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.