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August 11, 2022

Cambridge Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Cambridge Community

Health Health Notes

Mobile Wellness Team Participates in National Night Out at Worton Park

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Serenity Kelly and Emily Welsh staffed the Mobile Wellness Team’s tent, providing screenings and health information to community members who attended the event.

UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown’s Mobile Wellness Team engaged the community in wellness activities during National Night Out activities at Worton Park on August 2, 2022. Mobile Wellness Team members provided blood pressure screenings and pre-diabetes screenings, and distributed masks and hand sanitizer at the annual event which brought out community members and organizations together with law enforcement personnel for an evening of solidarity.

“Most of the participants who wanted their blood pressure checked reported having blood pressure issues and taking medications prescribed by their doctors,” said Emily Welsh, BSN, RN, Mobile Wellness Team Nurse Coordinator. “We distributed blood pressure logs and discussed the importance of checking blood pressure regularly to make sure their medications are effective. We also talked about the importance of maintaining a low salt diet, exercising and losing weight. Overall, National Night Out was a great opportunity for us to provide health screenings to community members and have conversations about ways to achieve and maintain better health.”

In addition to participating in community events, Mobile Wellness Team members conduct outreach visits to trusted community sites, including firehouses, places of worship, residential care facilities and community organizations, and also serve patients and families in their home settings.

To learn more about Mobile Wellness Team community outreach or services, or to request an appointment, contact Welsh at 410-778-3300, ext. 5644, or ewelsh@umm.edu

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.

Tucker Joins UM Shore Medical Group – Palliative Care Practice

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Keri Tucker, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC

UM Shore Medical Group – Palliative Care recently welcomed nurse practitioner Keri Tucker, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC.

Tucker joins Lakshmi Vaidyanathan, MD; Don F. D’Aquila, PharmD, RRT; Christina Ball, MS, AGACNP-BC, CNRN; Madeline Steffens, BSN, RN, CHPN; Melissa Leppert, MSN, APRN, FNP-C; and a number of support staff. Providers see patients admitted to UM Shore Medical Center at Easton and via telemedicine at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. They also provide outpatient care services in the Palliative Care Clinic located at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Easton, 500 Cadmus Lane, suite 209, in Easton.

Tucker comes to UM SMG – Palliative Care from UM Shore Regional Health, where she previously worked as a clinical care nurse. She has 13 years of experience in the nursing field and has served as a mentor to new UM Shore Regional Health nurses.

Tucker earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Wilmington University in Wilmington, Delaware, and her Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She provides holistic health care to patients with chronic conditions and to patients seeking palliative care with the goal of achieving improved quality of life.

To make an appointment for a Palliative Care consult, call 410-820-4434.

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.

Choptank Health Reopens Tilghman Health Center

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From left: Choptank Health’sCiera Nichols, MA, Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich, and Gregory Dukes, CRNP at the recently reopened Tilghman Health Center at Tilghman Elementary School.

Choptank Community Health System has reopened its Tilghman Health Center at Tilghman Elementary School to provide primary medical services for Bay Hundred children and adults.

Choptank Health closed its Tilghman Health Center during the pandemic and re-opened on July 19. The Center serves as an extension to Choptank Health’s Bay Hundred Health Center in St. Michaels, with Gregory Dukes, CRNP serving as the provider.

The Center is open every other Tuesday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., with new adult and pediatric primary care medical patients accepted. Choptank Health’s St. Michaels office patients are also being seen at the Tilghman Island location.

“We are grateful to be able to bring health care closer to the people of Tilghman Island and through the Bay Hundred region through this partnership with Talbot Schools,” said Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich. “This extension is especially meaningful because making healthcare more accessible for people across Maryland’s Eastern Shore is at the heart of everything Choptank Health does. It’s why we’re here.”

“Having accessible healthcare services right on the Island is extremely important for our area residents,” said Tilghman Island resident Ginny Cornwell. “We’re fortunate to have Choptank Health as a partner in our community to help people who especially have transportation challenges, for example, or who are managing chronic conditions and can’t always get up the road.”

Choptank Community Health System serves more than 30,000 patients in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, and Talbot counties. Choptank has been in operation for more than 40 years and has more than 200 employees, including primary care, behavioral health, and dental care providers and support staff. In addition to accepting most major insurance plans, Choptank participates in Medicare and Medicaid and offers a sliding fee scale to uninsured patients.

Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, and Talbot counties, 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 at all locations. Call 410-745-0200 to make a medical appointment at Choptank Health’s Tilghman Health Center or learn more at www.choptankhealth.org.

Choptank Community Health Recognizes National Health Center Week

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Choptank Community Health System is recognizing National Health Center Week this Aug. 7-13 with “Community Health Centers: The Chemistry for Strong Communities” the theme for the National Association of Community Health Center’s annual initiative.

“This year’s National Health Center Week honors the values, services, affordability, and innovations health centers bring to our communities,” said Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich. “We are joining  Health Care Centers across the nation to recognize the importance of health centers and their role in supporting strong communities.”

Rich says National Health Center Week provides the opportunity to highlight the innovative ways Choptank Health and other health centers provide high-quality care and improved health outcomes by narrowing health disparities. Focus areas include public health in housing; children’s health; healthcare for agricultural workers and people facing homelessness.

“Community Health Centers: The Chemistry for Strong Communities” is the theme for the National Association of Community Health Center’s National Health Center Week this Aug. 7-13.

Choptank Community Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center and one of 17 community-based health centers in Maryland serving more than 377,000 individuals, including those without insurance or the ability to pay.

Choptank Health and other participants in the U. S. Health Resources & Services Administration’s Health Center Program serve more than 28 million people nationwide and provide affordable, high-quality, comprehensive primary care to people from throughout local communities.

“Community Health Centers look beyond medical charts to address the factors that may cause poor health, such as poverty, homelessness, substance use, behavioral health, lack of nutrition, and unemployment,” Rich says.“We create the chemistry for strong communities by forging partnerships with hospitals, local and state governments, social, health, and business organizations to improve health outcomes, especially for medically vulnerable people.”

Choptank Community Health System’s commitment to excellence is recognized by the nation’s oldest and largest health care accreditor, The Joint Commission. Achieving Joint Commission accreditation demonstrates Choptank Health’s commitment to continuous improvement in patient care.

Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, 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.

Jennifer Christ Joins UM Shore Medical Group – Primary Care

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Jennifer Christ

Jennifer Christ, MSN, CRNP, has joined the UM Shore Medical Group – Primary Care practice in Centreville. Christ has over 25 years of experience in health promotion, disease prevention, acute and chronic care management, health education, and hospital administration

Christ has worked at several Baltimore-area hospitals; she began her career in 1998 as an intensive care nurse and also served in surgical recovery, case management and nursing administration roles. Most recently, she served as the Supervisor of Employee Health at UM Shore Regional Health (UM SRH).

Christ earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Stevenson University in Owings Mills, Maryland, her Master of Science in Nursing from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and Family Nurse Practitioner Certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She is an active member of Sigma Theta Tau, the International Honor Society of Nursing.

“We are so pleased to have Jennifer join our primary care team in Centreville. Her skills and experience will be an asset to the community,” said William E. Huffner, MD, Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for UM SRH.

To make an appointment with Christ, call 410-758-4432.

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 12 hospitals and 10 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.

Cassel Named Director of UM Shore Regional Health’s Heart and Vascular Center

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Hilary Cassel

Hilary Cassel, MBA, BSN, RN, CCRN has been named director of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Heart and Vascular Center.

“I am thrilled to welcome Hilary back to the Shore Regional Health team, as she has been with us previously making an impact as an orthopedic nurse navigator,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO, UM SRH. “Her business and clinical experience, as well as her strong leadership skills, make her a great addition to our Cardiovascular Services team and our Heart and Vascular Center.”

The Heart and Vascular Center at UM Shore Regional Health includes the Cardiac Intervention Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton; UM Shore Medical Group-Cardiology offices in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties; cardiovascular diagnostics and the vascular labs in Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties; and Center for Cardiopulmonary Fitness and Wellness locations at UM Shore Medical Center sites at Cambridge, Chestertown and Easton.

Cassel comes to UM SRH from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, where she was the Assistant Director of Nursing in the hospital’s Perioperative Services Department, managing more than 150 team members and overseeing 700 surgical cases monthly. Previously, Cassel served as the Assistant Director of Perioperative Services at Lenox Hill Hospital (Northwell Health) in New York City and as nurse manager and clinical nurse in several NYC hospital surgical units, where she helped lead and establish several critical programs and was voted one of Northwell Health’s “Most Promising Leaders.” Cassel is a member of the American Heart Association and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Cassel received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va., and her Master of Business Administration from Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y.

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.

Talbot Kids Grief Camp Returns in August

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Talbot Hospice is pleased to announce the return of its Talbot Kids Grief Camp on Saturday, August 14th at Evergreen Cove.

Talbot Hospice is pleased to announce the return of its Talbot Kids Grief Camp in August after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

“Grief Camp is an important component of our bereavement support for children,” said Chris Chekouras, Talbot Hospice Executive Director. “Children grieve differently than adults. At Grief Camp, we create a safe and supportive environment where children can express themselves through play and peer support, build self-esteem and learn practical, life-long skills to handle difficult experiences.”

Grief Camp will be hosted at Evergreen Cove in Easton and will begin with a orientation for parents and campers on Friday evening, August 12th and a kids-only day camp on Saturday, August 13th. The camp is led by Talbot Hospice’s Bereavement Team of professional grief counselors and specially-trained volunteers.

Talbot Kids Grief Camp is open to any youth ages 6-17 on the Mid-Shore who has experienced the death of a loved one, regardless of whether they received services from Talbot Hospice. The Grief Camp program is designed to meet the unique needs of grieiving children and includes team oriented games and activities, participation in small groups, therapeutic arts and crafts, opportunities to meet other kids who know what its like to lose someone special, and connections with professional grief counselors.

The program is offered free of charge through Talbot Hospice and its generous donors.

To learn more and to register, please visit www.talbothospice.org/events or contact Talbot Hospice’s bereavement team at410-822-668.

About Talbot Hospice

Talbot Hospice provides compassionate care, comfort and support for patients and their families and caregivers wherever they call home. Talbot Hospice serves patients facing life-limiting illnesses through Hospice and Palliative Care as well as its Pathways and Bereavement programs. Services are available to patients and caregivers regardless of ability to pay. Learn more at www.talbothospice.org.

For All Seasons Offers Water Bottles with a Mental Health Message

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According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), about 1 in 7 children, ages 5 to 15, will experience at least one “severe mental disorder.” That number climbs to 1 in 5 children during the teen years, ages 13 to 18. We hear a lot about physical health and keeping our bodies healthy and strong, but mental health is just as important. We can do things to “be kind to our minds.”

At the end of the school year, For All Seasons reached out to area elementary schools on the Mid-Shore providing “Be Kind to Your Mind” water bottles, along with a conversation starter for parents and teachers to help them discuss mental health. This year, bottles were delivered to Chapel Elementary School, Preston Elementary School, Federalsburg Elementary School, Sandy Hill Elementary School, Centreville Elementary School, and Kennard Elementary School.

Pictured is a student at Kennard Elementary School, one of several elementary schools on the Mid-Shore where For All Seasons staff delivered “Be Kind to Your Mind” water bottles and conversation starters for students and their teachers.

“It was perfect timing at the end of the school year to share this mental health message with students and their families as they prepare for summer. Summer break is a great time to discuss mental health and wellness and we are providing the tools for families to do that,” states Jonathan Qvarnstrom, Marketing, and Outreach Associate at For All Seasons.

Some of the tips in the conversation starter included:

  • Positive thinking is one big way we can “be kind to our minds.”
  • Being “kind to your mind” also means naming your feelings & sharing them with people you trust.
  • Being mentally healthy does not mean being happy all of the time.
  • Treat yourself as kindly as you would a friend.

Susan D. Klepper, M Ed., School Counselor at Kennard Elementary School, adds, “The Kennard Elementary School students were thrilled to receive their brand-new water bottles! The timing was perfect because it was field day, so they had plenty of refreshment during their time outdoors. Students enjoyed the “Be Kind to Your Mind” activities shared by For All Seasons and appreciated this amazing donation.”

For All Seasons is your community behavioral health and rape crisis center offering therapy, psychiatry, advocacy, and education to individuals and families, regardless of one’s ability to pay. For further information, visit www.forallseasonsinc.org.

Choptank Community Health Provides Produce Prescriptions for Students

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Choptank Community Health System is providing produce prescriptions to Mid-Shore students through community partnerships with the Avalon Foundation and Caroline County Public Schools Shore Gourmet “Sho Go” Mobile Market. Funding for the project comes from a $25K grant through the School-Based Health Center (SBHC) Food Access Learning Network and Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign.

The program provides local children with four, $5 vouchers for the child and family to obtain fresh produce from the Easton Farmers Market and Shore Gourmet’s “Sho Go” Mobile Market locations in Caroline and Talbot counties. The vouchers are being provided over the summer to students enrolled in Choptank Health’s School-Based Health Centers in both counties.

“Participating students are also receiving health education on topics including the importance of a healthy diet and physical activity,” explains Choptank Health Director of Community Based Programs Chrissy Bartz PA-C, MMS. “By integrating food access and preventative care, we’re able to help address childhood hunger and improve healthy dietary outcomes.”

From left: Avalon Foundation CEO Al Bond, Avalon Foundation COO/CFO Jessica Bellis, Avalon Foundation Easton Farmers Market Manager Marie Nuthall, Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich, Choptank Health Director of Community Based Programs Chrissy Bartz PA-C, MMS.

Bartz and her School-Based Health Center team planned the logistics of the program.

“This program is allowing families to select and prepare local produce together and continue our conversations around healthy diet with everyone in the home,” says Bartz. “This outreach with the farmers and mobile markets is also a great way to meet the needs of local children facing food insecurities.”

Feeding America reports that 1,430 or 18.2% of children in Caroline County and 980 or 14.3% of Talbot County’s children are facing food insecurity. Feeding America is the United States’ largest hunger-relief organization that conducts an annual study to learn more about hunger at local levels.

“This is a great example of how collaboration with other organizations can help our community,” says Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich. “These partnerships enhance the meaningful work our teams do each day while providing essential resources that strengthen our communities.”

“We’re fortunate to build on a partnership that began with Choptank Community Health at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Avalon Foundation CEO Al Bond. “Transitioning from our outreach efforts to working together to help make sure no child goes hungry is very meaningful work.”

From left: CCPS Community Outreach Coordinator Holly Foster, Choptank Health Director of Community Based Programs Chrissy Bartz PA-C, MMS, Choptank Health CEO Sara Rich, Caroline County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Derek Simmons, CCPS Supervisor of Food Services Beth Brewster, Chesapeake Culinary Center Executive Chef David Murray, and CCPS Food Operations Manager Samantha Figueroa stand in front of the Sho Go Mobile Market.

“This program is a great way to put fresh produce in the hands of children and families facing food insecurities,” says Caroline County Public Schools Supervisor of Food Services Beth Brewster. “This program is even more important over the summer months, and the mobile market makes it even more accessible to those in Caroline County.”

By providing access to fresh produce, organizers are offering healthier choices to students in need with the hope that they become less food insecure and healthier overall. The program engages both the student as well as family members and guardians. Choptank Health providers will follow up with students to assess the campaign’s popularity and gauge the level of behavior changes, as a direct result of the program.

Food insecure children need this additional support now more than ever. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, No Kid Hungry estimates that one out of every six kids could face hunger this year. This organization is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, a D.C.-based organization committed to ending hunger and poverty around the world.

Information on the Easton Farmer’s Market can be found at www.avalonfoundation.org/eastonfarmersmarket, with the schedule and information for the Sho Go Mobile Market at www.carolineculinaryarts.org/shogomobile.

Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot counties, with a mission to provide access to comprehensive and integrated health care for all. Medical services include primary health care, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, chronic health management, and care navigation. Choptank Health also operates 32 School-Based Health Centers in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, and Talbot counties, providing medical and dental services for enrolled K-12 students, with more at www.choptankhealth.org.

The Cancer Program at UM SRH Earns Reaccreditation from the Commission on Cancer

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The Cancer Program at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health has been granted a three-year reaccreditation by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) following a review of its programs, services and facilities. The program first earned CoC accreditation in 2015 and has maintained It continuously since.

The Cancer Program at UM Shore Regional Health includes the UM SRH Cancer Center and the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center and is the only comprehensive cancer care program serving residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties. Patients treated at the Cancer Program benefit from a team approach that includes professionals in multiple disciplines from UM SRH, UM Shore Medical Group, the University of Maryland Cancer Network and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. These specialties include experts in oncology/hematology, radiology, radiation oncology, pathology, nursing, nutrition, rehabilitation and social work. All patients receive a comprehensive treatment plan and access to numerous support services.

The CoC’s accreditation review process occurs every three years. The Cancer Program’s preparation process involved a comprehensive effort by the Cancer Committee, a multi-disciplinary team comprised of surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists and other oncology specialists.

“The committee worked with staff members in the UM SRH Cancer Center and the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center, taking a comprehensive cancer treatment and providing patients with support throughout their entire cancer journey,” said Emily Kowalski, MD, a radiation oncologist at the Cancer Center who served as committee chair. “Our ongoing accreditation reflects our adherence to the highest standards of care and support for our patients.”

Conducted by an independent physician surveyor, the CoC accreditation review examined the Center’s compliance with 38 quality care standards focusing on prevention, early diagnosis, cancer staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, life-long follow-up for recurrent disease and end-of-life care. Other considerations in the review included the availability of clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling, and various patient-centered services, including support programs, a patient navigation process and a survivorship plan of care.

As an entity within the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a national consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care.

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 12 hospitals and 10 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.