November was National Home Care Month and for the staff of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s two home care entities, UM Shore Home Care and UM Chester River Home Care, there has been much to celebrate. This year more than ever, the 50 staff members went out of their way to make a difference in the health and well-being of their patients, providing a full range of services in homes, group homes and residential care facilities.

UM Chester River Home Care patientMichael Ambrose thanks his “heroes” – Lauren Killeen, OT, Brooke Maier, PT, Sarah Reynolds, PTA and Amanda Sutton, RN.

The team served more than 1,111 number of patients and made more than 16,200individual home visits in and around our five-county region—all during the COVID-19 pandemic that has tested the strength and flexibility of our region’s health care workers.

“Our teams continue to rise to the challenges created by Covid-19,” said Rita Holley, director of Home Care Services for UM SRH.

At the start of the pandemic, a Covid-19 team of volunteers was formed to help care for those battling the virus at home, said Holley. This skilled team has cared for more than 60 Covid-19 patients during their in-home recoveries.

“An important new service that the home care team began offering during the pandemic was assisting patients with physician appointments via telemedicine,” said Kathryn Davis, clinical manager of UM Chester River Home Care.“Our nurses helped facilitate the telemedicine visits and spoke directly with physicians to report important medical data such as blood pressure and heart rate.”

“This has been of tremendous value to both the patient and the physician – home care team members help ensure providers have the information they needed to treat patients, all while keeping them safer at home,” said Davis.

Shore Home Care and Chester River Home Care have served patients in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties for more than 20 years. The two agencies provide a full range of services, including skilled nursing; physical and occupational therapy; medical social work; and home health aide assistance. Their shared goal is to help each patient maintain optimal health and independence in his or her home setting.

Teresa Baker, RN, Shore Home Care, with her patient, Lawrence Carpenter.

“The nurses and therapists are the most marvelous group of people you can imagine,” said Michael Ambrose, a Chester River Home Care patient. “They are extremely capable—true heroines and heroes—and they genuinely care about helping me recover.” The home care team has been monitoring and evaluating Ambrose’s recovery from multiple surgeries and hospitalizations that began in September 2019.

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.

Alexa Burley, NP, Shore Behavioral Health

Alexa Burley, MSN, PMHNP-BC, was recently welcomed by UM Shore Medical Group – Behavioral Health. Burley’s prior health care experience includes working as a staff nurse in emergency care at Anne Arundel Medical Center, as a nurse in inpatient clinic and outpatient care services for Anne Arundel Mental Health Group in Annapolis and as a psychotherapy provider with Family Intervention Partners in Baltimore.

Burley completed her MSN and post-master’s nurse practitioner certificate in psychiatric mental health from Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo. She also holds an undergraduate degree in legal studies from University of Maryland – University College.

Information about programs and services provided by Shore Behavioral Health may be obtained by calling 410-822-1000, ext. 8122.

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.

Tasos Aslanidis, DO

Ear, Nose and Throat/Sinus and Hearing has welcomed Tasos Aslanidis, DO, FAOCO to the practice based in UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Easton.

Dr. Aslanidis brings more than two decades as a provider with practices in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Philadelphia, Pa., and has served as member of the medical staffs of multiple health care organizations, including Kennedy Health System and Kennedy Surgical Associates, Thomas Jefferson Hospital, Virtua West Jersey Hospitals and Summit Surgical Associates. He also served as medical director, the Kennedy Balance Center, Stratford Division.

A Fellow of the American Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology and a Diplomate of the American Osteopathic Board of Medical Examiners, Dr. Aslanidis has served as a clinical instructor for residency programs at University of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Osteopathic Medicine, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. His academic credentials include undergraduate degrees in biology and pharmacy, and his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

To make an appointment with Dr. Aslanidis, patients may call 410-820-9119.

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 2,500 employees, medical staff, board members, and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

The recent 6th Annual Sporting Clays Classic was a great success, netting over $118,000 to be used toward the purchase of a Faxitron machine for the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center. The Faxitron is used by surgeons to evaluate an area that has been identified for removal by mammography.

F. Graham Lee, vice president philanthropy, his wife Brenda, and Reggie Harrell, event and scholarship committee member for UM Memorial Hospital Foundation, enjoy the Clay Shoot course.

Hosted by UM Memorial Hospital Foundation and held at The Point at Pintail in Queenstown on October 24, 2020, the Sporting Clays Classic attracted 159 registered shooters who enjoyed morning competition, lunch for participants, various prizes, raffles and silent auction items donated by local businesses and community members.

“It was really a great day, perfect weather and a great group of competitors,” said F. Graham Lee, vice president for philanthropy at UM SRH. “I am very grateful to this year’s Sporting Clays Committee and to our sponsors, both businesses and individuals, who stepped up to support the event.”

Sponsorships from community members and businesses played a vital role in the success of the event. Key sponsors included Attraction Magazine, Bosom Buddies Charities, BSC Group, LLC, Bullock Construction, Inck Cambridge Marketplace, Chaney Enterprises, Doug James Real Estate, Eastern Shore Emergency Medicine Physicians, LLC, Gillis Gilkerson, Inc., Roberta Lilly, MD, Maggie Ferree Fund of MSCF, Preston Automotive Group, Provident State Bank, R. Scott & Courtney Clark Pastrick, Paul & Joanne Prager, Retay USA, Shore Radiology, P.A., Shore United Bank, Jack & Susan Stoltz, The Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital at Easton, The Point at Pintail, The Star Democrat, Tidewater Anesthesia Associates, P.A., Tri-Gas & Oil, Inc., Willow Construction, LLC and WIN Transport.

Last year, the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center provided breast care to more than 3,100 patients, diagnosing more than 145 new cases of breast cancer. These numbers continue to rise each year.

“We are deeply grateful for the community’s commitment to help ensure we have state-of-the-art equipment for diagnosis and treatment,” says Roberta J. Lilly, MD, Clark Comprehensive Breast Centerbreast surgical oncologist. “The Faxitron allows us to capture digital images of specimens that can be sent to Radiology immediately, thus reducing the time a patient in anesthetized.”

Delegate John Mautz, IV and his four-legged pal Savannah, take a break at the Clay Shoot.

Prizes were given to each of the winners of the highest overall (HOA) score in their category, as follows: Chris Short (men’s), Megan Watts (women’s) and Salisbury Gun Club (Team). The top three of each Lewis class also received prizes, as follows: (Lewis Class One) 1st place – Chuck Richardson, 2nd place – Ryan Boyles, and 3rd place – Ling Sperl; (Lewis Class Two) 1st place – Bobby Kenton, 2nd place – Chuck Wyvill, 3rd place – Michael Rose; (Lewis Class Three) 1st place – Scott Pastrick, 2nd place – Steven M. Spurry, and 3rd place- Rex Wheeler. The gun raffle winner was Jo Anne Thomson, director of patient experience at UM SRH.

About UM 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 2,600 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers work with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.