As part of its commitment to ensure that residents of Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties have access to the leading-edge medical care, UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown recently upgraded its endoscopy equipment to provide high-definition images. Endoscopy is the examination of internal structures in the body through the use of a lighted, flexible camera-equipped instrument (the endoscope).
“We are very happy with this new equipment,” said Peggy Roca, manager of Perioperative Services in Chestertown. “It is used every day and the surgeons are very satisfied with the increased quality of what they are able to see.
“The high-definition scopes provide much better views and increase the ability of our staff to detect very early stage cancers. It is great to see Chestertown keeping up-to-date and we are very grateful to the Foundation for their generous support in this endeavor”.
According to Roca, the Hospital performs approximately 3,300 procedures each year, 50 percent of which are endoscopies that include colonoscopies; esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs) that examine the lining of the esophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine; and arthroscopies that examine joints. The other procedures include operations such as gall bladder surgeries, appendectomies, hernia repairs, joint replacements, hysterectomies and breast reconstruction and surgeries for skin cancer.
“We do not do any major surgery such as heart transplants or valve replacements, but we are very, very good at the surgeries we do,” said director of nursing Mary Jo Keefe. “Studies show that patients who receive care at smaller hospitals, such as ours, often have better outcomes, especially in terms of faster recuperation time and fewer infections.”
Roca pointed out other benefits of being able to stay close to home for medical care. “So many of our procedures – approximately 85 percent — are completed the same day,” she said. “This cuts down on travel and transportation concerns – which are especially important for senior citizens. We are always devoted to our patients and to providing superior services to our community.”
Funding for the high-definition endoscopy towers was provided by UM Chester River Health Foundation through their fundraising efforts including a very successful golf tournament in early June 2016. The Foundation, an affiliate of UM Shore Regional Health, raises funds for the UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown and UM Shore Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at Chestertown.
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.
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