Team members in UM Shore Regional Health’s Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services are offering a series of classes for UM SRH team members, volunteers and the public.

“Our theme this year in Rehab has been ‘Live Your Best Life’ and of course, movement and exercise are so important to maintaining good health,” explains Diane Lorsong, speech therapist for Rehab Services. “So, leading up to National Rehabilitation Week, September 15 -20, we are offering one-time, beginner-level classes that will introduce people to various kinds of physical activity that might be interested in but haven’t tried.”

The Rehab Services team is suggesting donations (by cash or check) as follows: $8 for UM SRH staff and volunteers with badge i.d., and $10 for all others. All donations will be deposited in the Rehab Services fund at UM Memorial Hospital Foundation, which provides support for continuing education for Rehab Services staff members.

Anyone interested in ‘living their best life’ and trying something new is encouraged to try one or more of these fun filled classes. All classes will be held 5 – 5:30 p.m. in the Health Education Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton. The class series begins the last week of August and will unfold as follows:

YOGA WITH REN – Wednesday, August 28. Instructor Ren Boettger is a physical therapy assistant for SRH Rehab Services and teaches Pilates and Yoga at various locations on the Mid-shore.

DANCE WITH DIEGO – Thursday, September 5. Instructor Diego Guzman is a former Rehab staff member who offers ballroom dance classes locally, participates in competitions and has won local dance competitions in the past.

ZUMBA WITH LACIE – Wednesday, September 11. Instructor Lacie Prahl is an occupational therapist with SRH Rehab Services who currently teaches Zumba at Powerhouse Gym.

PILATES WITH REN – Wednesday, September 18. Instructor Ren Boettger is a physical therapy assistant for SRH Rehab Services and teaches Pilates and Yoga at various locations on the mid-shore.

RSVP is not required for these classes. For Yoga or Pilates, please bring a mat or towel of some kind.

Any questions, contact Diane Lorsong, 410-827-3818.

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.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) has announced its Board of Directors and officers, effective July 1, 2019.

 

 

Leading the Board as chairman is Keith McMahan of Caroline County. McMahan is chairman and CEO of Tri-Gas & Oil Company, a 56-year old propane, petroleum and transportation company based in Federalsburg, Md. and serving the Mid-Atlantic region. McMahan served on the former Shore Health System Board 2008-2013 and has served on the UM SRH Board since 2013. He also is a member of the UM Memorial Hospital Foundation Board, which he joined in 1995 and has served as secretary since 2009. He also serves as a director for Provident State Bank and as a board member and past chairman of the National Propane Gas Association.

McMahan is actively involved in St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Denton, Maryland, and is a member of C12, a Christian CEO roundtable and advisory group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Loeffler serves the Board as vice chairman and chairs the Strategic Planning Committee. A resident of Dorchester County, Loeffler is a business consultant for the Maryland Small Business Development Center and has served a variety of community and civic organizations, including as president of the Dorchester County Library, as a member of the Cambridge Economic Steering Committee and on the boards of Sailwinds Park, Inc. and the Cambridge Elks 1272.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serving as treasurer is JoAnne Hahey, certified public accountant and chief financial officer, UM SRH. Hahey came to UM SRH in April, 2014 after 23 years at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, including seven years as senior vice president and chief financial officer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert A. Frank, senior vice president of operations for UM SRH, has joined the Board as secretary. Frank came to UM SRH in 2014 from Weirton Medical Center in Weirton, West Virginia, where he was vice president and chief financial officer. Previously, he served more than three decades with Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where his last role was executive vice president and
chief operating officer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“UM Shore Regional Health is fortunate to have the diverse talent, knowledge and experience of these leaders and Board members who are dedicated to the advancement of health care in the five county region we serve,” says Ken Kozel, president and CEO, UM Shore Regional Health. “I look forward to their leadership and contributions as we expand and enhance our patient care programs and services.”

In addition to these officers, UM SRH Board members include: John Ashworth, interim president and CEO, University of Maryland Medical System; Charles Capute; Art Cecil III; Kathleen Deoudes; Marlene Feldman; Wayne L. Gardner, Sr.; Wayne Howard; Ona Kareiva, MD; Ken Kozel; Charles B. MacLeod; David Milligan; Eugene Newmeier, DO; William B. Noll; Stephen Satchell; Samuel T. Shoge; Thomas Stauch, MD; and Glenn L. Wilson.

UM Shore Medical Center at Easton has passed another milestone in its transition to a Community Academic Medical Center, according to William Huffner, MD, senior vice president, Medical Affairs and chief medical officer, UM Shore Regional Health. In collaboration with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine and funding from UM Memorial Hospital Foundation, Shore Regional Health has inaugurated a residency program in emergency care for medical residents in their second or third year of training who are interested in gaining experience in rural community emergency medicine.

The new program,through which medical residents (one or two at a time) work in the UM Shore Medical Center at Easton Emergency Department and Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown for four weeks, offers several benefits. “These residents will get a real taste of rural emergency medicine that offers a lot of direct experience with patients, and while they are here, they get a feel for our community and the quality of life in our five-county region has to offer,” said Dr. Huffner. “This will support our efforts in recruiting emergency care physicians to our hospitals in the same way that our Physician Assistant Rotation Program, offered in collaboration with Anne Arundel Community College and University of Maryland at Baltimore, helped us recruit several physician assistants after they completed their PA clinical studies at Shore Regional Health.”

Brian Browne, MD, FACEP, chair, Emergency Medicine at UM School of Medicine and physician in chief, Statewide Emergency Medicine Services, was very involved in the establishment of the residency program at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, working with Dr. Huffner, Walter Atha, MD, regional director, Emergency Medicine at UM SRH, and UM SRH emergency department directors Glenn Hebel, MD, Eric Maniago, MD, Jane Wang, MD and Steven White, MD.  “Offering this residency program expands the types of experiences as well as setting in which our residents can train,” said Dr. Brown. “It also further integrates Shore Regional Health with the University of Maryland Medical System, University of Maryland Medical Center and the UM School of Medicine.”

UM Memorial Hospital Foundation has played a key role in bring the residency program to life, according to Graham Lee, vice president, Philanthropy at UM SRH. “The Board recognized this as an important opportunity for our emergency care team to participate in the training of future emergency physicians,” said Lee. “As a result, the Foundation Board voted to fund the program for three years at an anticipated approximate cost of $175,000 per year. We are happy to provide the resources needed to expose physicians in training to the challenges and rewards of emergency care in a rural setting.”

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.

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, and David Stewart, MD, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department and Family and Community Medicine, jointly announced that Health Resources and Services Administration Administrator (HRSA), George Sigounas, MS, PhD, has awarded a $750,000 grant to establish a residency program in Maryland’s rural Eastern shore communities.

This grant is part of a larger $20 million multi-year initiative by HRSA to expand the physician workforce in rural areas by developing new, sustainable residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry. The recipients of the awards include rural hospitals, community health centers, health centers operated by the Indian Health Service, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and schools of medicine.

“The health challenges in rural America are clear: rural communities face a greater risk of poor health outcomes than their urban counterparts,” said Dr. Sigounas. “Programs like the Rural Residency Planning and Development grants take aim at one of the most persistent disparities: access to high quality healthcare providers. HRSA is committed to increasing the number of providers serving rural communities and improving health in rural America.”

The goal of the UMSOM program is to develop a sustainable, accredited rural training track in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and to ultimately expand the area’s rural primary care workforce.

“This program will help create a pipeline for expanding the physician workforce in rural, medically underserved areas on Maryland’s Eastern Shore,” said Dr. Stewart.

A key aspect of the program involves strong partnerships with University of Maryland Shore Regional Health and the Choptank Community Health System. Residents in the rural track program will complete their first year of training in Baltimore and their final two years in medical practices and other clinical settings offered by these two health care organizations.

“We are grateful for this generous support from the Health Resources and Services Administration. It is extremely important for us to generate and sustain interest in this new rural residency program,” said Dean Reece, who is also Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland Baltimore and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. “I believe we will do so, because that is part of our mission here at the University of Maryland School of Medicine: To Improve the health to all the citizens of Maryland.”

Addressing the needs of underserved communities in Maryland is a core goal of the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

“Primary care access in rural communities is one of our top priorities, and we know that medical residents who do their training in rural areas are more likely to practice in those areas after their training is complete,” said Jay A. Perman, MD, President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. “This is one more way we can make sure we’re supplying the physicians that the state’s underserved regions need so badly.”

Officials from collaborating institutions, Shore Regional Health and Choptank Community Health System, highlighted the importance of the program for Maryland’s five-county Eastern shore region.

“The HRSA grant will be of great value to Shore Regional Health as it helps us attract and retain primary care providers to the five-county rural region we serve,” said Ken Kozel, MBA, FACHE, President and CEO of UM Shore Regional Health. “We are very excited to work with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and our regional partners, Choptank Community Health System and Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center, to realize the full potential that this primary care physician grant offers to SRH and to our community.”

Sara Rich, MPA, President and CEO of Choptank Community Health System, agreed that the HRSA-funded program is a critical step toward attracting primary care physicians to the most rural parts of the Eastern shore.

“Choptank Community Health is proud to be a partner in this groundbreaking grant award from the Health Resources and Services Administration.  We commend the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s commitment to enhancing access to care for our communities through the development of a rural training track on the Eastern Shore,” said Ms. Rich. “We look forward to collaborating with our partners at UMSOM, UM Shore Regional Health and the Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center as we work together to bring more primary care physicians to our rural communities.”

About the Rural Residency Program

The HRSA funding will be used to help recruit and train dedicated teaching faculty for the program, to recruit a diverse pool of primary care residency applications that reflect a demonstrable interest and dedication to the practice of rural health, and to develop and secure a clear and viable plan to sustain the rural residency program. Jason Ramirez, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, is the Principal Investigator for the program. Over time, the program will include 12 residents, he said.

“Our goal is to achieve full accreditation and to recruit highly-qualified medical students with track records of interest and dedication to practicing primary care in rural Maryland,” said Dr. Ramirez.

The sustainability of the program will also rely on support from the Maryland Department of Health as well as key organizational support from UM Shore Regional Health and Choptank Health.

“As a physician myself, I know it’s important to train physicians in rural areas because many physicians consider staying in practice in the communities where they trained. This HRSA grant will help our shortage of physicians on the Eastern Shore of Maryland,” said U.S. Representative Andy Harris (R-MD).

With assistance from the Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center (ESAHEC), the success of the program will be evaluated by tracking the number of family physicians retained in the five-county region, their practice locations, scope of practice and specific populations served.

“This grant is a huge win for our state – it will improve access to medical care for thousands of Marylanders and expand residency opportunities for physicians-in-training throughout the Eastern Shore. That’s why I’ve consistently fought for funding for this program and others that improve the availability of health care services and bolster the pipeline of physicians practicing in rural areas. I will continue working to ensure communities across our state have affordable, reliable health care options,” said U.S. Senator Christopher Van Hollen, (D-MD), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine
Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world — with 43 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished recipient of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research.  With an operating budget of more than $1 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically-based care for more than 1.2 million patients each year. The School has over 2,500 students, residents, and fellows, and more than $530 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total workforce of nearly 7,000 individuals. The combined School and Medical System (“University of Maryland Medicine”) has an annual budget of nearly $6 billion and an economic impact more than $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the 8^th highest among public medical schools in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine, with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.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 2,500 employees, medical staff, board members, and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together. Visit umshoregional.org

About Choptank Community Health System
Choptank Community Health System, Inc. (CCHS), a private, non-profit Community Health Center network, provides access to quality health care through the delivery of comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health care services in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.  CCHS has been providing quality health care in this rural area continuously for nearly 40 years.  All CCHS offices and program sites are accredited by The Joint Commission.  In 2018, CCHS provided care for over 28,000 patients in 6 health center locations and multiple school and community locations in our three-county region.  The mission of CCHS is to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive and integrated health care for all.  Visit choptankhealth.org

About the Health Resources and Services Administration
The Health Resources and Services Administration is the primary Federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responsible for improving access to health care for people who are geographically isolated and economically or medically vulnerable. As Administrator, Dr. Sigounas oversees the execution of HRSA’s $11.7 billion annual budget (FY 2019) that is used to expand access to quality health care through an array of grants to state and local governments, health care providers and health professions training programs.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health and The Orthopedic Center have announced the addition of Easton-based orthopedic care provider Nicolas E. Anastasio, MD. Anastasio’s specialties include treating musculoskeletal and nerve-related conditions throughout the body and running-related injuries.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Nicholas Anastasio to our practice,” says Thomas Stauch, MD, president, The Orthopedic Center. “He provides a wide variety of nonsurgical techniques, including tailored physical therapy prescriptions, ultrasound guided injections and nerve conduction studies. He is also experienced with the newest regenerative medicine techniques, including Platelet-Rich Plasma and Prolotherapy injections. We look forward to having him available to provide these services to our community.”

“My emphasis is on treating the whole patient and maximizing function,” Dr. Anastasio says. “My training at the Runner’s Clinic of the University of Virginia has provided me with unique expertise in running-related injuries, orthotic and shoe evaluation, and running gait analysis. I am very excited to join the team at The Orthopedic Center and to be of service to the community.”

A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Dr. Anastasio interned with the University of Maryland-Mercy Medical Center. He completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Virginia.

The Orthopedic Center Physical Therapy (PT) and Performance Center is a collaborative venture between Shore Regional Health’s Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services and The Orthopedic Center in Easton, Md.

The Center offers specialized physical therapy and sports medicine services in conjunction with medical surgical specialists in bone and joint surgery, rheumatology and orthopedic rehabilitation medicine. The specialized professional therapy team works in close collaboration with the physicians to assure the most personalized and appropriate therapy plan of care to help patients avoid re-injury or setbacks.

Dr. Anastasio is seeing patients at 510 Idlewild Ave., Suite 200, Easton. Patients may make an appointment by calling 410-820-8226. For more information about The Orthopedic Center/Physical Therapy and Performance Center, please visit https://www.umms.org/shore/health-services/rehabilitation/services/orthopedics.

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.

If you’ve experienced sexual assault, you do not have to go through it alone. University of Maryland Shore Regional Health now has 11 nurses who have completed the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner  (SANE) program and are available to survivors who seek emergency care following a sexual assault. SANE team members work closely with a team of trauma-certified advocates at For All Seasons, Inc., to provide a full continuum of care for sexual assault survivors on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

According to Karen Denny, SANE program coordinator, the training involves 80 hours of classroom and clinical instruction taught by law enforcement officers, survivor advocates, state’s attorney representatives and crime lab specialists. The training includes how to conduct a full medical exam, collecting a rape kit (if desired by the patient),providing treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and offering contraception, and connecting the patient with an advocate from the For All Seasons Rape Crisis Center. SANE nurses also are trained to testify in court as needed.

SANE nurses work to ensure whatever sense of control has been taken away from the sexual assault survivor is restored from the moment they step in the door.

“My hope is that if someone has been assaulted and wants to be seen, they know how to report or at least where to go to get help and receive medical attention,” Denny said. “The most important thing for a survivor to know is that the exam is run by the survivor — not the nurses, the advocate or the police. We complete the exam or any part of the exam when and if the survivor wants. We give the control back to survivors because they’ve been in a situation where they’ve lost control during the assault. And if the survivor wants to report to the police, I want to be there or have one of our nurses there to support that decision 100 percent.”

Survivors who don’t want to report the assault have the option to have a “Jane/John Doe” rape kit collected. If the survivor comes into an emergency room within 120 hours (five days) of the assault, a kit can be collected and saved in order to report when and if the survivor is ready at some point in the future.Shore Regional Health offers emergency treatment at the UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton, as well as the UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown.

The SANE program began at Shore Regional Health in 1988, but until now has only had a handful of participating nurses at any given time.

“It’s a huge accomplishment to have 11 SANE nurses who have completed the training program. All of our SANE nurses work full-time jobs in departments throughout the hospital system,” Denny said. “Completing the SANE training and being available 24/7 when someone who’s experienced a sexual assault needs you is a real commitment… our SANE nurses do this because they care.”

UM SRH SANE nurses also attend Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) meetings, held every other month in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties. Denny coordinates these meetings, which also include survivor advocates, parole and probation officers, and representatives from law enforcement, the State’s Attorney’s Office and social services agencies.

“We come together to discuss past and current cases, what we’ve done right and things we can improve upon,” says Denny. “Is there something that a survivor needs that maybe someone else or a different agency may have a better handle on? Is there a witness who can be contacted by one of these agencies? And in terms of educating the public about the support and resources available to sexual assault survivors, are there community educational events where we can be getting the word out?”

For Denny and the SANE nurse team, an important goal is to make sure health educators and the community are aware of their options following a sexual assault, and more specifically, what to expect when a survivor comes to the hospital following a sexual assault, so people aren’t afraid to get care if and when they need it.

“I want to be there to be a resource for educators if they need information about care following a sexual assault,” Denny says. “With the trauma-certified advocacy team at For All Seasons, we are really trying to get the word out. We know rape and sexual assault are happening in our communities. It can happen to anyone.”

For All Seasons’ trauma-certified advocates are available 24/7, according to Ivy Garcia, director of victim services for the Easton-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to offer the five counties of the Mid-Shore comprehensive and integrated therapy, advocacy, education, and psychiatric care in a safe environment. The advocates stay with the patient at the hospital, if desired, arrange therapy for him or her, and attend court proceedings if needed. Garcia’s team of seven advocates includes men and women, five of whom are bilingual.

Advocates from For All Seasons also bring a Comfort Kit to the survivor in the Emergency Department and, in addition to making arrangements for therapy, ascertain any other needs the survivor may have, including housing and communicating with family members. The advocates work closely with the survivor and the SANE nurse to make sure all needs are met.

Denny said every year, SANE nurses complete additional training in order to maintain their SANE license with the Maryland Board of Nursing. In order to stay licensed as a SANE nurse, staff participants have to take three cases a year, take 200 hours of on-call duty for the program and have at least eight hours of additional education annually.

“This really is something we do because we care. These nurses are called out from their kids’ soccer games or called from bed in the middle of the night,” Denny said. “We care, and we want you to know that we’re here for you.”

“The collaboration between For All Seasons and Shore Regional Health to help survivors of sexual assault is essential to the community,” Garcia says.“One in four girls will be sexually assaulted and one in six boys will be sexually assaulted before the age of 17, with the majority of these assaults happening between the ages of 7 and 17. We want survivors to know —  we believe you, we are here for you, we support you and you are not alone.”

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.

Shore Regional Health has announced that it will prepare a modified Certificate of Exemption (COE) application to the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to move inpatient behavioral health beds and services in 2021 from UM Shore Medical Center at Dorchester to UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. If submitted and approved, the move would occur when the freestanding medical facility (FMF) opens in Cambridge in summer 2021.

Preparation of the modified COE is anticipated to take 60 to 90 days, with possible final approval by the Shore Regional Health and University of Maryland Medical System Boards to submit the COE in September 2019. After approval by the MHCC, construction of the inpatient unit at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown could begin, toward a 2021 opening.

The modified COE will affect only the behavioral health beds; plans remain in place for the Dorchester hospital’s medical-surgical beds to be relocated to Easton when the FMF opens in summer 2021.

This timeline also enables UM Shore Regional Health leaders and behavioral health providers to develop a staffing transition plan and work with community partners to develop an expanded network of outpatient community-based support services throughout the five-county region.

“We are grateful for the physicians, advanced practice providers and team members at Shore Behavioral Health who provide such compassionate, quality care for our patients,” said Ken Kozel, CEO.  “Their dedication and healing work benefits patients under the most challenging circumstances.”

“Shore Regional Health’s Service Delivery Plan includes a commitment to join with our community partners to create a robust behavioral health continuum of integrated inpatient and outpatient services to serve the region. We are enthusiastic about the prospect of this plan and the positive impact it will have on health care in all five counties, including this opportunity, among others that may emerge in support of rural health care,  to enhance the stability of  inpatient services at Shore Medical Center at Chestertown,”said Kozel.

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 5th annual Sporting Clays Classic was a great success, netting $77,227 to benefit the breast imaging and biopsy equipment and program needs of the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health.

Offered by UM Memorial Hospital Foundation at The Point at Pintail in Queenstown on June 9, 2019, the Sporting Clays Classic attracted 226 registered shooters who enjoyed morning competition, lunch for participants, various prizes, raffles and a silent auction of items donated by local businesses and community members.

“It was really a perfect day, sunny and breezy, and we had 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 the businesses and the 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 Auxiliary of the Memorial Hospital at Easton, Paul and Joanne Prager, Preston Automotive Group, Jack and Susan Stoltz, Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Doug James Real Estate Services, Attraction Magazine, The Point at Pintail, APG Chesapeake, Willow Construction, Bullock Construction, Inc., CBIZ MHM, LLC and BSC Group, LLC, Chaney Enterprises, Gillis Gilkerson, Roberta Lilly, MD, Nancy Morton, R. Scott and Courtney Clark Pastrick, Shore Radiology, Shore United Bank and Tidewater Anesthesia Associates, PA.

Last year, the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center team provided breast care to more than 2,100 patients, diagnosing more than 100 new cases of breast cancer and performing 452 breast biopsies. These numbers reflect a significant increase in patient volumes over previous years.

The goal of the 2019 Sporting Clays Classic was to raise $85,000 for an MRI Breast Coil, which will be used to fully image breast patients and perform MRI-guided breast biopsy. The $77,227 raised during the event means the UM Memorial Hospital Foundation is well on the way to reaching that $85,000 goal.

“All of us at The Clark Comprehensive Breast Center appreciate the continued support of our local community,” says Roberta J. Lilly, MD, medical director, Clark Comprehensive Breast Center. “Diagnostic and treatment technologies in cancer care are continually evolving, and we are very grateful to the Foundation, the volunteers and participants in the Sporting Clays Classic for their help in ensuring that we have state-of-the-art equipment to provide the best possible care for our patients.”

Prizes were given to each of the winners of the highest overall (HOA) score in their category, as follows:  Mike Parkhurst (men’s), Diane Sorantino (women’s), Jackson Eschelman (juniors’) and Team Jack Stoltz #1 (team). The top three of each Lewis class also received prizes, as follows: Lewis Class One, 1st place – David Collins, Sr., 2nd place – Bruce Jones, and 3rd place – Joseph Carroll; Lewis Class Two, 1st place – Mark Helmick, 2nd place – Daniel Carroll and 3rd place – Richard Blanchard; Lewis Class Three, 1st place – Carter Stanton, 2nd place – Lee Hurd, and 3rd place-Chris Wright.

Other winners were Ferris Butler, gun raffle winner; Jesse Hammett, game prize winner; and Dennis Green, Clay Conservation Award winner.

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.

Dermatology physicians, advanced practice providers and volunteers from the Kent County Health Department, Easton Dermatology Associates and Shore Dermatology in Cambridge, along with staff and volunteers from the Cancer Center at UM Shore Regional Health screened 119 people for skin cancer during screenings held during May and June.

“It is really gratifying to work with our community partners, including the physicians and advanced practice providers and their staff, to provide these potentially life-saving screenings every year,” said Jeanie Scott, Cancer Center manager. “This year, the screenings resulted in 37 recommendations for biopsies or other follow up and two cases of melanoma were diagnosed, which really shows the value of taking advantage of screening opportunities.”

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.