UM Shore Regional Health recently was notified that UM Shore Medical Center at Easton’s Primary Stroke Center received the 2024 Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Award and Rural Stroke Award, which are quality achievement awards presented by the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA). UM SRH’s Primary Stroke Center also is included in the AHA/ASA’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This is the ninth consecutive year that UM SRH’s Primary Stroke Center has received the Stroke Gold Plus award. This is the first year that the AHA/ASA has awarded the Rural Stroke Award to hospitals. 

UM Shore Medical Center at Easton is a University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) facility; UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System. UM Shore Regional Health provides stroke care to approximately 600 patients every year.

These achievements highlight UM SRH’s commitment to providing the most effective stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence and its dedication to prioritizing quality care for stroke patients.  

“These awards speak volumes for our UM Shore Regional Health and community emergency medical services teams. They are a significant achievement for any medical institution and show that UM Shore Regional Health and EMS provides state-of-the-art, patient-centered stroke care for our communities,” said Rena Sukhdeo Singh, MD, Medical Director of the Primary Stroke Center. “We are honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for our dedication to helping patients have the best possible chance of survival and recovery following a stroke. Our dedicated team members and members of community emergency response teams throughout the region deserve recognition for these awards, including EMS providers, our Emergency Department team members, our stroke coordinator, our Brain Attack Team, the nurses on our neurology/telemetry unit and our radiology, pharmacy and laboratory teams. It is a coordinated effort that requires a collaborative approach and offers our communities the most advanced stroke care for our region.”

To honor team members and departments who play a key role in working with the Primary Stroke Center, members of the senior leadership team and other UM SRH stroke care leaders delivered the good news and ice cream to several departments, including the Intensive Care Unit, Radiology, Laboratory, Pharmacy, and the Telemetry and Emergency departments. 

According to the American Heart Association, in 2021, heart disease and stroke claimed more lives in the United States than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined. Stroke is the second leading cause of death in the United States, following coronary heart disease. Stroke claimed the lives of 162,890 Americans in 2021, which is 1 in every 21 deaths.

UM Shore Medical Center at Easton was designated as a Primary Stroke Center in 2007. A Primary Stroke Center designation is given by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems when standards are met to support better outcomes for stroke care. Certification standards include having a dedicated program staffed 24/7 by specially trained medical professionals who provide fast diagnostic services and optimal stroke care.

Additional information about the Primary Stroke Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton can be found at UMShoreRegional.org/stroke.

The Birthing Center at UM Shore Regional Health’s Shore Medical Center at Easton provides classes related to childbirth, parenting and breastfeeding throughout the year. The Birthing Center team recently released their 2025 course flyer and offers a simple online registration process to assist new parents and caregivers.

All childbirth and education classes are free of cost, but advance registration is required for all classes. Care partners are encouraged to attend classes with their birthing partners. 

Caregivers who are interested in attending an upcoming course may visit our easy online 2025 Prenatal Class Registration form and submit your request quickly.

All classes are held in-person at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton’s Nick Rajacich Health Education Center, as follows:

Understanding Labor – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Classes will take place January 4, February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1 and December 6. This course provides information on the signs of labor, stages of labor and labor contractions. Skilled Birthing Center team members discuss options for comfort techniques and pain management, laboring positions, medical procedures, and recovery following delivery.

New Mom, New Baby – 9 a.m. to noon on February 8, April 12 June 14, August 9, October 11 and December 13. This course provides an overview of care for the birthing person and child, from the time of delivery to two weeks following delivery (postpartum). Birthing Center team members provide information about postpartum care, emotions and stress, intimacy and sexuality, returning to work and birth control options. Course participants also learn about newborn care, including feeding, diapering, bathing, circumcision care and infant safety.

Breastfeeding – 9 a.m. to noon on January 11, March 8, May 10, July 12, September 13 and November 8. Birthing Center team members discuss tips and techniques for successful breastfeeding, including latch and positioning, and maintaining milk supply. 

UM SRH certified lactation consultants also offer information for expectant and new parents about the benefits of breastfeeding for the birthing person and baby, along with tips and techniques for successful breastfeeding. For information regarding breastfeeding support offered by appointment via videoconference or in-person — outside of scheduled class time — contact 410-822-1000, ext. 5535. 

For more information about the award-winning Birthing Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, visit umshoreregional.org/birthing. UM Shore Regional Health is a member hospital of the University of Maryland Medical System.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

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 (UM SRH) recently welcomed Catherine “Katie” Halen, as Vice President of Human Resources. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

In a distinguished career that spans more than 25 years as a human resources executive, Halen most recently served as the chief human resources officer for Montgomery County government in Norristown, Pennsylvania, where she developed and implemented comprehensive compensation and workforce initiatives and a DE&I strategic plan focused on employee retainment and recruitment.  

Prior to that role, Halen spent most of her career with Delaware-based Beebe Healthcare where she developed workforce recognition and retention programs and led a team through a rapid onboarding initiative resulting in a 45% increase in new hires in Fiscal Year 2022. 

“Katie’s strength lies in successfully developing and implementing workforce strategies aligned with organizational and business goals,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO, UM SRH. “We are excited to welcome her to our team.”

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

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 University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown’s Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT) is being honored by the Maryland Rural Health Association (MRHA) as recipients of its 2024 Outstanding Rural Health Program Award. 

SCOT team members Emily Welsh, MSN, RN, Nurse Coordinator, Social Worker Michelle Matthews, LCSW, and community health advocates Serenity Kelly, CCHW, and Amanda Webster, CCHW, received the award at MRHA’s annual awards ceremony. 

Nominated by Lara Wilson, Director of Rural Health Care Transformation at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), the outreach team was selected for the award based on their outstanding work in providing effective, community-oriented rural health care delivery and excelling in their service to rural communities. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS).

Focusing on the underserved and vulnerable populations in Kent and northern Queen Anne’s counties, the mission of SCOT is to improve the community’s health by collaborating with local partners to bring health care access and support services to residents in their homes and community settings. In Fiscal Year 2024, SCOT served 90 people through community case management, provided a total of 304 health blood pressure and diabetes (A1c) screenings at sites throughout Kent and northern Queen Anne’s counties, conducted 679 home visits and connected dozens of patients to primary care, mental health services and medication reconciliation support. 

“I am continually blown away by the reach this team has achieved within our communities and the incredible impact they are making for our residents,” said Wilson, who was on hand to present the award. “They are an amazing resource for our vulnerable populations, and their ongoing collaboration with local government entities, nonprofit and civic groups promises to advance their reach even further.”

SCOT also developed a number of creative initiatives to assist local residents in need of support services. These include a raised gardens program, block parties at senior communities and the African-American Health Advisory Committee, which they helped launch to offer health education events geared to the concerns of the local Black community. 

“I am very fortunate to have such a dedicated and passionate team,” Welsh said in accepting the award on behalf of the SCOT members. “This award motivates us to continue our vision to be a leader in excellent patient care and the transformation access to health care in rural communities. We will use this recognition to strengthen our program further, expand our reach and improve the health and well-being of even more people.”

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

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 Clark Comprehensive Breast Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) recently welcomed a new surgeon, Kathryn Kelley, MD. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Dr. Kelley joined the Breast Center in early October after completing a breast surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Southern California at Los Angeles, California. Previously, she spent three years as a general surgery resident at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

A graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dr. Kelley earned her medical degree from Temple’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine, where she was a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She has co-authored articles book chapters and articles in medical journals on varied topics, including the impact of COVID-19 on breast cancer patients’ screening, time to treatment and effects of vaccination. She also has presented at national medical and scientific conferences.

Dr. Kelley’s professional memberships include the American College of Surgeons and the Southeastern Surgical Congress, and she holds multiple certifications, including Advanced Trauma Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

“Dr. Kelley is a welcome addition to the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center team,” said Timothy Shanahan, MD, Medical Director, University of Maryland Shore Medical Group. “Her talents and medical training are an excellent match for the needs of the center and the more than 800 patients it serves every year.”

 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

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 University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of University of Maryland Memorial Hospital Foundation (a fundraising arm of UM SRH) and the Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital (a fundraising and volunteer organization supporting UM SRH) have agreed to provide financial support for the new Shore Regional Medical Center being built in Easton. 

The Auxiliary has pledged $2 million over the next five years to the project; the UM SRH Board of Directors and UM Memorial Hospital Foundation Board of Directors have committed to 100% participation by its members in the campaign.

“On behalf of our patients, team members and the communities we serve, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for these generous gifts which will advance access to patient care across the region and offer a modern state-of-the art medical campus,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO, UM SRH, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

The 230-acre hospital campus, which will be located at 10000 Longwoods Road, is scheduled for completion in summer 2028. The new hospital will replace UM Shore Medical Center in Easton and serve as the primary medical facility for residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties.

“Through fundraising and volunteerism, the Auxiliary has supported our hospital for decades and we are proud to invest in this transformative project for our community,” said Bob Coleman, President, Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital.

Over the past decade, the Auxiliary has donated over $600,000 to UM SRH in support of patient care services. Annually, Auxiliary volunteers donate approximately 20,000 hours of time through service at the Bazaar at 121 Federal Street, the Auxiliary’s consignment shop; the Cancer Center, the Birthing Center and through the hospital’s patient escort service.

“Every member of the UM SRH and Foundation boards has committed to a contribution for this project,” said Kathy Deoudes, chair of the UM SRH Board of Directors. “To see our community coming together to help transform health care in our region is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we unite around a common purpose—creating a healthier, stronger future for everyone.”

“We are beyond excited at the prospect of this new hospital and its meaning for the residents of the region,” said Charlie Capute, chair of the UM Memorial Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. “Our members are honored to champion this project, knowing that their collective efforts will leave a lasting impact for generations to come.”

The cost for the new Regional Medical Center is estimated at $540 million, of which $50 million is expected to be secured from private donations. Governor Wes Moore has committed $100 million in capital funds toward the construction of the new UM Shore Regional Medical Center,

For information about making a gift, contact Rebecca Bair, Vice President of Philanthropy, at 667-343-5509 or [email protected]. 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

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 (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, has established a new Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT) to advance health care access and support for Dorchester County residents. 

Following the model that has served residents of Kent and northern Queen Anne’s counties since 2021, members of the Shore Community Outreach Team – Dorchester will visit trusted community sites throughout the county, including places of worship, residential care facilities, firehouses, senior centers, health fairs and community events, and other social centers. SCOT also will serve Dorchester patients and families in their home settings. Services offered include: Home safety inspections, assistance with filling out advance directives, blood pressure checks and health screenings, case management for those with chronic illnesses (diabetes, heart failure, COPD, etc.), wellness activities and arrangement of telehealth consults with health care providers.

In Kent County, SCOT activities have yielded impressive results. During 2023, the team enrolled 115 patients and conducted 920 home. After six months, 75 patients identified as “high utilizers” realized an average decrease in health care charges of $5,919 per patient.

“We’ve seen that taking health care information and support out into the community, meeting patients ‘where they are’ with free health care screenings, information, guidance and support, helps them manage their health conditions and achieve a better quality of life,” said Jess Denny, Interim Director of Population Health for UM SRH. “We are excited to get Dorchester’s Shore Community Outreach Team up and running, and to start providing these important health care services in Cambridge and other locations throughout the county.”

The SCOT – Dorchester staff now includes a nurse coordinator and two community health advocates. A search for a social worker is in progress.

Rochalla Jones, BSN, RN, has been named Nurse Coordinator of SCOT – Dorchester. A resident of Hudson, Md., Jones has been with UM SRH for more than decade, most recently serving as Nurse Navigator in the Cancer Center. Previously she spent several years working with patients in University of Maryland Shore Medical Group practices, and in Same Day Surgery and inpatient care. Jones earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from American Public University, and her Associate of Science degree from Chesapeake College’s Macqueen Gibbs Willis School of Nursing.

Courtney Thomas, of Cambridge, Md., and Amanda McDermott, of Trappe, Md., have joined SCOT-Dorchester as Community Health Advocates.

Thomas most recently worked for the Eastern Shore Area Higher Education Center in Cambridge, first as a Community Health Worker and then as Special Initiatives Program Coordinator. Previously she served the Talbot County Health Department as a Medical Scribe. A graduate of North Dorchester High School in Hurlock, Md., Thomas is a state-licensed Community Health Worker, and holds certifications in Youth Mental Health First Aid and Strengthening Families Program Group Leader Training Facilitation.

McDermott’s experience includes more than 13 years in emergency health care services, serving as a Paramedic in Talbot County and an Emergency Medical Technician in Dorchester County 3). Also a graduate of North Dorchester High School, McDermott has served as an adjunct faculty member in Chesapeake College’s paramedic course, and is certified in critical incident stress management.

To learn more, request services or make a referral, contact Jones, 443-225-7545 or [email protected].

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

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.

 In partnership with Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions, Inc., the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center and the Cancer Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) invite Dorchester County residents to participate in a 5K walk for breast cancer awareness around waterside Cambridge on Wednesday, October 9. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

“We are looking forward to this event that will promote breast cancer awareness in our community,” said Ashyrra Dotson, President & CEO of Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions, Inc. “I hope to see a lot of our friends and neighbors come out for the 5K walk and share in this opportunity to learn about breast cancer while enjoying the camaraderie these kinds of events provide.”

Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions, Inc., manages logistics for the event, including working with local authorities on signage and closures to traffic to ensure pedestrian safety and providing water and light snacks for participants. The walk will begin at 4:30 pm at Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions, Inc., 824 Fairmount Avenue in Cambridge. Roberta Lilly, MD, Clark Comprehensive Breast Center Medical Director, will offer welcoming remarks. Walkers will arrive back at the starting point at or before 6:30 p.m.

“We are very grateful to Eastern Shore Wellness Solutions, Inc., for their interest in helping spread the word in Dorchester County about the risks for breast cancer and the importance of mammogram screenings for early detection,” said Jeanie Scott, Director of the Cancer Center and the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center. “This event is not a race, but a way to bring local community members together to show support for breast cancer patients and survivors, and to encourage awareness about the disease as well as resources for treatment and support here on the Mid-Shore.”

Advance registration for the walk is available by contacting Debbie Hood, (410) 820-6800, ext. 5101, [email protected], including name, age, gender, phone number and email address. The first 100 registrants will receive a free t-shirt.

 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

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 Orthopedic Center (TOC) has welcomed orthopedic surgeon Stefano Muscatelli, MD, to its provider team, focusing on hip and knee surgeries. TOC is an affiliate medical practice of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Dr. Muscatelli earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and his undergraduate degree in biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in St. Mary’s City, Md. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor, Mi. and his total joint reconstruction fellowship at Anderson Clinic Post-Graduate Medical Education Foundation in Alexandria, Va. 

“We are very pleased that Dr. Muscatelli has joined our practice,”said TOC president Thomas Stauch, M.D. “His expertise in computer imaging and robotics will enhance precision and efficiency in the operating room, helping us achieve even greater patient satisfaction.”

To make an appointment with Dr. Muscatelli, patients can call The Orthopedic Center at 410-820-8226.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

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.

Aaron “Zack” Royston Joins Organization as Vice President, Rural Health Transformation and Executive Director for UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown

Aaron “Zack” Royston, MAS, MS, FACHE, has joined University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) as Vice President of Rural Health Care Transformation and Executive Director of UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS).

Royston transitions from UMMS and brings extensive health care administration and population health experience to this dual role, including finance, operations, process improvement, preventive health, and strategic planning and implementation. Most recently, he served for nearly four years as Director of Clinical Integration in the Population Health Services Organization with UMMS, where his responsibilities included overseeing systemwide population health services clinical integration, data and analytics, and federal regulatory program participation; leading the selection of the Population Health and Value-Based Care platform and leading the selection, contracting and implementation of the Epic Integrated Community Resource Directory that enables System team members to support the social drivers of health.

Prior to his tenure at UMMS, Royston spent 10 years with Affinity Health Alliance, Inc., based in Elkton, Maryland, including two positions with Union Hospital; Executive Director/Director of Revenue Cycle Operations and later as the hospital’s Senior Vice President of Provider Services.

Royston’s earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Emergency Health Services from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), and also a master’s degree in Population Health Management from Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. Early in his career, he taught in health sciences programs for area community colleges and UMBC.

Royston previously served as board chair for the West Cecil Health Center, as a board member of the Cecil County YMCA, as a Finance Committee member for the YMCA of the Chesapeake and as a member of the Cecil County Commission on Aging.

“Zack is an excellent addition to UM Shore Regional Health’s senior leadership team,” said Ken Kozel, UM SRH President and CEO “His diverse experience in finance, operations, population health, process improvement, preventive health and strategic planning will help us continue our progress in providing optimal health care services and programs in Kent County and throughout the Mid-Shore. 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

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.