University of Maryland Shore Medical Group (UM SMG) welcomed Javier Cajina, MD to UM SMG – Women’s Health practice last month. A graduate of the Medical School of Universidad Americana in Managua, Nicaragua, Dr. Cajina completed a four-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. In 2017, he also was a resident physician at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, completing surgical and outpatient rotations in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Prior to coming to the U.S., Dr. Cajina was a general practitioner in both inpatient and outpatient settings in Nicaragua. He also was active in many leadership, volunteer and public health projects, including several health missions with the Nicaraguan health ministry providing primary care and preventive medicine in underserved areas.

Dr. Cajina is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and the Nicaraguan American Medical Association. He is certified in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and Cervical Length Education and Review (CLEAR).

To make an appointment with Dr. Cajina at UM SMG – Women’s Health at 522 Idlewild Avenue in Easton, patients may call 410-820-4888.

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.

Compass Regional Hospice will recognize World Mental Health Day on October 10^th by raising awareness and continuing our efforts to support the mental health of our patients and community members.

The diagnosis of a serious illness effects all aspects of life for both the patient and the caregiver. CRH uses a comprehensive team approach to ensure that a patient and their family receives not only the physical, but also the psychological and spiritual support they need. By focusing on all aspects of a life-limiting illness, their team of doctors, nurses, social workers, and volunteers aim to improve the overall quality of life.

As each patient’s diagnosis varies, so does their mental health treatment plan. Our nurses and social workers help identify the emotional needs of the patient and their family, and uniquely tailor their careto meet those needs.

Whether or not hospice is in place for support during a terminal diagnosis, losing a loved one can be difficult to process. Compass Regional Hospice’s specialized bereavement team can offer the support needed to navigate your grief. Throughout the mid-shore, they offer monthly support groups, one-on-one counseling, family grief camp, and therapy for children and teens in the Caroline, Kent and Queen Anne’s County school systems.

To register or to learn about grief support programs and services available through Compass Regional Hospice, contact Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 or rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

International Survivor Day, Saturday, November 23rd, at The Hope & Healing Center, located at 255 Comet Drive in Centreville. International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day was designated by the United States Congress as a day when the friends and family of those who have died by suicide can join together for healing and support.  We will host our gathering from 10 a.m.-1:00 p.m.  Please RSVP to Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 or at rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org.

Candlelight Remembrance in Caroline County, Sunday, November 3rd. at 4:00 p.m. at St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Denton, MD 21629.Free and open to the public to help us honor and remember your loved ones who have passed away. For more information, please contact Wayne Larrimore at 443-262-4108 or wlarrimore@compassregionalhospice.org.

Candlelight Remembrance in Queen Anne’s County, Sunday, November 24th at 4:00, at the Centreville United Methodist Church, in Centreville.Free and open to the public to help us honor and remember your loved ones who have passed away. For more information, please contact Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 at rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org.

Candlelight Remembrance in Kent County, Sunday, December 1st at 4:00 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Chestertown, MD 21620.Free and open to the public to help us honor and remember your loved ones who have passed away. For more information, please contact Ann O’Connor at 443-262-4124 or aoconnor@compassregionalhospice.org.

Hope and Healing Holiday Workshop, Saturday, December 7th; from 10:00-12:00 at The Hope & Healing Center, 255 Comet Drive, Centreville MD. Enjoy conversation and creative activities designed to help heal from the loss of a loved one. Open to anyone 18 and older, includes light breakfast. Registration is $10. RSVP to Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org, or Ann O’Connor at 443-262-4124 aoconnor@compassregionalhospice.org.

ONGOING SUPPORT GROUPS:

All Losses Grief Support Group, First Thursday of each month, 10 – 11 a.m. Kent County Public Library, Rock Hall Municipal Building, 5585 Main Street, Rock Hall. A drop-in group for individuals, 18 and older, who have experienced any type of loss. For more information or to register, please contact Ann O’Connor at 443-262-4124 or
aoconnor@compassregionalhospice.org.

All Losses Grief Support Group, Fourth Monday of each month, 12 – 1:15 p.m. Caroline County Public Library, Rural Development Corp. Conference Room, 101 Cedar Lane, Greensboro. A drop-in group for individuals, 18 and older, who have experienced any type of loss. Please bring a lunch. For more information, please contact Wayne Larrimore at 443-262-4108 or wlarrimore@compassregionalhospice.org.

All Losses Grief Support Group, Fourth Tuesday of each month, 12 – 1:15 p.m. Federalsburg Public Library, 123 Morris Avenue, Federalsburg. A drop-in group for individuals, 18 and older, who have experienced any type of loss. Please bring a lunch. For more information, please contact Wayne Larrimore at 443-262-4108 or wlarrimore@compassregionalhospice.org.

Bereaved Parents Grief Support Group, First Monday of each month, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Compass Regional Hospice, 255 Comet Drive, Centreville. A drop-in group for individuals, 18 and older, who has experienced the loss of a child, at any age, regardless of the circumstances. Dinner is provided. For more information, please contact Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 or rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org.

Healing After a Loved One’s Suicide, Second Wednesday of each month, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Compass Regional Hospice, 255 Comet Drive, Centreville. A drop-in group for individuals, 18 and older, dealing with the loss of a loved one from suicide. For more information, contact Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 or rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org.

Recovering After a Substance Passing, Third Thursday of each month, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Compass Regional Hospice, 255 Comet Drive, Centreville. A drop-in group for individuals, 18 and older, dealing with the loss of a loved one from a substance overdose. Please join us for dinner and conversation/discussion. There also may be special guests or presenters to the group from time to time. For more information, contact Rhonda Knotts at 443-262-4109 or rknotts@compassregionalhospice.org.

Compass Regional Hospice

Since 1985, Compass Regional Hospice has been dedicated to supporting people of all ages living with a serious illness, and those learning to cope following the death of a loved one. Today, the organization is a regional provider of palliative care, hospice care, and grief support in Queen Anne’s, Kent, and Caroline counties. Grief support services are offered to families of all patients, as well as to children and adults in the community who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

Medha Satyarengga, MD has joined the University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology. Dr. Satyarengga completed his undergraduate and medical degrees at Universitas Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia, and spent three years as a primary care physician at Aditya Medical Center in Jakarta, Indonesia. Subsequently, he completed a residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West in New York City, and a fellowship in diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

Board-certified in internal medicine, Dr. Satyarengga has published, lectured and presented on diabetes and endocrinology topics, and is a member of the Endocrine Society, the American Diabetes Association, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Physicians and the Indonesian Medical Association.

Dr. Satyarengga is seeing patients at UM Shore Medical Pavilions in Chestertown and Denton. Patients may make an appointment with him by calling UM Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, 410-822-1000, ext. 5757.

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.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, population health “brings significant health concerns into focus and addresses ways that resources can be allocated to overcome the problems that drive poor health conditions in the population.” The growing focus on population health encourages health care systems, agencies and organizations to collaborate in projects to improve the health outcomes of the communities they serve.

Population Health is an increasingly important component of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s mission, Creating Healthier Communities Together. Led by Nancy Bedell, director, the UM SRH Population Health team recently added two new members, Shelley Stone MSN, RN, CCM, manager, and Jessica Denny PT, DPT, project manager, Population Health.

Shelley Stone has worked for UM SRH for 31 years in various nursing positions. While on a brief hiatus from SRH, she gained valuable knowledge and experience in case management and health coaching, and is now pursuing certification in health coaching through the Mayo Clinic. A Talbot County resident, Stone is excited to collaborate with populations and organizations to bridge the gap between acute and post-acute environments.

Jessica Denny has worked for SRH Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services for 11 years as a physical therapist, clinical specialist and inpatient manager. A native and current resident of Queen Anne’s County, Denny is excited to use her patient-centered skills and whole-person approach to help patients throughout the five county region.

“Our aim is to lead the creation of a stronger resource network to help improve the health of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties,” says Bedell. “This will be accomplished by collaborating with University of Maryland Shore Medical Group providers and with community organizations such as county health and social services departments, departments of aging, nursing and rehab facilities, Mobile Integrated Community Health programs, churches, and others.”

For now, Shore’s Population Health team continues to focus on high-risk populations through the Transitional Nurse Navigator (TNN) program staffed by TNNs Lori Geisler, Angela Lunczynski and Alyssa Baker, who assist patients deemed high-risk for readmission for 30 days after discharge from UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton. Moving forward, the team will begin outreach to UM SRH community partners with a focus on developing education, prevention and wellness initiatives that will benefit both high-and low-risk populations.

More information about population health initiatives at UM SRH may be obtained by contacting Nancy Bedell, 410-822-1000, ext. 5359, nancy.bedell@umm.edu

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.

Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore’s newest program will offer respite grants to families who are caring for a child under 18 with mental or behavioral health issues. The program is funded through the Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (PBHS). The Child and Adolescent Caregiver Respite application period is open now along with their other respite grant programs.

“All caregivers need a break, and our respite voucher funding allows families to do just that,” Nancy Ranalli, Easterseals Director of Community Outreach & Assistive Technology, said. “We are thrilled to partner with PBHS to offer this new program for these previously underserved families raising children with mental or behavioral health issues. This program expands our menu of respite options so we can reach and support more families.”

Easterseals also offers grants to support family caregivers providing unpaid care to a person of any age or disability through Easterseals Lifespan Respite Program. Easterseals Relative Respite Program is designed to support grandparents or other relatives who are raising children because the parent is no longer able to do so. This program is offered to those who are 55 or older and raising children who are under 18.

Respite, or a temporary break from caregiving, helps keep families physically and emotionally healthy by reducing the likelihood of depression, anxiety and isolation. Caregivers who need respite may apply online at https://tinyurl.com/y6euwsg7 by calling 302-221-2087 or emailing resources@esdel.org for more information.

The Lifespan Respite and Relative Respite program are partially funded by the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities through the National Family Caregiver Support Program.

For 100 years nationally, Easterseals has served as an indispensable resource for individuals with disabilities, veterans, seniors and their families. Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore offers a range of services, including children’s therapies, assistive technology, recreational camping, day programs for adults with physical or intellectual disabilities, and respite services for caregivers. To learn more about how your local Easterseals helps children and adults with disabilities, call 1-800-677-3800 or visit www.de.easterseals.com.

Throughout the month of October, UM Shore Regional Health will observe Breast Cancer Awareness month with various activities aimed at increasing awareness of breast cancer and how it can be best prevented, detected and treated.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. About one in eight U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. The nonprofit organization breastcancer.org estimates that in 2019, 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with nearly 63,000 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer. In men, more than 2,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are anticipated to be diagnosed in men.

Photo: Front row, l-r: nurse practitioner Brittany Krautheim; Latonya Ferguson, breast cancer survivor and volunteer; and Clark Comprehensive Breast Center Medical Director Roberta Lilly, MD. Back row, l-r: Joanie Peters, medical assistant; Robin Ford, nurse navigator; Lisa Foster and Shalonda Gibbs, front desk coordinators; Catalina Billings, outreach coordinator; and Connie Branham, lead mammographer at the Leh Women’s Center.

Planned activities at UM Shore Regional Health this month include the following:

Pink Ribbon Hanging and Tree Lighting Ceremony: Thursday, October 3, 4 p.m., UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, front circle. The public welcome to attend this occasion during which Cancer Center volunteers and staff as they hang pink ribbons on the evergreen tree in honor of the breast cancer patients treated this year by the Center. The tree will be lit with pink lights and serve as a month-long reminder of the friends, neighbors and loved ones whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.

Pink Hair Extensions: Thursday, October 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cancer Center at UM Shore Regional Health, 509 Idlewild Avenue, Easton. Provided by local stylist Penny Metje of Headrush 180 Salon, the cost is $10 per extension.

Free Genetic Counseling: Wednesdays, October 9 and 23, Cancer Center. An appointment is required; please call 410-820-9400.

Genetics Lunch and Learn: 12 p.m., Wednesday, October 16 p.m., Cancer Center Conference Room. Katie Bisordi, certified genetics counselor for University of Maryland at Baltimore, will speak on genetics and breast cancer. For more information about this event, contact Jeanie Scott, 410-822-1000, ext. 5098.

Breast Cancer Outreach: To provide information about breast cancer prevention and resources for diagnosis, treatment and support, Outreach Coordinator Catalina Billings will visit primary care and women’s care medical practices as well as community health care settings throughout the five-county region, as follows: Talbot County on Mondays, October 7 and 14; Dorchester County on Thursday, October 10; Kent and Queen Anne’s counties on Tuesday, October 15; and Caroline County on Monday, October 21. To learn more about specific locations for these visits, contact Billings, 410-820-9400, ext. 7154.

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 team members, systemwide, wore purple on Friday, September 6, in support of monthlong Go Purple campaigns in the health care system’s service area, which includes Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties.

Team members wore purple and posed for photos at the health care system’s three hospitals — UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton — and also at UM Shore Medical Pavilions at Denton and Easton, UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown and the Diagnostic and Imaging Center at Easton. Other practices and team members have organized their own Purple days throughout the month of September.

“Our health care system’s strong support in the efforts to reduce deaths and substance use disorders associated with opioid abuse is visible, daily, in the work our emergency departments and behavioral health specialists do,” said Ken Kozel, CEO and president of UM Shore Regional Health. “The Go Purple campaigns underway in our five-county region are shining a much-needed light on the opioid crisis. The recent reduction in overdose cases coming into our emergency departments and the statewide reduction in deaths from opioid overdoses show that awareness campaigns — and other community assistance programs that promote and facilitate recovery — are working. There’s still more to do, but we are proud of the progress made to date in our region and we remain committed to this important work going forward.”

Emergency Department visits related to adverse effects of opiates to all four Shore Regional Health EDs (Chestertown, Dorchester, Queenstown and Easton) increased from 280 visits in 2014 to 453 in 2015, then sharply increased to 1141 visits in 2016. Opiate- related visits decreased to 714 visits in 2018.

UM Shore Regional Health convened a regional opioid task force, which began meeting June 2017, to coordinate and standardize the medical community responses to the rising incidence of opioid and heroin overdose in throughout the five-county region. The force is led by Walter Atha, MD, regional director of emergency medicine for UM SRH, and Roger Harrell, Dorchester County health officer. Other representatives include health departments and emergency services, emergency and behavioral health care providers, and nurses and hospital officials.

Since its inception, the task force has addressed a number of issues, including improving opioid and heroin overdose response processes in emergency care settings; identifying and implementing strategies to improve the likelihood of patients’ successful referral to treatment; and sharing data needed to assess opioid and heroin overdose trends as well as outcomes of emergency medical services and hospital responses to overdose.

Additionally, Recovery for Shore (RFS), an ad-hoc network of individuals and organizations providing awareness of recovery from alcohol and drug abuse, as well as support and encouragement for those on the journey of recovery, has announced a community event in observation of September as National Recovery Awareness Month. Dovetailing with initiatives planned by Talbot Goes Purple (TGP), Recovery for Shore will sponsor a free ice cream social, weather permitting, from 6 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29. The ice cream social is a good opportunity for community members to celebrate recovery and share information and ideas with community members.

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.

UM Shore Regional Health’s three hospitals – Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton – were notified on Thursday, September 19, that they received Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The Dorchester and Easton hospitals first earned recognition as Magnet® hospitals in 2009 and were re-designated in 2014. Shore Medical Center at Chestertown was included in the Magnet® application process for the first time this year.

Magnet® recognition is an organizational credential granted to exceptional health care organizations that meet specific standards set forth by the ANCC. To achieve Magnet® recognition, an organization must meet standards in quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. Maintaining Magnet® status requires a rigorous re-application process every four years.

Achieved by only 8 percent of all registered hospitals in the United States, Magnet® recognition is the ultimate distinction for high quality nursing care. At present, UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton are three of only eight hospitals in Maryland, including University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, that are Magnet® designated.

UM Shore Regional Health’s Magnet® 2019 re-designation process included an extensive application and documentation process, followed by a three-day visit to all sites conducted by a team of appraisers from ANCC in mid-July.

“It is an honor to be the new CNO at Shore Regional Health, a Magnet® designated health care system,” said Jennifer L. Bowie, vice president, Nursing and Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer. “Prior to my arrival at Shore, I had joined the team for the Magnet® site visit and saw firsthand the passion our nurses have for our patients and how those patients and their families are at the center of everything our Shore nurses do. My heart was truly touched. I am proud of our nurses and their achievement, and I look forward to the journey ahead. We have much to celebrate.”

Former CNO and senior vice president Ruth Ann Jones was on-hand for the Magnet® announcement, which was made by Magnet® officials by phone call to the Easton hospital Board Room and shared via video conference with nursing staff in Cambridge, Chestertown and Queenstown locations. “This is an exciting day for SRH. The Magnet® process has been long and arduous but certainly worth the time and effort,” said Jones. “I could not be more proud of the nursing team and am so excited that Shore Medical Center at Chestertown is now part of Shore’s Magnet® recognition. We could not have achieved this honor without the teamwork of all the departments and services throughout our system, for which I am truly grateful. This has been a fabulous ending to my years at Shore Regional Health and a great way to begin retirement and hand over the reins to Jenny Bowie as vice president and chief nursing officer.”

“The nursing staffs of Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton have worked incredibly hard to advance professional nursing practice in our hospitals and patient care programs, while maintaining the highest standards of evidence-based, patient-centered care,” said  Ken Kozel, president and CEO, UM Shore Regional Health. “For our Dorchester and Easton  medical centers, achieving re-designation from the Magnet® Recognition Program is a great  achievement that exemplifies consistent nursing excellence. Today, we are especially excited and  proud that Shore Medical Center at Chestertown has earned the prestigious Magnet® distinction  as well, solidifying Shore Regional Health as a Magnet® health care system. On behalf of our  senior leadership team and the Board of UM Shore Regional Health, I extend utmost appreciation  and congratulations to everyone involved in our Magnet® journey.”

More information about the American Nurse Credentialing Center’s Magnet® Program may be found at https://www.nursingworld.org/organizational-programs/magnet/.

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.

Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) and Doctors Community Health System (DCHS) have combined to form a new health system. AAMC and DCHS announced today that the name of the new, integrated health system is Luminis Health. The new health system will reimagine community care, improving access and population health while expanding services throughout Maryland.

“For years, Anne Arundel Medical Center and Doctors Community Health System have shared a dedication to compassionate care, delivered when and where people need it most,” said Victoria Bayless, president/CEO of AAMC and CEO of Luminis Health. “We’re carrying that same commitment into the future as Luminis Health, a health system that is here to embrace progress and awaken a new era in care for our communities.”

“We are committed to lighting the way to the highest quality, personalized health care to meet our patients’ needs,” said Gary Jobson, board chair, Luminis Health. “The benefits of combining and creating the new health system include more entry points for coordinated care across the region, improved access to care close to home, enhanced quality and improved health outcomes.”

“Luminis Health will serve as a beacon of hope and healing to strengthen our local communities,” said Paul Grenaldo, president of DCHS. “Those important phrases truly represent elements of each organization’s great traditions while looking towards the future as to how we can be of greater service to people throughout Maryland.”

After sharing their intent to partner in May, AAMC and DCHS signed a definitive agreement at the end of June and closed July 1, 2019. Luminis Health will launch its new brand in spring 2020, which will include a new logo and visual identity. The full integration is expected to take up to two years.

In November, health system officials will host public town hall meetings in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties. To view the town hall schedule and to learn more about Luminis Health, visit LuminisHealth.com.

What is the meaning behind the new name?

Luminis (pronounced lu·mi·nous) is symbolic of light. It signifies the health system’s commitment to being a beacon of hope and healing for its communities. Light is quite literally energy that you can see — and by joining forces and moving forward as one, AAMC and DCHS are igniting new possibilities for how and where health care is delivered.

How did you pick this name?

Over the past several months, health system officials have asked for input from community members and internal stakeholders through surveys, research and interviews. Luminis Health was born from that input, but more importantly, all of the research will help define the new health system brand. The new brand will be revealed in spring 2020.

Will the name of the hospitals change?

Starting Sept. 17, the new health system will be known as Luminis Health. The next step is to determine how the new system name will apply to both hospitals’ existing entity names while respecting the legacies of each. This process will continue to include an enormous amount of research to make sure voices of both AAMC and DCHS stakeholders (i.e., employees, physicians, board members, community members, volunteers, etc.) are heard.

How will this affect patients?

Right now, access to care will remain the same, without any immediate changes. Patients can continue to see their preferred providers, and insurance coverage and access to patient portals will not change.

About Anne Arundel Medical Center

Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), a regional health system headquartered in Annapolis, Md., serves an area of more than one million people. Founded in 1902, AAMC includes a 349-bed not-for-profit hospital, a multi-specialty medical group, imaging and lab services, community care clinics, a research institute, a substance use treatment center and health enterprises. In addition to an Annapolis campus, AAMC has outpatient pavilions in Easton, Bowie, Kent Island, Odenton, Pasadena and Waugh Chapel. AAMC is nationally recognized for its joint replacement center, emergency heart attack response and cancer care. A leader in women’s services, AAMC delivers the state’s second highest number of babies annually and has a Level 3 NICU. AAMC is among just 6 percent of U.S. hospitals to be designated a Magnet® hospital, the highest-level credential for quality patient care and nursing excellence. As a Most Wired® healthcare organization, AAMC is nationally recognized for using technology to enhance the patient experience. With more than 1,200 medical staff members, 4,700 employees and 1,000 volunteers, AAMC consistently receives awards for quality, patient satisfaction and innovation. To learn more, visit askAAMC.org.

About Doctors Community Health System

Doctors Community Health System is a network of medical and surgical services provided throughout Prince George’s County and in Anne Arundel County. At the heart of this network is its flagship – Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham, Maryland. To complement the hospital’s high quality and comprehensive services, the system has more than a dozen centers of care in Bowie, Camp Springs, Crofton, District Heights, Hyattsville, Lanham, Largo, Laurel, Riverdale and Temple Hills. In addition to being recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a high-performing hospital in colon cancer surgery and heart failure, it is the only hospital in Prince George’s County on Forbes’ list of best midsize employers. Also, it earned Hospital Compare’s four-star quality rating – the highest in Prince George’s County.