University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) recently installed a new, state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine at the UM Shore Regional Health Diagnostic and Imaging Center at Easton. MRI scanning uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body. These images are used to diagnose and monitor a number of diseases and health concerns, as well as to plan a patient’s course of treatment. MRIs can be used to examine most parts of the body, including the brain and spinal cord, bones and joints, breasts, heart, blood vessels, and internal organs such as the liver, pancreas and kidneys.

The new MRI machine was purchased with capital funds secured by UM SRH.

“This new MRI equipment is a phenomenal addition to our Diagnostic and Imaging Center,” says Penny Olivi, director, Diagnostic Imaging, UM SRH. “It is identical to the one used in the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, which speaks to the level of quality in medical imaging implemented throughout the University of Maryland Medical System. Having this new MRI, and bringing together the best of the best in skilled and highly trained medical imaging providers — this is how we continue to offer the high quality of care people have come to expect from Shore Regional Health.”

Olivi says another unique feature of the MRI equipment is how comfortable it is. She says many MRIs tend to make people feel claustrophobic, but the new machine at the Diagnostic and Imaging Center at Easton allows patients the ability to see outside the “bore,” which is the size of the opening in which the patient lies within the machine.

“We have done everything we can to ensure our patients are comfortable, from ensuring there is a wide bore to reduce claustrophobia, to making sure the MRI room is calming. We want our patients to have as pleasant an experience as possible,” Olivi says.

Another recent and important purchase accompanying the acquisition of this new MRI is the new MRI breast coil. The breast coil is a signal receiver that works with the MRI to produce more detailed images of the breast for patients and is part of UM SRH’s full complement of breast imaging technologies. Purchase of the breast coil for the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center was made possible by funds raised through UM Memorial Hospital Foundation’s 2019 Sporting Clays Classic.

“The Memorial Hospital Foundation, the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center and the UM Sporting Clays Classic Committee greatly appreciate the support of our local communities,” says F. Graham Lee, vice president, Philanthropy, UM SRH. “In 2019, the Sporting Clays Classic had 226 shooters and over 60 sponsors who helped net $84,749 to purchase the MRI breast coil. The Memorial Hospital Foundation raises charitable donations to help ensure we have state-of-the-art equipment that provides the best possible care for our patients.”

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.

Patricia G. Milburn, DNP, CRNP, joined UM Shore Medical Group-Surgery last month, after spending the last six years as the clinical program manager for the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in Baltimore. She joins medical director John Moon, MD, William Bair, MD, Dabanjan Bandyopadhyay, DO, Edward DiNapoli, Jr., MD, Amanda Hahn, MD, Kyle Maio, PA, Kelsey Rosen, CRNP, and Lisa Marshall, CRNP, in the practice, with a focus on wound care.

Dr. Milburn served 10 years as the clinical program manager of the soft tissue surgery team at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at UMMC. In addition, she has held a variety of positions as a clinical mentor/educator, nurse practitioner preceptor, clinical instructor and adjunct faculty at University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins and Anne Arundel Community College schools of nursing.

Through a unique opportunity with Human Resources for Health and University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), Dr. Milburn spent a year as a clinical mentor and educator for health care providers in Rwanda, East Africa.  She returns periodically offering ongoing clinical support and assistance with research endeavors.  She has also participated as a volunteer for Costa Rica Humanitarian Mission, Haiti Humanitarian Mission, Haiti Earthquake Relief Missions and Surgical Mission, a Dominican Republic relief mission. Her significant global health field experience culminated in completion of a Global Health Certificate from UMSON in 2017.

Dr. Milburn completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her Master of Science and Doctor of Nursing Practice at the UMSON.  Licensed by the state of Maryland as a certified registered nurse practitioner, Milburn also holds multiple specialized certifications and has presented widely on the topic of wound care, management of necrotizing acute soft tissue infections, perioperative wound healing and surgical site infections.

“We are grateful to have Ms. Milburn join our team. Her skill and talent, particularly with regard to wound care, is an asset to our community,” said Dr. Moon, medical director UM Shore Medical Group.

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) recently welcomed Chika Logie, MD, to Shore Radiology, an independent medical practice in partnership with UM SRH for more than four decades.

Dr. Logie is board certified by the American Board of Radiology and is a fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologist. Her focus is on MRI of joints, bone oncology and imaging the entire musculoskeletal system.

A graduate of University of Maryland, College Park, Dr. Logie received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She completed her residency in diagnostic radiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and completed additional training at the Department of Radiology at Washington Hospital Center (formerly the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology), where she focused on musculoskeletal intervention and biopsies, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where the core of her work centered around musculoskeletal radiology diagnostics.

In 2019, Dr. Logie was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan to the Maryland Board of Physicians. She has published and presented extensively on musculoskeletal radiology, including authorship of two books. She also was an adjunct professor of Radiology and Radiological Services with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

“Shore Radiology is pleased to welcome Dr. Logie,” says Kimberly Oster, MD, president, Shore Radiology. “She is a well-trained general radiologist with dedicated subspecialty training in musculoskeletal MRI. Our skilled radiologists have subspecialty training, and Dr. Logie brings additional expertise in the diagnosis of bone and joint disorders and diseases. Musculoskeletal MRI is quite complex and requires additional knowledge to interpret. She is considered an expert in her field, and our community is so very fortunate to have a radiologist of her caliber at UM Shore Regional Health.”

Shore Radiology provides services for all UM SRH locations, including UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton; the Diagnostic and Imaging Center and Clark Comprehensive Breast Center in Easton; UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown; UM Shore Imaging Center at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Queenstown; and UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Denton. Shore Radiology also will provide services at the new UM Shore Medical Campus at Cambridge that is scheduled for completion in 2021.

At Shore Radiology, Dr. Logie joins Dr. Oster, Dr. Dale B. Johnson, Radiology Department chair; Dr. Brian T. Callahan; Dr. Christopher S. Levey; Dr. Minh Lu; Dr. Stephen T. Sauter; Dr. Mithilesh K. Singh; Dr. Kathleen H. Straub; and Dr. Matthew P. Wagner. All radiologists have fellowship training in at least one of several subspecialties, including women’s imaging, nuclear medicine, body and musculoskeletal MRI, body CT and ultrasound and interventional and angiography.

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.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health recently welcomed Melissa Krempasky, speech/language pathologist, to the outpatient rehabilitation services team at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Queenstown.

Certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and licensed by the State of Maryland, Krempasky graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She has over 15 years of experience in various settings, including pediatric and adult rehabilitation for communication and swallowing disorders.

In the area of pediatric evaluation and treatment, Krempasky provides rehabilitative care including early intervention, developmental delay, communication related to autism spectrum, apraxia of speech, articulation disorders, expressive/receptive language impairment, pediatric voice disorders, traumatic brain injury and paradoxical vocal fold dysfunction.

Her adult evaluation and treatment practice includes aphasia, dysphagia, apraxia of speech, dysarthria, head/neck cancer, voice disorders, cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease and traumatic brain injury.

More information about outpatient rehabilitation services provided by UM Shore Regional Health, visit https://www.umms.org/shore/health-services/rehabilitation/outpatient-services or call (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 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

The University of Maryland Medical System has released an internally-produced Public Service Announcement, “Schedule A Mammogram,” urging women to not delay care and schedule their annual screening mammogram now if it has been delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The PSA was created by the System’s Creative Communications team and is being shared with media outlets across the state and posted on social media accounts for UMMS’ member organizations.

“COVID-19 put plenty of plans on hold,” the PSA states, with a call to action supported by catchy visuals and music. “If your annual mammogram coincided with the pandemic, now is the time to schedule an appointment. It’s as easy as riding a bike, simple as pie, something you can do with your eyes shut. Stop putting it off, because these screenings detect early cancers which can save lives.  Don’t delay getting your annual mammogram, do it now.”

The “Don’t Forget to Get Your Annual Mammogram” PSA can be viewed here on the UMMS You Tube channel and a media download version is available here.

Breast cancer is the second-highest cause of death among women in Maryland, exceeded only by lung cancer. In Maryland in 2020, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be 34,710 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed across the state and 10,790 deaths.

“Screening mammograms save lives by detecting breast cancer early when it is more easily treated,” said Katherine H.R. Tkaczuk, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Director of the Breast Evaluation and Treatment Program at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We want to assure women that having a mammogram now is safe and urge them to not delay having their regularly scheduled exams because of their concerns about COVID-19.”

UMMS is also addressing women’s health issues with another installment of the System’s free lunchtime “Let’s Talk About Health” webinars. On Oct 21^st at 12pm,Nakia Renee Ware, CRNP, a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner with University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Group, will be presenting about women’s health topics, including mental and physical health, covering issues including breast cancer and domestic violence. Registration information is available at umms.org/letstalk.

“During the pandemic, many women have put off attending to their medical needs, including regular well-woman exams and management of chronic conditions. This webinar will help you identify the care you need,” said Ware.

Across the United States this year, ACS estimates:

• About 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
• About 48,530 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
• About 42,170 women will die from breast cancer.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state’s future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the UM Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s 28,000 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations and at 13 hospitals. UMMS’ flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore is partnered with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care.  Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. In addition, UMMS operates health insurance plans serving Medicare and Medicaid members. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The UM Shore Regional Health Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Clinic puts organ transplantation within easier reach of Eastern Shore residents. An affiliate program to University of Maryland Medical System’s Transplant Program in Baltimore, the UM SRH clinic, located in the Multispecialty Clinic at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton, provides evaluation and pre-operative testing for patients living on the Delmarva Peninsula who are referred for kidney and/or pancreas transplant.

Cambridge resident Ronnie Wilcox is a 49-year-old kidney transplant candidate who appreciates not having to drive over the Bay Bridge for access to care. Wilcox is originally from Baltimore, but says he is glad to be able to receive his pre-transplant care in Easton. “I like being close to home,” he said with a grin during a recent visit to the Multispecialty Clinic. “I like it better on the Shore.”

According to Transplant Coordinator Shirley Banks, once referred by their primary care provider, patients undergo an extensive evaluation. They attend a transplant clinic at the hospital where they learn that successful transplantation offers many advantages, including freedom from dialysis, a less restrictive diet and better overall health. The Kidney and Transplant Clinic team, which also includes nurses Hope Padilla and Wendy Greenwood, also serving as transplant coordinators, and Brandi Young, medical assistant, assesses each patient on several measures — medical, surgical, financial, nutritional, social and psychological. The process includes multiple laboratory tests, an EKG, education that will support a successful transplant and signing consent forms.

Not all candidates for transplant can be approved, but some disqualifying factors, such a high body-mass index (BMI), can be resolved. “We’ve had patients who were told they are too overweight, but they lose it and improve their health, and they come back and they qualify,” says Banks.

After evaluation, the patient’s case is presented via Zoom to the Baltimore-based UMMC Transplant Patient Selection Committee – a multi-specialty group that includes transplant surgeons, nephrologists, cardiologists, pharmacists and finance officers. An accepted candidate then undergoes a rigorous work-up to ensure that he or she is stable for transplant surgery and deemed likely to succeed post-transplant. Assuming all goes well, the patient is then presented to the same committee for approval to be added to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waitlist.

Says Banks, “We work closely with patients to get them ready for listing on UNOS. It’s a long and sometimes winding path. Patient safety is key, so additional tests or specialist clearances may be indicated beyond the standard work-up. Also, it’s imperative that organ transplant candidates stay engaged in their own care by communicating well and completing required medical tests quickly, including chest X-rays, EKG, colonoscopy, mammogram and abdominal ultrasound.”

The linchpin for the success of UM Shore Regional Health’s Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Clinic success? UMMC transplant surgeons who travel to Easton to evaluate patients in person — Dr. Silke Niederhaus, Dr. Jonathan Bromberg and Dr. Eugene Schweitzer.

Says Dr. Niederhaus, who has undergone two kidney transplants herself, “There are many benefits to having a local option for pre-transplant care. Plus, the transplant surgery team becomes familiar with the pre-op team at Shore Medical Center at Easton, which improves our collaboration.”

Post-operative care is provided in Baltimore, which can mean multiple trips to Baltimore within the week after surgery. “That can be a challenge that remains for the immediate post-transplant period,” says Dr. Niederhaus.

Most patients approved as candidates for transplant are on UNOS list for at least three years and in some cases, as many as nine. But along the way, a close, collaborative relationship builds between the transplant clinic staff and their patients. Says Banks, “Because it is such an involved and lengthy process, we really get to know our patients as individuals, not just as ‘cases’. It’s a great feeling to get someone through transplant to a better and healthier life.”

Ronnie Wilcox agrees. “I just like that they take their time with me,” he says. “I feel the love from the transplant clinic staff — they really look out for me and I feel confident in their care.”

For more information about the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Clinic at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, call 410-822-1000, ext. 5782. 

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.

As National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October is always a time for events and activities that promote public understanding of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and support resources for patients. This year, while public events are precluded by the COVID-19 pandemic, providers and staff at the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center and Cancer Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health are eager to share the latest breast cancer information to women and men throughout Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties.

Breast cancer is the second-highest cause of death among women in Maryland, exceeded only by lung cancer, and breast cancer rates among residents of Maryland’s Eastern Shore are higher than the state-wide rate. According to the Cancer Center’s 2019 annual report, of 113 breast cancer cases diagnosed by the Center, 109 were women and four were men.

“We continue to emphasize the importance of annual mammograms for women aged 40 and older,” says Roberta Lilly, MD, medical director, Clark Comprehensive Breast Center. “Getting a mammogram is the best way to detect breast cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage – and even to detect breast tissue with abnormalities that may become cancerous in the future and therefore should be closely monitored.”

In addition to the Diagnostic and Imaging Center at Easton, state of the art 3-D mammography with tomosynthesis is provided for patients by appointment at the Leh Women’s Center in UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, and at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Denton. UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Queenstown is expected to add this service in the coming months, and UM Shore Medical Campus at Cambridge, now under construction and scheduled for completion next summer, also will offer it.

Photo: To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Clark Comprehensive Breast Center providers pause in front of the tree in the circle at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton that is decorated with pink ribbons. Left to right, Dr. Roberta Lilly, Dr. Karen Barbosa and nurse practitioner Brittany Krautheim.

Beyond mammography, there is an important new emphasis on genetic testing and counseling for breast cancer patients and also for survivors. According to breast surgical oncologist Karen Barbosa, DO, who joined the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center earlier this year, the American Society of Breast Surgeons recently revised its recommendations for genetic testing to include all women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, including survivors who may be several years out from their diagnosis, rather than just those who have a family history of breast cancer.

“Genetic testing can reveal gene mutations that are associated with increased risk for various types of cancer,” said Dr. Barbosa. “It’s not just a question of ‘did your mother or grandmother or aunt have breast cancer,’ but how can understanding your genetic profile make you aware of possible cancer risks and inform your health care decisions? Genetic testing also can provide information that you may want to share with close relatives so they can consider whether or not they want to undergo testing themselves.”

A University of Maryland certified genetics counselor provides genetic counseling via telemedicine. The counseling appointment includes a risk assessment of your personal and familial risk factors, a review of information related to hereditary cancer genes, a discussion of cancer screening and risk reduction strategies, and a review of the benefits and drawbacks of genetic testing.

Genetic testing for Eastern Shore breast health patients is done in the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center, via a blood test or a saliva test. Results are sent to the Center and shared with the patient during a follow-up appointment.

“As providers, we go over the results in detail with our patients they will understand exactly what the implications are for their health and ask questions,” says Dr. Barbosa. “We also discuss what the results indicate in terms of their own treatment plan and their health care decisions going forward.”

The cost of the test depends on the patient’s insurance, but the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center will be participating in research studies through which the cost may be defrayed or reduced for patients who enroll. Dr. Barbosa invites women who have been treated for cancer or believe they may be high risk to request a consult regarding genetic testing and consider participating in a clinical trial.

“Even if you’ve already been diagnosed and/or treated for cancer, a genetic test can help you make critical decisions related to your treatment plan, understand how your cancer might correlate with your risk for other cancers, and consider possible lifestyle changes,” says Dr. Barbosa. “And because your test results may have implications down the line for your family members, any information you take away from a genetic screening can be helpful.”

To learn more about genetic testing and counseling services available through UM Shore Regional Health, call 410-820-9400 or visit https://www.umms.org/shore/health-services/womens/breast/cancer-education-support/genetic-counseling.

To make an appointment for a mammogram (which may require an order from your health care provider), call 410-822-1000, ext. 2600.

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.

Mandy Bounds has been named director, Patient Safety & High Reliability at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health. In this role, Bounds is the primary point of contact for the patient safety program as Patient Safety Officer.

Bounds most recently served as project manager, Organizational Excellence, and brings more than 13 years of frontline experience as a registered nurse (RN) working in critical care and acute care settings, as well as experience as a nurse leader and educator in management and administrative roles. She completed her doctoral degree in nursing practice in August, 2020 and presently serves as adjunct faculty for the nursing program at Wilmington University.

“Mandy has been a valuable asset to the UM Shore Regional Health team for many years and in particular to the Quality division over the last year and a half as our Organizational Excellence Project Manager, said Sherri Hobbs, vice president, Quality and Patient Safety. “She brings a high level of passion and knowledge to this role, along with excellent project management and cause analysis skills.”

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.