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September 9, 2025

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

Health Health Notes

Kristen Owen Appointed to Chester River Health Foundation Board

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Kristen Owen

Chester River Health Foundation (CRHF) recently elected Chestertown native Kristen Owen to its board of directors for a three-year term. Chester River Health Foundation raises funds to enhance excellence in health care at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.

Owen, a vice president at Chesapeake Bank and Trust, is deeply rooted in the community and has served on the boards and/or committees of multiple non-profit organizations including Downtown Chestertown Association, Main Street Chestertown, Inc., Garfield Center for the Arts, and Kent School, Inc.

“The Foundation consistently helps fund state-of-the-art medical equipment and services, allowing our small community to access high-quality healthcare close to home,” said Owen.“As a life-long resident, it is an honor for me to be a part of this important work.”

“Kristen has a strong record of advocating for causes that are important to her and is well-known in the community,” said Richard Barker, Chair, CRHF. “We are grateful that she is sharing her time and talents for the benefit of community health care.”

In addition to Barker, Owen joins other members of the CRHF Board: Sandra Bjork, Esquire, vice chair; Carol Hilty Droge; Jack Edson, secretary; Sue Edson, hospital auxiliary president; Michael Faust; JoAnne Hahey, CFO, UM Shore Regional Health and Foundation treasurer; Ken Kozel, President and CEO, UM Shore Regional Health and Foundation President; Libby Woolever, assistant secretary; and Sigrid Whaley.

For more information about the Foundation’s efforts, please contact Maryann Ruehrmund, executive director, 410-810-5660 or visit the Foundation’s web site at www.umcrhf.org.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools (Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry) in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s more than 29,500 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations, including 12 hospitals and 10 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers. The UMMS flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, 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. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Ken Kozel Named To The Daily Record’s “2022-2023 Power 100” List

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Ken Kozel, President and CEO of UM Shore Regional Health

Ken Kozel, MBA, FACHE, President and CEO of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, has been included in The Daily Record’s 2022-2023 Power 100, a list of 100 men and women selected on the basis of their impact in shaping businesses, governments, nonprofits, law firms and other key institutions in Maryland. The 2022-23 list marks the second year that The Daily Record, a news outlet covering business, legal and government affairs in Maryland, has identified and recognized the top 100 people who play “an outsized role in the culture, lifestyle, civic conversation and economic fortunes in Maryland.”

The Power 100 list includes a summary of each individual’s role and accomplishments, along with a brief interview. Noting that he has been at the helm of UM Shore Regional Health since 2011, Kozel’s summary describes him as a “proven leader with an extensive background in building and managing collaborative teams, overseeing multiple clinical and non-clinical divisions and departments, and achieving strategic objectives.”

“On behalf of Shore Regional Health’s Board of Directors, I am so pleased to congratulate Ken Kozel on this well-deserved recognition,” said David Milligan, UM SRH Board Chair. “Under Ken’s leadership in the past decade-plus, our health care system has made phenomenal progress throughout our five-county region. We’ve dramatically expanded access to care by building several new facilities, including our medical pavilions in Cambridge, Denton, Easton and Queenstown; our freestanding emergency centers in Cambridge and Queenstown; the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center in Easton and Leh Women’s Center in Chestertown; and our urgent care centers in Denton, Easton and Kent Island. Additionally, we have established 22 Shore Medical Group practices employing more than 100 providers seeing patients throughout the region, and also achieved significant upgrades in our medical technology while strengthening our affiliation with University of Maryland Medical System to ensure that patients who need advanced, specialized treatment have access to world-class care. And now, we are moving forward with plans for a regional medical center, which Ken has shepherded since his early days with us.”

Kozel’s Power 100 summary quotes Kozel on the subject of mentors who assisted his career development and lessons he learned along the way. Citing the importance of building and maintaining relationships, he said, “So much about health care revolves around change. In order to effectively adapt, manage, anticipate and define change, you need to understand the subject matter, listen to your community, and work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to navigate change successfully.” Kozel also expressed his gratitude to his parents, who both worked in health care, and to CEOs, board chairs, physicians and other leaders who shared expertise and encouragement that supported his professional journey.

Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, President and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System, was also selected to the Daily Record’s Power 100 list.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,000 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Certificate Of Need Officially Filed For New Regional Medical Center

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University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UMSRH) officially filed the Certificate of Need application for the Regional Medical Center at Easton project with the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) on January 6.  This action marks another important step towards opening the new hospital and medical services building on the SRH-owned site near the Talbot County Community Center.

“Filing the CON application for the new Regional Medical Center is a significant accomplishment and an important next step in the advancement of our integrated health care delivery system for Maryland’s mid-shore,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO of UM Shore Regional Health. “Our growing communities expect and deserve access to a state-of-the-art center with advanced clinical care.”

UM Shore Regional Health’s proposal is to build a new facility to replace its current hospital on Washington Street, parts of which date back to the early 1900s. The application proposes constructing a total of 142 beds (122 acute inpatient and 25 observation beds) and includes emergency, surgery, labor and delivery, and support services, alllocated on 230 acres off Longwoods Road near the intersection of U.S. Route 50. The number of inpatient beds is determined by 2022 data, analysis and projections made by MHCC and the state’s Office of Health Care Quality.

Ken Kozel, President and CEO of UM Shore Regional Health Signing the official Corticate of Need (CON) document.

“The filing of the CON marks a landmark moment for UM SRH and UMMS,” said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, President and CEO of UMMS. “Our investments over the last decade across Maryland’s Mid-Shore counties have laid the groundwork for UMSRH to deliver better outcomes for patients from Hoopers Island to Rock Hall and everywhere in between, and this is the latest project to bring 21st Century care and technology to the Shore.”

Building a replacement hospital has been identified as a need since Shore Health System’s affiliation with University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) in 2006. As healthcare delivery models became more complex, particularly in rural areas, a subsequent merger with Chester River Health System to form UM Shore Regional Health in 2013 occurred. This led UM SRH and UMMS leaders to take a broader view and opportunity to work with community partners throughout the five-county region to create an integrated facility and clinical service delivery plan to reimagine and improve health care delivery across roughly 2,000 square miles of rural communities.

UM SRH has spent the last several years laying the ground work for the advancement of the new Regional Medical Center by making investments in other key supporting projects identified in the System’s plan. The completion of the freestanding medical facility in Cambridge, several medical pavilions and stand-alone emergency rooms in the region, urgent care centers in Denton, Easton and Kent Island, and numerous major equipment upgrades have totaled over $150M in capital investments. Plans are also moving forward in Chestertown with the construction of an Aging & Wellness Center on its current campus.

“We are so grateful for our communities’ patience and trust as we have implemented key strategies to improve health care access and services to each of the counties of the mid-shore,” said Kozel. “As part of our CON application, we are honored to include multiple letters of support from state, county, city and town officials, health departments, law enforcement, chambers of commerce, educational institutions, safety-net health care providers, and economic development agencies in all five counties of our service area. We are also incredibly appreciative of Governor Larry Hogan who earmarked $100 million in proposed funding for the project in his Fiscal Year 2024 budget recommendation.”

Proposed Project Specifications:

Main Hospital Tower: 6 levels; 325,294 square feet
Adjacent medical office and outpatient services building: 60,000 square feet
Licensed Beds: 122 (all private rooms)
Adult Observation / Short Stay Beds: 25
Emergency Department Treatment Bays: 27
Operating Rooms: 7
Helipad (ground level)

Core Programs & Specialty Centers:

Acute Rehabilitation Center
Behavioral Health
Birthing Center
Cardiac Intervention Center
Critical Care/Acute Care Medicine
Emergency Services
Neurosciences
Orthopedics
Women’s Services

Location

The new Regional Medical Center campus is slated to occupy over 230 acres off Longwoods Road near the intersection of U.S. Route 50, adjacent to the Talbot County Community Center. This location is approximately 3.5 miles from the current hospital, and will provide greater visibility, easier and safer access for ambulance and helicopter transport as well as ample parking for patients, staff and visitors.

Timeline

The timeline of the overall project will be dependent on many required regulatory steps, but the proposed schedule anticipates opening the new Regional Medical Center in the summer of 2028.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Chester River Health Foundation Sponsors Angel Tree

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The Chester River Health Foundation sponsored its annual Angel Tree on which “holiday wishes” were hung for children in the foster care programs for Kent and Queen Anne’s counties and Kent Center, which provides services for adults who have developmental disabilities.

All gifts were donated by team members of UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown and the Chester River Health Foundation.Some of the wishes included basic needs such as clothes and winter coats – and of course, toys.

“This program provided meaningful gifts to Kent County’s neediest children during the holiday season,” said Mattie Meehan, Family Services Supervisor, Kent County Department of Social Services. “Each child in foster care had a memorable, happy Christmas thanks to the generosity and dedication of the foundation and UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown’s team members who made this program possible.”

“The enthusiasm for participating in the Angel Tree program was overwhelmingly evidenced by the nearly 80 presents that were donated this year,” said Dennis Welsh, Vice President, Rural Health Transformation and Executive Director, UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. “The generosity of our team is heart-warming to all of us and truly touched the lives of those who might otherwise go without a specially-selected holiday gift. Our team members are part of this community and feel privileged to help out.”

Photo: Chestertown team members with over 75 gifts for local children and disabled adults. Pictured front row (l-r): Sherrie Hill, Clinical Nurse Coordinator for Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation; Sandy Prochaska, ED/Inpatient Nurse Manager; Ronnie Turner, Environmental Services. Back row (left to right): Randy Bozarth, Facilities Management; Bobbie Jo Trossbach, ED Clinical Coordinator; Jeff Curl, Facilities Management; Donald Green, Radiology Administration/Senior Holiday Motivation Team Lead.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools (Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry) in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s more than 29,500 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations, including 13 hospitals and 9 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers. The UMMS flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, 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. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Jennifer Baima MD, Joins the Orthopedic Center

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Jennifer Baima, MD

The Orthopedic Center (TOC), a partner of UM Shore Regional Health, recently welcomed Jennifer Baima, MD.  Dr. Baima is a physiatrist, board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, with over 16 years of experience in academic and clinical medicine.

Most recently, Dr. Baima served as associate professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Physical Rehabilitation at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Mass, where she focused on musculoskeletal medicine, cancer rehabilitation and electrodiagnosis. She has also taught at Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, all in Boston, Mass. She performed electrodiagnostic studies for the Boston VA hospital system.

Dr. Baima earned her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, La., and completed an internship in Internal Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center. She fulfilled her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Dr. Baima is a Fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and a member of the Association of Academic Physiatrists and the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine. She has authored dozens of peer reviewed publications and two books.

“We are so pleased to have Dr. Baima join our orthopedic team,” said Thomas Stauch, MD, President and Managing Partner, The Orthopedic Center. “Her skills and experience will be an asset to our team and the community.”

To make an appointment with Baima, call 410-820-8226.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools (Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry) in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s more than 29,500 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations, including 12 hospitals and 10 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers. The UMMS flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, 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. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

First Baby of 2023 Arrives at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton Birthing Center

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The first baby of 2023 arrived just after midnight, January 1, at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s Birthing Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton. The baby girl was born at 12:40 am to Lakeisha Alston and Durell E. Hyland Sr., both of Fruitland.

Luvenia Lee Hyland was born weighing 7 pounds, 11.8 ounces, and was 21 inches long. She joins eight older siblings at home.

Alston and her newborn were gifted a congratulatory basket from UM Shore Regional Health, which included baby clothing, diapering, bathing and health items, pacifiers, baby toys and a baby book. Shore United Bank also donated a $250 savings bond certificate to the newborn.

More than 870 babies were born at the Birthing Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton in 2022.

University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton recently was recognized for the second time as High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report. This was the second time U.S. News has published a list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. To be recognized among the Best Hospitals for Maternity, hospitals had to excel on multiple quality metrics that matter to expectant families, including newborn complication rates, C-sections among lower-risk pregnancies, early elective delivery rates, the hospital’s ability to meet new federal criteria for birth-friendly practices, and how successfully each hospital supported breastfeeding. In the ranking of nearly 650 hospitals providing labor and delivery services nationwide, fewer than half received the “high performing” designation — the highest a hospital can receive for maternity care. Only five hospitals in Maryland, out of 15 surveyed, ranked as high performing maternity hospitals in the state.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 10 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Gill Joins UM Shore Medical Group–Women’s Health

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Gabrielle Gill

Certified nurse midwife Gabrielle Gill, MSN, CNM, WHNP recently joined the University of Maryland Shore Medical Group – Women’s Health. Gill joins Javier Cajina, MD, Palak Doshi, MD, and Audrey Drummey, MD; nurse practitioners Jennifer Dyott, Dale Jafari and Angie Price; and certified nurse midwives Molly Bernish, Sunny Granger, Tristen Holloway and Lauren Rosales in the practice.

Board certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board, Gill recently practiced at Chesapeake Health Care OBGYN in Salisbury, Md., where she managed patients throughout their family planning process, helped deliver babies, and saw patients for gynecological care, helping patients with birth control implants and infertility procedures. In previous positions, she served as a certified nurse midwife at Hamilton Health Center in Harrisburg, Pa. and as a registered nurse in New Haven, Conn., where she filled several roles, including triage nurse at Obstetrics and Gynecology of Greater New Haven, nurse with Planned Parenthood, and flu clinic nurse at Pediatric and Medical Associates, PC. Prior to receiving her nurse practitioner degree, she volunteered with AmeriCorps as a medical volunteer with the Pregnancy Aid Center in College Park, Md.

Gillearned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y. She received both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in nursing and completed her nurse midwife certification with a women’s health nurse practitioner specialty at Yale University School of Nursing in Orange, Conn.

During her time at Yale University School of Nursing, she was one of two students chosen to accompany the medical director of the Yale Midwifery Program to Laos, where she helped train 80 nurses, midwives and physicians on normal birth and complications including hemorrhaging, breech birth and twins.

Gill is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, please call 410-820-4888.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 10 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Ruehrmund Honored by Mid-Shore Community Foundation

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Buck Duncan and Maryann Ruehrmund at the Mid-Shore Community Foundation’s 2022 awards luncheon.

Maryann Ruehrmund, Executive Director of the Chester River Health Foundation, was recently honored by the Mid-Shore Community Foundation (MSCF) as recipient of the organization’s Town Watch award at a luncheon at the Tidewater Inn in Easton. The Town Watch Award is named in honor of a militia of local citizens that protected the Town of Easton during the War of 1812 and is presented to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and service in the Mid-Shore region.

“Maryann’s outstanding leadership and commitment to community health care are very commendable,” said Buck Duncan, MSCF president. Ruehrmund was nominated for the award by Chester River Health Foundation Board Member Charles Lerner, who also serves on the MSCF Board.

“During her tenure, Maryann has developed a comprehensive development program and leads the Foundation Board in its efforts to support and enhance patient care, which has resulted in the community donating nearly $23.5 million for University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown,” said Lerner. “As the linchpin of the Foundation’s success and recognition within the hospital and the community, Maryann is widely respected and consulted throughout the local nonprofit community. She is the ultimate professional with an unparalleled commitment to the Foundation’s mission.”

Established in 1992, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation is a non-profit organization that connects private resources with public needs to enhance the quality of life throughout the Mid-Shore region, including Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Plans For New Regional Medical Center In Easton Advance With Governor’s Funding Announcement

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During his Fiscal Year 2024 budget recommendation announcement today, Governor Larry Hogan today included $100 million in proposed funding for University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s new Regional Medical Center at Easton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“Building a new Regional Medical Center in Easton marks the most significant milestone in fulfilling our decades-long integrated facility and clinical service delivery plan,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO of UM SRH. “Our growing communities expect and deserve access to a state-of-the-art center with advanced clinical care.”

UM SRH officials will submit the Certificate of Need (CON) for the new medical center, which will replace the current hospital on Washington Street in downtown Easton, to the Maryland Health Care Commission in January 2023. The CON submission is the first of several regulatory actions that will occur in the next year required to replace the existing hospital, UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, parts of which date back to the early 1900s.

SRMC Front Entrance

“When I first ran for Governor, we promised that the Eastern Shore would not be left behind in our administration, and for the past eight years we have consistently invested in agriculture, broadband, energy, transportation and education to bring jobs and more opportunity to the Shore,” said Gov. Hogan.  “With the support of local leaders like Senator Hershey and Senator-Elect Mautz, we are incredibly proud to move forward on a path that will help address and transform rural healthcare in the Mid-Shore region and beyond.”

In the past several years, UM SRH has established the foundation for the development of the new Regional Medical Center through investments in other key projects identified in the System’s integrated facility and clinical service delivery plan. These projects include the construction of a new Emergency Department at the Chestertown hospital; new medical pavilions in Queenstown, Denton and Cambridge; the state’s first stand-alone emergency center in Queen Anne’s County; urgent care centers in Denton, Easton and Kent Island; and most recently, a freestanding medical facility in Cambridge. Upgrades to medical equipment and technology have totaled over $150 million in capital investments which include the creation of an Aging & Wellness Center, which is in progress on the campus of UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.

“We are building upon our long tradition of excellence in patient care and innovation to be a leader in the transformation of healthcare statewide. As an academic health system, we are working throughout Maryland in diverse rural, urban and suburban settings to solve unique healthcare challenges,” said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, President & CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS). “Over the last decade, we have invested in a comprehensive and integrated care delivery system with a presence in every county inthe Mid-Shore and this new Regional Medical Center in Talbot County will allow our team members to maximize our capacity to deliver better outcomes for patients from Hoopers Island to Rock Hall and everywhere in between.”

At today’s press conference, Gov. Hogan noted the proposed funding is part of$220 million “in comprehensive and transformative health care investments to further improve access to quality care invulnerable and rural communities.” Speaking of the Easton hospital project, the governor said,”This is an idea that the community has been pleading for for years if not decades.  It’s desperately needed and we are finally in a financial position to make this critical investment.”

Since the former Shore Health System’s affiliation with UMMS in 2006 and subsequent merger with Chester River Health System to form University of Maryland Shore Regional Health in 2013, UM SRH and UMMS leaders have worked steadily with community partners throughout the five-county region to reimagine and improve health care delivery across roughly 2,000 square miles of rural communities. UM SRH investments in the region to-date have provided innovative solutions to address county-based health care needs while creating a connected care delivery system for residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties.  Complementing these investments with plans to construct a regional medical center for the Mid-Shore ensures UM SRH will provide best-in-class health care services for all aspects of inpatient and outpatient care.

The new Regional Medical Center campus is slated to occupy over 230 acres off Longwoods Road nearthe intersection of U.S. Route 50, adjacent to the Talbot County Community Center. This more centralized location will provide greater visibility, easier and safer access for ambulance and helicopter transport as well as ample parking for patients, staff and visitors living in our mid-shore region.

While final specifications are subject to state regulatory approval and planning commission support, the facility’s current design encompasses over 325,000 total square feet with an adjacent medical office and outpatient services building occupying an additional 60,000 square feet. The CON plans will include data- driven assumptions for ample inpatient and observation beds, operating rooms and Emergency Department treatment rooms to meet the needs of our Mid-Shore community.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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.

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UM Shore Regional Health Welcomes New Occupational Therapist

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Danielle Santiago, MS, OTR/L

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services recently welcomed Danielle Santiago, MS, OTR/L, to its outpatient rehab teams at UM Shore Medical Pavilions at Denton and Queenstown.

Prior to joining Shore Rehab, Santiago worked for the ICU team at University of Maryland Medical Center, where she provided occupational therapy for adults and children; for the Pediatric Development Center, which has locations in Rockville, Md. and Silver Spring, Md.; and the Kinera Foundation in Stevensville, Md. Santiago earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y. She also has completed specialized training in treating pediatric feeding disorders including avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), sensory-based restricted eating, extreme pickiness, transition to feeding by mouth, congenital torticollis and developmental delay.

Santiago also works with patients in post-stroke rehabilitation and in cognitive rehabilitation. She is registered by the American Occupational Therapy Association and licensed by the state of Maryland.

“We are excited that Danielle brings 10 years of experience across pediatric and adult rehabilitation settings,” said Frank Rath, Manager of Outpatient Rehabilitation Services. “She is passionate about helping her patients meet rehab goals in order to improve their functionality and participation in meaningful activities.”

To make an appointment with Santiago, call 410-327-3818 (Queenstown) or 410-479-3300 (Denton).

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

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 Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.