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Brook Lane to affiliate with Meritus, enhance care for region, state
Move supports a growing community need for mental health services Two long-standing local health providers will join together in July, as Brook Lane and Meritus Health will affiliate, vowing to expand access to mental health services across the region and state. The definitive agreement comes after months of formal due diligence by both organizations and their respective boards. “As we consider the best opportunities to support the total health of our community, while the demand for mental health support and services continues to increase, welcoming Brook Lane to our organization presents an opportunity for our two strong organizations to enhance access to services and provide patients with more coordinated care,” said Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., President and CEO of Meritus Health. Joshi said Meritus Health and Brook Lane have a long tradition of partnering in the community. In September 2023, the health providers worked together to open a mental health urgent care on the Meritus Health Campus off Robinwood Drive in Hagerstown. “We looked at the need in our community and across our state and found a way to share resources in order to quickly support that need,” Joshi said. “We understand the strength in working together and look forward to the next chapter in providing mental health services and education to our community.” Over the past several months, Joshi said he and Brook Lane CEO Jeffery D. O’Neal, MBA, LCPC, FACHE have been considering how they can use the strengths of their respective organizations to better fill current and future mental health needs across the region and the state. By combining resources, O’Neal and Joshi outlined an expanded model for mental health that would extend access levels of care and position the organization as one of the largest and most accessible in the nation. Once combined, the community would have access to integrated clinical offerings with a total of 80 inpatient beds; a psychiatry residency program, a high acuity residential crisis program, day treatment programs for children, adolescents and adults, substance abuse treatment services, mental health urgent care, mental health telehealth visits, a Type III and two Type I school programs, school-based therapists, interventional psychiatry programs, an employee assistance program servicing 12 organizations, and much more. Together, there would be 25 providers, 105 licensed therapists, 115 dedicated nursing staff and 20 teachers, all dedicated to supporting mental health services. This model, with combined resources, doesn’t just put together clinical excellence, but aligns cultural and community values as well. "Meritus and Brook Lane share community-centric values and a vision for making our neighbors healthier," O’Neal said. "Affiliating with Meritus provides our organization with the support it needs to grow and expand, while maintaining our tradition of providing compassionate mental and behavioral health services.” The affiliation will not reduce jobs, according to both leaders, but Brook Lane team members will be moved to the more competitive Meritus compensation scale. Over time, the organizations will consider together the best opportunities for expanding mental health services. “We know this partnership will improve access to care in our community,” Joshi said. “We look forward to our next steps, as together we plan and envision how to best enhance services and education.” Meritus Health, Western Maryland’s largest health care provider, is located at the crossroads of Western Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. With over 3,000 employees, 500 medical staff members and 250 volunteers, Meritus Health serves over 200,000 residents of the tristate region. Meritus Medical Center has 327 beds and Meritus Medical group has over 160 providers. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com or visit our Facebook page or LinkedIn page.
NEWS & UPDATES
Meritus Medical Center earns national recognition for stroke care
Hospital earns American Heart Association award for stroke treatment Meritus Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability. In addition, Meritus received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy award by meeting specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke. Meritus also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke. “This award speaks to our incredible and dedicated team at Meritus Medical Center,” said Carrie Adams, Pharm.D., Meritus chief operating officer. “Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in our nation. It is incredibly important that our community has access to top level care without the need to travel, as timely treatment is key to survival and minimizing disability caused by a stroke.” A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times. Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death. Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home. “We are incredibly pleased to recognize Meritus Medical Center for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.” To learn more about Meritus’ stroke care, please visit www.meritushealth.com/stroke. ### Meritus Health, Western Maryland’s largest health care provider, is located at the crossroads of Western Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. With over 3,000 employees, 500 medical staff members and 250 volunteers, Meritus Health serves over 200,000 residents of the tristate region. Meritus Medical Center has 327 beds and Meritus Medical group has over 160 providers. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com or visit our Facebook page or LinkedIn page. About Get With The Guidelines Get With The Guidelines is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.
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Melanoma: What to watch for under the July sun
Sure, it’s hot and sunny outside, and that usually means time for summer fun. But it also means taking the necessary precautions to protect your skin. The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 100,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2024. Dr. Susan Sharpe is a board-certified surgical oncologist who works with Meritus Health. After completing her complex general surgery oncology fellowship at the University of Chicago and practicing in the field for nearly a decade, she’s picked up some important tips to help you stay safe in the summer sun. She said that while there are certain uncontrollable factors – family history, skin tone, age – there are many factors that can be controlled to prevent melanoma. That includes avoiding tanning beds and salons, wearing UV protective clothing and applying sunscreen – SPF 30 or higher – regularly on exposed areas. That should be every two hours under normal outdoor conditions (even when it’s cloudy), and every 45 minutes when you’ve been in the water. “It needs to go everywhere you have exposure – face, neck, ears,” Dr. Sharpe said. “People who part their hair certain ways, or for those who might be losing hair, the scalp is important, too.” (A side note to those who long for snow: That fresh powder reflects the sun’s rays, too, so be sure to put sunscreen on your face, even in the wintertime.) What if you have a mole or freckle that looks suspicious? Dr. Sharpe says to remember A-B-C-D-E to help decide if that blemish is suspicious. Asymmetry – Instead of a nice perf circle, does the mole look like a comet? Is it equal on each side? Border – Is it irregular, jagged or darker in one area and fades at the edge? Color – There are several different colors for melanoma, Dr. Sharpe said. It can be brown, black, white, blue, red and sometimes even skin color. If it’s not one color, that could mean melanoma. Diameter – Generally, if the mole is about the width of a finger (roughly a quarter-inch) or larger, it could be concerning. Evolution – Has one or more of the above-mentioned things changed over time? In addition, you should be concerned if the mole starts bleeding or becomes itchy. It could also look like a scab that won’t heal over time, Dr. Sharpe said. The first thing to do is to contact your primary care provider and schedule an appointment to have things checked out. “They might look at it and say it’s benign, or that it looks like it could be melanoma, or perhaps that they’ll see you x number of times to make sure nothing changes over time,” Dr. Sharpe said. If it is duly suspicious, your primary care provider could refer you to a surgeon, like Dr. Sharpe, to have the mole removed. But no matter what, Dr. Sharpe stressed that you shouldn’t wait to get it checked out. “Don't ignore anything,” she said. “The earlier you can catch melanoma, the better the chances of survival.”
Meritus Health location at Valley Mall makes healthcare convenient
Sports medicine, physical therapy, urgent care and pediatrics after-hours clinic to be housed in Halfway shopping mecca Ensuring that our community can access healthcare services is paramount to Meritus’ mission of improving the health of the community. That’s why the opening of Meritus Health’s new multispecialty medical practice at Valley Mall is a plus not only for patients, but for the mall, too. “Meritus is always trying to bring great care closer and closer to the people who need it,” said David M. Lehr, chief strategy officer of Meritus Health. “Expanding our footprint to another major location will improve convenience for our patients. This addition advances our objective to bring high-quality healthcare services directly into communities where people live and work." PREIT, a leading owner and operator of community-centric retail properties, has seen the evolution of malls, where out-of-the-box thinking has brought different tenants that serve customers’ needs. Meritus will be the third major healthcare facility incorporated into one of PREIT’s properties. "We are thrilled to welcome Meritus Health as our newest tenant at Valley Mall," said Julie Rohm, PREIT regional manager. "Our focus on delivering innovative and thoughtful destinations to meet modern consumer demands includes providing services that meet their daily needs. In a market that is evolving at the pace Hagerstown is, we are pleased to enhance the one-stop-shop experience we provide with the addition of high-quality healthcare options." On July 1, Meritus Health plans to open its physical therapy and sports medicine practices, an urgent care and relocate its after-hours pediatrics clinic in the former Sears store. Plans are in the works to add a family medicine practice in 2025. The opening will officially launch Meritus Sports Medicine. It is a practice for athletes of all ages to seek preventive care including sports physicals, injury care, concussion management, and joint/soft tissue therapy. Meritus Health is the sports-medicine provider of choice for the Flying Boxcars professional baseball team and also partners with Washington County Public Schools to provide professional athletic trainers in the county’s high schools. And for those weekend warriors, youth athletes, or any person committed to improving their physical well-being, Valley Mall provides a strategic geographic location at the crossroads of Interstates 81 and 70. The Meritus office will join a diverse set of tenants at the mall, which includes several sit-down dining establishments including Black Rock Bar & Grill, Mission BBQ, Red Robin and Primanti Bros to name a few; family entertainment venues, Regal Cinemas and Tilt; alongside traditional and value retail offerings including H&M, DICK’s Sporting Goods, Victoria’s Secret, aerie, Bath & Body Works and more. To learn more about Meritus Sports Medicine, go to www.meritushealth.com/sportsmedicine.
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