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MERITUS STORIES
Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine receives OK for first class
MSOM will be the first new medical school in Maryland in over 100 years After 1,000 days of continuous planning, enrollment is now open for the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine for the fall 2025 semester. The school received conditional approval to operate in Maryland as an in-state degree-granting institution from the Maryland Higher Education Commission and pre-accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. “We started on this path to fill the critical shortage of physicians in our community, the state and the nation,” said Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., Meritus president and CEO. “Now, we’ve taken the steps that will create generational change.” There are not enough physicians in the United States to meet the needs of our population. By the year 2030, there is a projected shortage of 124,000 physicians, and in Washington County alone, studies indicate a current shortage of 52 physicians. Additionally, in Maryland, one out of three physicians are over the age of 60. The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine will be the first medical school opened in Maryland in more than 100 years. “We are fortunate to have outstanding medical schools in Maryland with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University of Maryland School of Medicine and we are honored to contribute to the growth of undergraduate medical education in our state,” said Dr. Paula Gregory, founding Dean of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. “Our MSOM mission is to train socially responsible, professionally accomplished and community-oriented physicians.” What will the first students find on campus? The first class, the class of 2029, will include 90 medical students and future classes will be at 180 students. The D.M. Bowman Academic Hall, which will be the school’s main building, has been under construction for about two years on the Meritus Medical Center campus off Robinwood Drive near Hagerstown. The academic hall is slated to be completed by December 2024. The 200,000-square-foot, five-story building will house a state-of-the-art simulation center, simulation labs, classrooms and a conference center that can host up to 1,000 people. The adjacent Meritus Commons will provide student housing through 340 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The complex will also include a club house, commons area and dog park. The first 90 units will be completed in time for the first class. What is the projected economic impact of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine? An independent economic impact study performed by Tripp Umbach shows the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine will bring considerable benefits to the region. Capital impacts from 2023-2026 are estimated at $268 million dollars, with 1,595 jobs created and estimated tax revenue of $6.2 million dollars. Once the school welcomes its first class, an estimated $500 million of economic impact is expected between 2025 and 2030, with more than $120 million per year to the Maryland GDP every year beyond 2030. How can I learn more about the new medical school? For more information about the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine, including details on academics, tuition and fees and how to apply, visit www.msom.org.
NEWS & UPDATES
Meritus Health experts urge prevention ahead of viral illness season
As Meritus lives its mission of improving the health of the community, dedicated caregivers are sharing information about preventative measures to take during viral illness season. In alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Meritus experts strongly recommend that individuals age 6 months and older receive an updated flu vaccine in addition to staying informed about COVID-19 precautions, and they encourage all eligible individuals to consider vaccination or booster shots as needed. Dr. Anand Budi, Meritus chief medical officer, emphasizes the health system’s commitment to safeguarding the community against viral illnesses such as COVID-19 and the flu. “Vaccination remains our most effective defense against the spread of these viral illnesses,” he said. There are multiple options available for scheduling your vaccinations and boosters: • MyChart: You can conveniently schedule your flu and COVID-19 vaccines or boosters through your MyChart account. • Primary Care Provider: Reach out to your primary care provider's office for vaccine appointments and guidance tailored to your health needs. • Your Local Health Department: Stay informed about local vaccination resources by checking with your nearby health department. • Your Local Pharmacy: Many local pharmacies offer both flu and COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, making it easily accessible for you. Over-the-counter flu and COVID-19 tests are readily available at pharmacies, grocery stores, and online retailers. These tests are user-friendly, quick, and provide reliable results for most individuals. For those requiring laboratory testing, Meritus Medical Laboratory locations offer comprehensive testing services. Please be aware that a healthcare provider's order is necessary, and your insurance will be billed accordingly. You can schedule your flu and COVID vaccine appointments with ease today through MyChart, your primary care provider's office or by visiting a pharmacy or grocery store. “We all have a part to play in reducing the spread of viral illnesses, including COVID-19 and the flu,” Dr. Budi said. “By getting vaccinated, you not only protect yourself but also contribute to the well-being of our entire community.” For the latest, up-to-date information on the flu season, viral illnesses, testing, treatment, and vaccination options, please visit MeritusHealth.com/Viralillness. ### 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. The mission of Meritus Health is to improve the health of the region by providing the best healthcare, health services and medical education. As an anchor organization for the community, Meritus has nearly 4,000 employees and serves more than 200,000 residents of the tristate region through Meritus Medical Center, Brook Lane Health Services, Meritus Medical Group, Meritus Home Health, Meritus Equipped for Life, and the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com or visit our Facebook page or LinkedIn page.
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Meritus Crisis Center, Mental Health Walk-in there to help everyone
When it comes to mental health or fighting addiction, it can seem like you’re on one side of a river looking to cross to the other side. A rushing torrent of forms, red tape and insurance issues can be discouraging enough to make you stay put. The Meritus Crisis Center and Meritus Mental Health Walk-in facility are designed to be a bridge, said Halima Naluwooza, MSN, CRNP, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. “For anybody who is struggling, whether it's with mental health or addiction, it's sometimes hard to get a provider,” she said, noting some providers in the area are scheduling six months out or longer. “We're willing to bridge them, to get them in and assessed.” Help is available for those age 6 and older at the Mental Health Walk-in. The Crisis Center is for those 18 and older. The ones who seem to need the bridge the most are those seeking substance abuse recovery, she said. They are sometimes discouraged to get help because of the stigma that still surrounds substance use or they’ve tried before only to relapse. “With recovery, it doesn't matter if they’ve gone through it 20 times,” Naluwooza said. “We'll help them with the 21st time. Even when you’ve struggled before, we’re still willing to help.” What happens when you walk into the Orange Entrance? Access to the Crisis Center and Mental Health Walk-in starts in the same place: The Orange Entrance to the Robinwood Professional Center at 11110 Medical Campus Road. Go through the automatic double doors, then go in the first door on the left. There you walk into a waiting room with a front desk staffed to guide you, depending on your needs. Whether it’s addiction services or mental health, Naluwooza is one of the first stops. It’s her job to evaluate patients for mental health and general health issues. Perhaps they’re trying to get established with a mental healthcare provider, but aren’t able to get a prompt appointment. Naluwooza can determine if they need medication and prescribe it until the patient can see their own provider. Perhaps the patient wants to give up drinking or drugs. Naluwooza would determine if they can enter the six-bed Crisis Center, or if they’re suffering from conditions that would require them to visit the Emergency Department first. For example, she said alcoholic withdrawal known as delirium tremens, which can be life-threatening, requires immediate medical care. “Most are OK, but we do have to send some to the ER,” she said. “So long as they have been medically cleared, they can come back to us.” Once in the center, patients usually stay up to three days to get management of withdrawal symptoms while a discharge coordinator works to get them into an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation. The coordinator also works with insurance companies and sometimes even secures scholarships for patients to cover costs. What makes Meritus behavioral health services different? A key part of the Crisis Center program is the availability of peer support personnel. These are people who, at one point in their lives, were struggling with substance abuse and are now working to help those in the throes of addiction. “We find the patient is more open to going through rehab or whatever treatment we can offer because they see someone who has gone through it before them and come out on the other side,” Naluwooza said. It’s the one-stop-shop aspects of the Crisis Center and Mental Health Walk-in that provides her satisfaction. “The biggest thing is just helping them start on their journey. They meet a lot of barriers when they start. They don’t know where to go,” Naluwooza said. “The thing I like about this place is that anyone who walks in here can be helped in one way or another.” To learn more about the Crisis Center, visit www.meritushealth.com/crisiscenter. To learn more about the Mental Health Walk-in clinic, go to www.meritushealth.com/mentalhealth.
Trauma patients have new life-saving resource at Meritus
Hospital is first in region to stock whole blood Meritus Medical Center is now stocking a life-saving resource developed on the battlefield that will give trauma patients a better chance at survival. Through work by the Meritus trauma department and blood bank, the hospital will be able to offer whole blood to those patients most at risk of death after a traumatic incident. “This is a big deal,” said Kyle Remick, M.D., FACS, Meritus trauma medical director who also is a retired U.S. Army Colonel. “For patients with the most severe injuries, whole blood has been shown to be life-saving.” Meritus is positioned at the intersection of two major U.S. interstates, meaning the level 3 trauma center frequently sees trauma patients from automobile crashes, in addition to typical injuries seen by hospitals in rural areas. Victoria K. Gonsorcik, D.O., associate pathologist and director of transfusion/blood bank services, said Meritus staff is primed to go. “We have worked with the critical care and the trauma team along with other departments at Meritus to help roll this out,” she said. “We are ready.” The plan is to work with EMS units in the region so first responders can begin whole blood transfusions when they first encounter patients. How does whole blood benefit trauma patients? Normally, donated blood is separated into components — red blood cells, plasma, platelets, etc. — for standard medical use. By using whole blood, studies have found it improves a patient’s chances of survival in the trauma setting. “When inventory allows, whole blood will offer a quick and efficient method to replace significant blood loss and a more rapid correction of bleeding disorders for our massive transfusions and trauma 1 patients,” Dr. Gonsorcik said. Dr. Remick noted that it was military doctors who have pioneered the treatment, learning lessons from treating troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We used whole blood up until Vietnam,” said Dr. Remick, who was a battlefield surgeon when he was active duty. “We learned that when trauma patients are bleeding significantly from their injury, replacing blood lost with whole blood gives those patients the best chance of survival.” Several hospitals in the Washington, D.C., region offer the treatment, but Dr. Remick says Meritus would be the first in Western Maryland. “This will be a benefit to the local population as well as those travelling through the region from other parts of the country,” he said. “Injury is the leading cause of death in those 1 to 44 years of age in the U.S., according to the CDC, so it is important for Meritus to be a leader in optimal care for injuries that occur in the community and the region.” Carrie Adams, Pharm.D., Meritus chief operating officer who oversees the hospital, praised the move. “Offering whole blood is another example of Meritus living up to its mission of improving the health of the community,” she said. “As our community continues to grow, we are striving to meet their health needs, and injury care is a significant part of that need.” To learn more about Meritus Medical Center’s emergency care, visit www.meritushealth.com/Emergency.
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