Healthy HEALTH CARE
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Healthy Living FALL 2017 Compassionate Care at HOSPICE HOUSE Managing Chronic Conditions HEALTH CARE at YOUR FINGERTIPS Letter from the President Anywhere, Anytime Dear Friends, Time, for so many of us, is a precious commodity. As we bid farewell to summer and children head back to school, schedules become even more crunched with CONVENIENT CARE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS sports and other after-school activities. It is often difficult for many of us to fit everything in. Thankfully, technology can help. On page 3 of this issue, we discuss a variety of Now more than ever, technology touches our lives every day. It happened in an instant. Ashlee Hacker’s 2-year-old programs that help you stay healthy and save you time. The article tells the story of Designed to make life easier and maximize our time, new one family that uses MedStar eVisits to save time traveling and waiting for urgent daughter, Elayna, fell and hit her care. The service, which offers secure, online consultations with board-certified programs and services are being offered regularly to help head on a coffee table leaving a physicians, has helped this busy mom of two find answers to medical questions patients become better connected and manage their health gash across her eyebrow. Ashlee, Christine R. Wray, FACHE in the comfort of her own home and take better care of her family. a registered nurse at MedStar President, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital care with a few simple key strokes or a couple of minutes St. Mary’s Hospital, thought the Senior Vice President, MedStar Health Making the right medical decisions for your family is We are excited wound looked deep, but Ashlee sometimes difficult. Luckily, we offer resources in the on a smartphone. MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital offers you a wasn’t completely sure whether Kenneth A. Samet, FACHE to be able to offer so community to help you through some of life’s most variety of technological solutions to help you get connected President and CEO, difficult times. Our story on John and Diane Haderly she should take her daughter to MedStar Health many services to our to better health. on page 10 discusses how Hospice of St. Mary’s and the Emergency Department (ED). Barbara Thompson community, not just Hospice House helped Diane when she was facing a Continued on Page 4 Chair, Board of Directors, terminal illness. She and her husband found support MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital to care for you when and peace during Diane’s final days. Christine R. Wray, FACHE you are sick, but also President, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital As students head back to school, this issue also to help you stay well. Senior Vice President, honors our annual scholarship winners. All of these Ashlee Hacker and her husband, David, stay busy MedStar Health young people have worked incredibly hard to with their young children Elayna and Gavin. Holly Bond Meyer pursue their dreams of a career in healthcare-related fields. The St. Mary’s Hospital Healthy Living Editor Foundation is excited to be able to help them on their journey. Please take a moment to read about them on page 15. Jennifer Green Healthy Living Writer You will also meet Nicholas Tapazoglou, MD, on page 6. One of our newest Deborah Gross medical professionals, Dr. Tapazoglou has extensive experience in general surgery Healthy Living Writer and is helping our hospital bring bariatric weight loss surgery options to residents Megan Johnson in our community. Healthy Living Writer We are excited to be able to offer so many services to our community, not just to Linda Lagle care for you when you are sick, but also to help you stay well. That’s what good Healthy Living Contributing Writer neighbors do — they take care of each other. Ruby Hawks Healthy Living Designer Kindest Regards, Sandy Ondrejcak Healthy Living Designer Healthy Living is published by MedStar Christine R. Wray St. Mary’s Hospital. The information is intended to inform and educate about health, not as a substitute for consultation with a physician. MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital of St. Mary’s County, its Medical Staff and Auxiliary, are non-discriminating in their admission, treatment, employment and membership policies. The hospital employs, offers membership, renders treatment and receives vendor services without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin or ancestry, marital status or status as a qualified disabled individual. Patients receive considerate and respectful care at MedStar St. Mary’s regardless of the source of payment. MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital’s Payment Assistance Program provides free or reduced charges for care to patients who receive inpatient and outpatient services. This program is available for individuals who are not eligible to receive medical assistance from the state and meet specific income requirements. If you are interested in finding out if you qualify for payment assistance, please contact our Credit Office at 301-475-6039. HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2017 | 3 Continued from Page 3 taken advantage of the service when The doctor called in the oral antibiotic her husband had the flu, both of her so we could get her started on it and “It looked like it could use some children experienced ear infections, and then advised me to follow up with my suturing,” Ashlee said, “but it was when she had a sinus infection. daughter’s doctor.” later in the evening — I didn’t really As a nurse, she felt all of the providers Ashlee said accessing the site was quick; want to take a 2-year-old out to the she had dealt with were professional and she filled out the required information Emergency Department unless I qualified and each visit took only a few to set up an account and was able to absolutely had to.” GET CONNECTED TO BETTER HEALTH minutes. Prescriptions were called into preview the doctors who were available So Ashlee turned to technology her local pharmacy. Ashlee even had to and read through their credentials while MedStarEVisit.com for help. have a follow-up visit with one provider waiting to be connected. MedStar eVisits “I remembered MedStar eVisits, so when her daughter’s ear infection wasn’t “It is much faster than going to the ED 24/7 access to board-certified medical • Free enrollment I called them,” she said. improving. or urgent care,” Ashlee said. “I tell all of providers. Connect with a provider • No appointment needed within minutes via secure video at • $49 or less per visit “The first treatment was appropriate, she my friends and family about it because Using her smartphone, Ashlee home or on the go. Apple and Android • Insurance not required found the MedStar eVisit website just needed an oral antibiotic because it is much cheaper than most people’s app available for download. but accepted and proceeded to log in. About she had a really bad infection,” Ashlee co-pays for urgent or emergency care. five minutes later, Ashlee was said. “So I was actually able to call Several times it saved me from leaving MedStarStMarys.org/MyCare MyCare Patient Portal talking to a doctor about her back and talk with the same provider. home. I think it’s a great service.” A secure website that will allow • Access any time daughter’s injury. Ashlee said the MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital’s patients • View and download hospital doctor she consulted with was very access to their personal health medical records, laboratory and reassuring and calming. record and to pay bills online 24/7. imaging results, and discharge and educational documentation “It was neat they could see the wound — you just put the camera MedStarStMarys.org/YourRoom close to her face and the doctor ‘It is much myStation had me squeeze the cut and let it Television system offering in-room • 24/7 access to information about go. He did a good job of assessing faster than entertainment, education and access plan of care including upcoming to health records. Family-friendly tests and medications the wound,” she said. going to ED or movies, games or TV shows available • On-demand educational Ultimately, Ashlee did take her with the push of a button. materials daughter to the ED to have the urgent care. wound closed. MedStarStMarys.org/FindADoc Several times Find A Doc “He said if it was his daughter, he Online database of doctors who practice • Searchable would take her in,” Ashlee said. it saved me at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and • Available 24/7 “It made me feel better that I was throughout MedStar Health. • Physician profiles including taking her for a reason rather than from leaving education and contact information • Insurances accepted getting there and being told that I home.’ didn’t need to be there.” MedStarPromptCare.org/CharlotteHall MedStar PromptCare HEALTH CARE – Ashlee Hacker, Check In Need urgent care? • Choose appointment time ON YOUR SCHEDULE Dameron Save time waiting by checking • Wait at home or wherever you are in online. most comfortable Her daughter’s accident wasn’t • Receive a text message reminder the first time Ashlee had used MedStar eVisits. She had also 4 | HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2017 HEALTHY LIVING FALL 2017 | 5 General and Bariatric Surgeon Conveniently Located in Leonardtown Christine Wray, far right, president of MedStar St. Mary’s Meet Nicholas Hospital, discusses Emergency Department procedures with Maryland Secretary of Health Dennis R. Schrader, second Tapazoglou, MD from right. Board certified in general surgery and fellowship MedStar St. Mary’s trained in bariatric surgery, Dr. Tapazoglou specializes At top, the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development in minimally-invasive and laparoscopic procedures.