Anne Arundel County Fire Division Chief Michael Cox says crews were called to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis about 5:45 p.m. Monday. A smoky odor had been reported, and firefighters found heavy smoke coming from a utility closet on the third floor.

The women and their infants were evacuated. No one was injured.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

County police say the accident happened about 11:30 p.m. Friday as high winds and heavy rains blew through Harwood. A large tree fell, landing on the front of the vehicle and the passenger compartment. Three people were trapped inside, although one person then got out on his own.

The driver, 25-year-old Kevin O’Brien of Edgewater, died at the scene.

His passengers, 27-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, suffered minor injuries and were taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis.

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(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Anne Arundel County firefighters responded on June 23 to a fire alarm at the building and found a small fire in an elevator. Investigations revealed that the fire was intentionally set.

Police distributed surveillance pictures of the person of interest and arrested the juvenile after interviewing him.

He has been charged with first-degree arson, second-degree malicious burning, malicious destruction of property and reckless endangerment.

The teen has been released to his parents and a hearing has been scheduled for July.

Around 4:45 p.m. on Saturday Anne Arundel County firefighters responded to a reported fire alarm sounding at the Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Health Sciences Building, located on Medical Parkway.

Fire crews found a small fire in an elevator, which was quickly extinguished.

Investigation revealed that the fire was intentionally set.

There are no suspects, but investigators are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a person of interest.

Investigators are asking anyone who may be able to identify the person and/or provide information about this incident to call 410-222-TIPS (8477). Any information received can be anonymous.

The investigation is ongoing.

Something was wrong … something was seriously wrong. I knew it because I was nauseous, throwing up and all I could manage to do was walk around leaning into the walls saying something is wrong, something is seriously wrong. Then there was also the fact that I was soaking wet head to toe in sweat and using both hands to hold my head together preventing it from exploding all over the place creating one hell of a mess.

I was so not prepared for what I was about to go through …

Now in the middle of all this incredible pain I can remember someone asking me who the president was and I’m thinking, really? Can’t you see I’m in pain here! I mean I was in pain like you couldn’t imagine, who the hell cares whose turn it was to screw up the country! Oh it was a test, did I pass? It was right about here where things sort of go fuzzy and the next thing I remember was seeing a white sign with big red letters that read, Emergency Room Entrance. I’m just going to go with the answer being that I failed the test.

First stop, a small ER that was right down the street from where I was when all of this began. Fortunately I was the only person in the ER. Unfortunately they were not equipped to handle let alone diagnose what was going on with me. The triage nurse who didn’t actually perform any triage suggested that I just had a bad sinus infection and wanted to send me home. Fortunately the person I was with when all of this happened and brought me to the hospital was a ER nurse. I will leave how the rest of that story played out to your imagination but yes, quite literally that nurse could have killed me.

So I finally get to see a doctor and apparently during the examination or so I’m told, I just got up off the table asked the doctor to “hold that thought” and without another word walked across the hall and went into the bathroom to pee. I don’t think it would have been that big of a deal if I had actually shut the door. Possibly I’m just not too impressed with the staff here at all.

So after that little bit of exhibitionism I was quickly transported by ambulance to Anne Arundel Medical Center. I only remember about 10 minutes total from the time I woke up in pain to the time I arrived at AAMC’s ER and it had probably been a couple of hours. Once at AAMC I received a CT and a thorough check up from the neck up revealing that I did in fact have a bleed, a subarachnoid hemorrhage, and it was in the worst possible location, I was bleeding right at my brain stem.

Yea right? that’s what I said … subarachnoid hemorrhage? What ever that is, it can’t be good.

“Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, in this type of cerebral hemorrhage the burst blood vessel bleeds into the subarachnoid space between the brain and the inside of the skull. These hemorrhages usually cause a sudden and severe headache and often are complicated by further neurological problems such as paralysis, coma and often death. A subarachnoid hemorrhage is often the deadliest types of stroke.”

Shite! that can’t be good at all …

Officers were called to Anne Arundel Medical Center about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to interview a patient with a stab wound to the left side of his stomach.

Police tell The Capital of Annapolis that witnesses identified the victim’s uncle as the man who stabbed him. The nephew was taken to Shock Trauma in Baltimore, where he was in serious but stable condition.

Derek Townsend Taylor, 42, has been charged with attempted murder and other offenses. He is being held without bond.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The man and woman, both in their 70s, suffered from smoke inhalation in Tuesday morning’s fire. They were taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center. The blaze displaced them from their home.

The Capital of Annapolis reports that it took about 55 firefighters 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control. The cause is under investigation.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Earlier today, a school bus was rear-ended on Ritchie Highway. There were seven children on the bus at the time of the accident, one of whom was transported to Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie. The driver of the car was taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center. The cause of the accident is not known at this time, but is currently under investigation by AA County Police. 

This is a good reminder to be especially careful and vigilant in this weather. With all of the heavy rain, saturated grounds, falling trees, downed power lines, and limited visibility, driving conditions are very hazardous. Please be cautious out there.

EDGEWATER, Md. (AP) — Anne Arundel County authorities say a man was rushed to the hospital after being pulled from Whitemarsh Creek in Edgewater.

Anne Arundel County Fire Division Chief Michael Cox says a man in his late 50s or early 60s was unresponsive when he was pulled out of the water on Sunday afternoon. Cox says the man apparently had jumped into the creek to retrieve a bag. People who saw the man go under jumped in and pulled the man out of the water and began administering CPR until medical crews arrived.

Cox says the man had suffered cardiac arrest and was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis in serious condition.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The nation’s Most Wired hospitals are making progress towards greater health information technology (IT) adoption, according to Hospitals & Health Networks’ 2011 Most Wired Survey released today.   As a field, hospitals are focused on expanding and adopting certain kinds of IT, such as computerized physician order entry (CPOE), to promote improved patient care and data collection.

“Anne Arundel Medical Center has demonstrated our leadership in the use of digital technology with the successful implementation of our Electronic Medical Records,” said Doug Abel, chief information officer, Anne Arundel Medical Center. “Our early adoption to such technology is revolutionizing the way we deliver care and communicate with patients- maximizing both safety and efficiency.”

Most Wired hospitals have made great strides forward in this area with the survey results revealing strong advances in CPOE.  Among the key findings this year:

• Sixty-seven percent of Most Wired hospitals ordered medications electronically in comparison to 46 percent of the total responders.
• Fifty-eight percent of all organizations reported that they have implemented computerized standing orders based on treatment protocols that have been scientifically proven to be effective; in the Most Wired group, 86 percent have implemented such standing orders.

• A greater reliance on digital records puts pressure on Chief Information Officers (CIOs) to ensure that data can be restored quickly in the event that systems go down.  Eighty-two percent of the Most Wired hospitals and 57 percent of all surveyed hospitals can restore clinical data within 24 hours after a power loss.
• Most Wired hospitals are leading in the use of encryption on movable devices to safeguard information.  All Most Wired hospitals encrypt data for laptops and 76 percent encrypt smart phones in comparison to 85 percent of total responders that use encryption on laptops and 57 percent on smart phones.

“Greater adoption of IT can bring important new tools to our efforts to improve the safety and quality of care in hospitals, and better coordinate care across settings,” says Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the AHA.  “To promote further use of information technology, we are aggressively working to remove regulatory barriers, and provide clarity in areas such as the meaningful use criteria.”

Hospitals & Health Networks’ Most Wired Survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, asked hospitals and health systems nationwide to answer questions regarding their IT initiatives. Respondents completed 530 surveys, representing 1,388 hospitals, or roughly 24 percent of all U.S. hospitals.

“Most hospitals look beyond short-term drivers of meaningful use and view technology as part of a powerful toolkit to support their long-term goals for clinical quality improvement and preparation for reform,” said Patrick Blake, executive vice president and group president, McKesson Technology Solutions, a sponsor of the survey. “Using all aspects of an electronic health record, including CPOE, is becoming the expected standard of care in many communities. As a result, we continue to see growth in those areas.”

Strides are also being made in the integration of the electronic health records with digital clinical imaging, according to survey results.  Progress in the areas of digital dictation, structured reporting, and voice recognition with picture archiving and communication systems is also being made. Under these systems, clinicians receive faster diagnostic results that can improve aspects of patient care.

The July H&HN cover story detailing results is available at www.hhnmag.com.

Source: The American Hospital Association

A fire department spokesman, Capt. James Rostek, says the incident happened about 5:30 a.m. Thursday in the 5000 block of Deale Churchton Road. He says the woman suffered life-threatening burns and was flown to the burn unit at the Washington Hospital Center.

Rostek says the woman’s husband suffered minor burns and was being treated at Anne Arundel Medical Center.

He says the fire was confined to the bed.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

“To spend nearly four decades at one organization is an anomaly in the healthcare business,” said George Moran, chair, AAHS Board of Trustees.  “However, Chip Doordan is synonymous with Anne Arundel Medical Center.  He is a passionate visionary and truly the best at what he does.  It is very difficult to see him go, but he is leaving behind a legacy that has AAMC poised for many future successes.”

Doordan joined Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) in 1972 as an administrative resident.  In 1988, he became AAMC’s president and in 1994, the Board of Trustees named him president of Anne Arundel Health System.  Since moving from its original location in Downtown Annapolis to its current Medical Park campus, AAMC has more than doubled in size under Doordan’s leadership.  In addition, the health system built satellite locations in Bowie, Kent Island and Waugh Chapel.

One of Doordan’s most recent accomplishments includes the latest expansion of the Medical Park campus with the opening of its new patient care pavilion, a $424 million expansion which has doubled the size of AAMC’s existing space by adding new medical facilities, buildings, walkways and parking garages.  The new tower includes an expanded emergency room for adults designed to treat some 100,000 patients annually, a new, dedicated pediatric emergency room and pediatric in-patient unit, 50 new private patient rooms, eight new operating rooms and a new 1,600-space garage for more free parking.  In addition, the pavilion is on track to be the only acute care facility in Maryland to achieve LEED gold certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), as set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

“It’s been my great privilege to work with Chip Doordan for the past several years,” said Victoria W. Bayless, president and incoming CEO of AAHS.  “Leader, mentor, advocate for patients and a champion for doing the right thing for people, Chip has served this community for nearly 40 years.  Our future is bright in large part because of his dedication and many accomplishments.”

Doordan scheduled his departure to coincide with the completion of the strategic plan he set forth, Vision 2010 and the Care Like no Other campaign, which raised $44 million for the health system.  His goal was to make AAHS the destination health system in the region.  Vision 2010 specified growth in the health system’s four key service lines: cardiac and vascular; cancer; joints, brain and spine; and women’s services.  In addition to growth, the plan called for continued emphasis on leadership and patient-centered care, collaboration with physicians, and an emphasis on quality improvement and patient safety.  Under his leadership, the hospital established its Centers of Excellence, including the AAMC Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute; AAMC Heart and Vascular Center; AAMC Joint Center; AAMC Spine Center and AAMC Women’s and Children’s Center.

“I never had a day where I didn’t want to come to work,” said Doordan.  “It’s astonishing to think that nearly 40 years have flown by since I first joined Anne Arundel General Hospital.  Today we’re a gleaming, modern expansive health system, touching hundreds of thousands of lives each year.  It’s been a real privilege to spend my career here.  I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do.  In the end, I am very ‘Anne Arundel Proud!’”

The Board of Trustees recently acknowledged Doordan’s many years of accomplishments by bestowing him with the honorary title of CEO Emeritus.

Anne Arundel Medical Center hosted an open house from 11am to 2pm today to give the public a peek behind doors that are normally closed.  The fun family event was free and open to the entire community. Called “Growing Together”, the event included tours of the new tower, some surprises for the kids and an appearance by Dora The Explorer.

The new tower includes an expanded emergency room for adults designed to treat some 100,000 patients annually, a new, dedicated pediatric emergency room and pediatric in-patient unit, 50 new private patient rooms, eight new operating rooms and a new 1,600-space garage for more free parking.  In addition, the pavilion is on track to be the only acute care facility in Maryland to achieve LEED silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), as set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

For anyone that has made a visit to the emergency room, it can be a traumatic event. This new facility has been designed to make a trip to the hospital as stress free as possible.

Kids

While adults are able to grasp what is happening in the ER, children often have a tough time. Things are scary, sterile, and there are all sorts of strange noises. With this addition, there is a separate pediatric ER and in-patient facility designed specifically to put children under 18 as at ease as possible. The waiting rooms are colorful with a Chesapeake Bay theme. The nurses station and ER can only be described as whimsical. And more important than the rooms and facilities, all of the doctors and nurses working in the pediatric ER are trained in pediatric medicine and led by Michael Clemmons, M.D, who was proudly greeting guests this morning.

Adults

The existing ER has been expanded for the over 17 set as well allowing then to better serve the growing number of patients seen each year. The reception area has been relocated, enlarged and outfitted for comfort. When entering the new emergency room, you will be greeted at a desk and adults are sent to the right and children to the left. For anyone who has visited the current ER, this new space will be a welcomed relief.

Surgery

The expansion also includes eight new operating rooms. The rooms are large enough to handle a team of medical professionals and are equipped with the latest medical technology. Contrary to popular portrayals on the television, the rooms are somewhat dark, subdued, and relaxing–good news, no doubt, to patients.

Staying Overnight

While modern medicine has eliminated many overnight stays, there are times when a stay will be needed. The new patient rooms offer a lot of space, some innovative amenities, and some creature comforts. The private rooms are roomy and include the standard issue hospital bed, a loveseat, a patient chair, a safe for valuables, telephone, television, and a unique two way door into the bathroom. The door swings in and out and will be a boon to anyone using a walker, crutches, or navigating in a wheelchair.

LEED

This new tower is also very “green” and is one of the only LEED silver certified facilities of its kind in Maryland. While the “green” theme can be found throughout, the most notable aspect is the green roof. The project replaced nearly 17,000 square feet (almost a half acre) of asphalt roof with plantings. The new green roof will reduce the cooling costs of the building and do a much better job of controlling rainwater runoff. Many patient rooms will have a view of roof!

Dora The Explorer

Kids were entertained throughout the hospital. There was a finger casting station so kids could see how a cast was done, there was a balloon animal clown, of course there was the high tech equipment in the ER and the operating rooms, and even a walk through colon–complete with polyps and cancer. But the real star of the show for the kids was on the lower level–Dora The Explorer! Dora was on hand to greet and pose with anyone who wanted to wait in the seemingly endless line.  Ever so gracious, Dora was kind enough to send a wave our way!

While the experience at AAMC was never bad, this addition is a vast improvement and will be a welcome addition to the Anne Arundel County community. AAMC has been (and continues to be) a committed partner to our community and the environment. Many of the materials used to build the facility came from re-used or renewable resources. 92.6% of the construction waste was recycled. The water is managed with low-flow faucets and dual flush plumbing systems. Coupled together with the green roof, the hospital expects to see a 33% savings on water use. And if that wasn’t enough, on the way out, everyone received a “green gift” of a potted seedling to plant at home.

While we wish there was not a need for hospitals, we are very fortunate to have one of this caliber in our community! The new building should be open for patients on April 16, 2011.

Please enjoy the gallery of photos, including our trip through the inflatable colon!

Left to Right: John Belcher, Chair, Board of Directors, AAMC Foundation; Victoria W. Bayless, President, Anne Arundel Health System; Martin L. Doordan, CEO, Anne Arundel Health System; George T. Moran, Chair, Board of Trustees, Anne Arundel Health System cut the ceremonial ribbon to mark the official grand opening of Anne Arundel Medical Center’s much anticipated new hospital tower. The tower opening is the culmination of a six-year $424 million expansion which has doubled the size of AAMC’s existing space by adding new medical facilities, buildings, walkways and parking garages to its Medical Park campus in Annapolis. At the event, before an audience of some 400 guests, the AAMC Foundation announced the success of its $44 million Care Like no Other landmark capital campaign.

Today, donors, dignitaries and friends of Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) gathered for the official ribbon cutting on its much anticipated new hospital tower, known as the Hospital Pavilion. The tower opening is the culmination of a six-year $424 million expansion which has doubled the size of AAMC’s existing space by adding new medical facilities, buildings, walkways and parking garages to its Medical Park campus in Annapolis. At the event, before an audience of some 400 guests, the AAMC Foundation announced the success of its $44 million Care Like no Other landmark capital campaign.

The new tower includes an expanded emergency room for adults designed to treat some 100,000 patients annually, a new, dedicated pediatric emergency room and pediatric in-patient unit, 50 new private patient rooms, eight new operating rooms and a new 1,600-space garage for more free parking.

In addition, the pavilion is on track to be the only acute care facility in Maryland to achieve LEED silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), as set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

“Anne Arundel Medical Center has been growing to meet the community’s needs since 1902,” said Martin L. Doordan, chief executive officer, Anne Arundel Health System. “We took a huge leap when we moved from downtown Annapolis ten years ago, and this latest expansion is one more step to ensure that we continue to be the premiere healthcare destination for this region.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony marks the conclusion of AAMC’s Vision 2010—an undertaking which has resulted in expanded patient care service and programs and the facilities to contain them. On the Medical Park campus, the expansion includes a Level IIIB Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a recently-opened Health Sciences Pavilion, two pedestrian skyways, four parking garages, and now the new patient pavilion. It also has included regional facilities, such as the community-based center on Kent Island providing both primary and specialty care services.

“As Vision 2010 draws to a close, we are reminded of how rapidly we have grown to serve the people who need us,” said Victoria Bayless, president, Anne Arundel Health System. “While this stunning new building is a point of pride for all of us, it’s the dedicated staff who work here that will make it successful. Finally, we have the right spaces for them to do what they need to do to take care of all of us.”

“As the third busiest hospital in the Baltimore-area, this additional space is critical to ensure we can continue to deliver the extraordinary level of care our patients expect,” said Doug Mitchell, president, Medical Staff, Anne Arundel Medical Center. “This is a very exciting time to practice medicine at AAMC.”

Campaign Achieves Goal

The generosity of more than 4,700 supporters and volunteers helped make the AAMC Foundation’s Care Like no Other capital campaign the most successful in the hospital’s 109-year history. With leading gifts such as $3.5 million from the AAMC Auxiliary, $7.5 million from the hospital’s employees and Medical Staff, $11 million from the AAMC Foundation Board of Directors and 15 individual contributions of $1 million or more, the campaign achieved its $44 million goal last week.

“Anne Arundel Medical Center has a very clear vision for its future and the success of this campaign ensures that it has the ability to see it through,” said John Belcher, chairman of the AAMC Foundation Board of Directors, and chairman and CEO of ARINC, Inc.

“This has been a remarkable campaign, especially during these times,” said Lisa Hillman, president of the AAMC Foundation. “It is a true testament to the important role our hospital plays in this community.”

Anne Arundel Medical Center Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable organization that raises funds solely to support Anne Arundel Medical Center and its allied care programs.

Growing Together: Community Open House and Free Learning Day

To showcase the hospital’s newest features, AAMC is hosting a fun family event on Saturday, April 9, from 11am-2pm, that is free and open to the entire community. “Growing Together” will include tours of the new tower and an appearance by Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer™!

Source: AAMC

The building will be on property known as Odenton Gateway, located at the corner of route 175 and Sappington Station Drive, across from the Odenton Shopping Center. Odenton Gateway is a mixed-use project that will also include 254 apartments.

“This is about two health systems collaborating to provide comprehensive outpatient health care services to an underserved population,” says Ronald R. Peterson, president of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Patients coming to this new facility will be able to avail themselves of a full spectrum of radiology and medical laboratory services, as well as ophthalmology, orthopedic, neurology, cardiology, internal medicine, oncology, rehabilitation, gastroenterology and pediatric services.”

“The population growth of this area continues to surge, and with that comes a greater demand for health care,” said Victoria W. Bayless, president, Anne Arundel Health System. “We are fortunate to join with the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System to expand our services to meet that need for this community.”

Johns Hopkins has provided medical primary care and specialty care near the new location since 1993, at the Winmark Center in Odenton. Medical services will be continued at the Winmark Canter as the new building is added on an adjacent parcel.

About Johns Hopkins Medicine

Headquartered in Baltimore, Md., Johns Hopkins Medicine is a more than $5 billion, integrated, global health enterprise and one of the leading academic medical centers in the United States. A nonprofit, Johns Hopkins Medicine combines its 120-year commitment to community care with groundbreaking research, teaching and medical services to patients worldwide.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital has been ranked number one in the nation for 20 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. Johns Hopkins scientists receive more federal research support annually ($610 million in 2010) than counterparts in other U.S. medical schools. With more than 30,000 employees, Johns Hopkins Medicine is among Maryland’s largest private employers and the largest in Baltimore City. Johns Hopkins International brings world-class health care to more than 25 strategic projects in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Johns Hopkins Medicine operates five academic and community hospitals and four suburban health care and surgery centers. It employs about 2,800 physicians and has approximately 1.9 million outpatient visits annually.

About Anne Arundel Health System

Anne Arundel Health System is the parent organization of Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), Anne Arundel Diagnostics Imaging, Pathways Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center, and three satellite locations: AAMC — Health Services in Bowie, Waugh Chapel and Kent Island. AAMC, founded in 1902 as the Annapolis Emergency Hospital, is a 324-bed, not-for-profit hospital that provides acute inpatient and outpatient care to residents of the region, encompassing Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s and Calvert Counties. In April 2011, the hospital completed its $424 million expansion project, which included a pediatric emergency room, an expanded general emergency room, 50 new patient beds, and eight new operating rooms.

In 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, AAMC was the only hospital in the state of Maryland to receive the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award, based on patient data compiled through HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems), the national, standardized, publicly reported survey of patients’ perspectives of hospital care.

Source: Anne Arundel Medical Center

Stop Doing The Dumb Things. Start Doing The Smart Things

Media mogul, Ted Turner addressed a crowd of 300 this morning to kick off the first Doordan Lecture Series at Anne Arundel Medical Center.  The invitation only event was attended by local business and community leaders, hospital and foundation board members, key hospital staff and supporters of the mission of the Anne Arundel Medical Center.

Ted Turner holds a discussion at AAMC

Local sailor, ESPN commentator, and close friend, Gary Jobson led a discussion with Turner which ranged from Turner’s initiative to create a nuke-free world, to his political stance, to health care, and to his personal initiatives that drive him to make the world a better place. The morning was peppered with quips from Turner which elicited hearty laughs and applause from the audience. When discussing the situation in the world today, Turner put world policy into very simple terms, “Stop doing the dumb things, and start doing the smart things.”

Jobson asked Turner about some of the driving forces behind his success. According to Turner, one critical trait is infectious enthusiasm. But, he cautioned the crowd, “There is a fine line between being infectiously enthusiastic and being a jerk.” But more than anything, Turner said it was his honor that drove his success. He read an excerpt from Richard II,

Mine honor is my life, both grow in one. Take honor from me, and my life is done. Then, dear my liege, mine honor let me try; In that I live, and for that I will die.

Perhaps the greatest chuckle came when Turner explained that he had come up with an alternative to the Ten Commandments–”because people don’t like to be told what to do.” Here are Ted Turner’s Ten Voluntary Initiatives:

1. 

   Turner explains his initiatives, because people don't like to be told what to do!

   I promise to have love and respect for the planet earth and living things thereon, especially my fellow species–humankind.

2. I promise to treat all persons everywhere with dignity, respect, and friendliness.
3. I promise to have no more than two children, or no more than my nation suggests.
4. I promise to use my best efforts to save what is left of our natural world in its untouched state and to restore damaged or destroyed areas where practical.
5. I pledge to use as little nonrenewable resources as possible.
6. I pledge to use as little toxic chemicals, pesticides, and other poisons as possible and to work for their reduction by others.
7. I promise to contribute to those less fortunate than myself, to help them become self-sufficient and enjoy the benefits of a decent life, including clean air and water, adequate food and health care, housing, education, and individual rights.
8. I reject the use of force, in particular military force, and back United Nations arbitration of international disputes.
9. I support the total elimination of all nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons of mass destruction.
10. I support the United Nations and its efforts to collectively improve the conditions of the planet.

Gary Jobson (l) and Ted Turner (r) lead discussion at Anne Arundel Medical Center

Anne Arundel Proud

Gary Jobson (left) and George Moran (center) Chairman of the Board of Trustees, present an AAMC lab coat to Turner.

Prior to the discussion between Jobson and Turner, Martin L. “Chip”Doordan, CEO of the Anne Arundel Health System was honored with a citation from Governor O’Malley presented by George T. Moran, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the hospital. In his remarks, Doordan briefly commented on his tenure and his confidence in the leadership of the hospital going forward. Stealing from the Army, Doordan looked across the room at said it was events like this that make him “Anne Arundel Proud.”

The Doordan Lecture Series was dedicated in December 2010 in honor of Martin L. “Chip” Doordan, Chief Executive Officer of Anne Arundel Health System who will shortly be retiring. Since 1972, Chip has guided the Anne Arundel Health System through unprecedented expansions and with much success. The Doordan Lecture Series features regionally, nationally and internationally known speakers who exemplify Doordan’s legacy as an inspirational leader.

The theme for this year’s gals is “Imagine…”.  Festivities include dinner, dancing to the live music of the band “Prime Time” , and a silent and live auction.

Comcast Business Class is this year’s Presenting/Diamond Sponsor.  Other lead sponsors include Righttime Medical Care, BB&T Bank, the AAMC Medical Staff, and Whiting-Turner.  “Jessica and I are very proud to be associated with such a wonderful event supporting such a worthwhile organization and want to thank our lead sponsors for their generous support”, says Maryland State President, BB&T Bank, Brant Standridge.  Standridge and his wife, Jessica, are this year’s gala co-chairs.

This year’s auction includes more than 140 items, with high-end offerings such as a seven-night stay at Casa Piazza, a luxury 8,000 sq ft villa on the Mexican Riviera, a one-of-a kind diamond and white gold necklace and earring set from Zachary’s Jewelers, a royal shopping experience for six at Nordstrom, an Elton John autographed  piano bench,  and guitars autographed by John Mayer and Paul Reed Smith.  In addition, the auction will feature popular (and hard to get!) concert tickets to U2, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry and unique items such as a “Sail with Gary Jobson”, tour of the Ace of Cakes bakery, Charm City Cakes, party venues from Pusser’s Caribbean Grill, Moveable Mixtures and much, much more.

New to the gala this year is BidPal—an electronic, wireless handheld device that will allow attendees to bid from anywhere at any time using an IPod Touch.  The device will be pre-loaded with every auction item and description, value, bid increments, photos, and donor information.

The annual event is organized by a committee of volunteers in cooperation with the AAMC Foundation staff.  Sponsorships start at $5,000 for a table of 10 and there are a variety of sponsorship packages and marketing opportunities available.

For more information about the 2011 AAMC Gala, go to www.aahs.org/foundation, or contact the AAMC Foundation at (443)  481-4747 or email khoughton@aahs.org . For more information about AAMC and its healthcare services, visit www.aahs.org.

Source: AAMC Foundation

Leisa C. Russell, CPA (Courtesy Photo)

The Anne Arundel Health System (AAHS) Board of Trustees has named Leisa C. Russell, CPA, of Annapolis to its board for the upcoming year.

Russell is the president of Russell Consulting, LLC.  She has over 25 years of extensive CFO and consulting experience in the healthcare industry.  She is a current member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Healthcare Financial Management Associated (HFMA).

The officers of the AAHS Board of Trustees are: George T. Moran, chair; Biana J. Arentz, vice chair; Richard J. Morgan, treasurer; and Patricia R. Roche, secretary.

Other members of the AAHS Board of Trustees are: Victoria W. Bayless, president and COO; Martin L. Doordan, CEO; June Caudill, president of the AAMC Auxiliary; Paul Elder, M.D.; James P. Ellerson; Ed Gosselin; Jason L. Groves; Barry Jackson; Gary Jobson; Maulik S. Joshi; Charles R. Larson; J. Kent McNew; Douglas Mitchell, M.D. and Christina Baldwin O’Meara.

Students listen to Dr. Clemmons during the 2010 event

Kindergarten students from elementary schools in Anne Arundel county will participate in a two-day program that uses the “show-and-tell” method to help reduce anxiety that children associate with hospitals.

Activities include:

• Nutrition: Healthy eating lessons from the AAMC Wellness Department
• Vital Signs: Children’s height will be measured, blood pressure checked and temperature taken, then leave with all their information on a card to show Mom & Dad.
• Infant Care: Using dolls, students will learn to swaddle, hold, feed and change a baby.
• Surgery: Children can perform surgery on stuffed animals and puppets.
• Finger casts: Little mini plaster casts will be applied wet to little fingers.
• Breathing: A respiratory mask is applied to a giant stuffed Elmo to make the children feel comfortable in case they ever have to use one.  They will also get to practice breathing through tubes and then get to keep the tubes.
• Pediatrician talk: Dr. Michael Clemmens, AAMC Pediatric Hospitalist, will talk to the children about their own health and the importance of seat belts, bike helmets and junk food. Using a vest with stuffed organs attached, he will teach children about their insides.

Hands On Health 2010

Who: Kindergarten classes from schools in Annapolis, Arnold, Severn, Severna Park and Fort Meade

I spent a few hours in the Anne Arundel Medical Center this week, but not as a patient. You see, it was my wife’s my 4th bilateral polypectomy. By now she’s pretty familiar with the whole deal, but it’s never fun.

It started out simple enough. I took her in for prep, listened as they asked her a litany of questions about what she does/doesn’t eat, smoke, drink, etc. Then I watched as they inserted the IV and had her change into those fashionable hospital gowns. Blood and needles really don’t bother me, but I have to admit to feeling a little uneasy when I see my wife having to endure it. I’d truly rather they stuck me instead.

So she was in surgery for about an hour, spent about an hour shaking off the meds, then I finally got to bring her home. Well, the meds and anesthesia were a little harder on her than she had planned (surgery has a way of knocking you down like that), so she was physically unable to do anything the rest of the day except rest quietly on the couch. Hey no problem, this is why I took two days off work, after all. And I have everything under control. In fact, this will probably be a nice easy change of pace from going to work every day, right?

Wrong.

The dogs wanted to eat. The dishes were beckoning. Several packages needed to be mailed. Kids needed to be picked up/dropped off. Prescription meds needed to be claimed from the local pharmacy. The backyard deck I’ve been working on needed to get finished. Okay I made that last one up.

But it really got interesting when the three kids started reappearing on the scene, at almost the same time, each with their own list of demands. This apparently happens each and every day.

It really started at 2:30 pm when my daughter came home from high school. She’s pumped, hungry, has a little attitude left over from the day, and is moving and talking way faster than I can follow.

At 3:30 my oldest son needed to get picked up from the Anne Arundel Community College. I arrive. He’s late. I wait. I text him, and now he shows up from behind the running track (what on earth was he doing back there?). I drive him home. He informs me that he needs to get dropped off at work in less than an hour so we have a narrow window. Oh by the way, he doesn’t drive yet. And he turns 19 next month! [subject for another blog post]

At about this time, my youngest son arrives on the scene. He’s in 4^th grade and he’s always extremely hungry when he gets home from school. And usually needs help with his homework. Unfortunately, he likes to eat while doing this homework. So today he decided he’d like nachos and salsa. Not a terrible choice. As the fridge swings open he spots a jar of pickles and decides one of those would be great as well. Pickles and nachos. Why not?

I sit down to assist him with homework. It seems pretty simple, but when you’re 9 years old, rounding down 426 + 878 to 400 + 900 can seem like…well, me trying to build a backyard deck. So we have to work through this slowly.

We just barely get started when the dogs need to come in from outside. While I’m distracted by the dogs, my boy decides he’d like another pickle and helps himself. He does this by opening the fridge, sticking a fork in the jar, stabbing a random pickle, and walking with just the impaled pickle way up high in midair as he walks clear across the kitchen to the dining room where his homework awaits. I’m sure you can picture this. So I arrive on the scene just in time to catch the end of the pickle juice trail across the floor. I clean it, and we try to return to the homework.

But by now the taxi service is needed again. Older boy needs to get to work immediately. So I double check on our sleeping/recovering patient. All good. Gauze is still in place, pain meds and water are within easy reach, water glass is still full and, most importantly, she’s still breathing.

So I tell younger boy that I’ll be back to help him with homework as soon as I take older boy to his job. Oh and the Post Office closes at 5:00 and I still have to mail the packages. Somehow I make it at 4:55 and get everything mailed. But did I mention I needed to head over to Sam’s Club to pick up some medication for my wife? You see, she has asthma and was down to just one pump in her inhaler. If I didn’t get her new inhaler back home this afternoon, recovering from surgery would be the least of her worries. So I enjoy the peaceful ride through Annapolis rush hour traffic there and back and arrive home with the goods over an hour later.

We wrap up homework and the two remaining kids wanted to eat. Again. Silly me, I had almost forgotten it was dinner time already. Fortunately, I can cook so I whipped up some stuff and everyone was happy. But the night was still young.

It was at this moment that our sleeping patient awoke. In her anesthesia-induced slumber, she had developed a craving for Rita’s ice cream. We all agreed this was an excellent idea.  So off we went.

The evening had some more action and I could go on and on, but I’ll stop there.

The important is that after all of this, I arrived at a few simple conclusions:

1. If you think going to work is hard, try staying home for a while. You’ll probably miss work.
2. The Post Office is not open late enough.
3. Kids eat. A lot.
4. Kids over 16 should have a driver’s license.
5. Not ALL dishes can be washed in the dishwasher.
6. If you need a bilateral polypectomy, I know a good doctor.
7. If you feel the urge to run from the fridge to the table with a pickle on a fork, PLEASE use a plate!

The babies, who arrived at 30 1/2 weeks, were born to Adwai Malual, a Native of Sudan.

The 4 girls and 1 boy arrived on Dec. 2 between 9:38 a.m. and 9:42 a.m by Cesarean section. All five babies, who are being fed through tubes, said to be doing well.

“They’re all what we call feeders and growers, warm in their incubators,” said Dr. Suzanne Rindfleisch. “They couldn’t be doing any better.”

The girls are:

• Nyantweny, 2 pounds, 15 ounces
• Nyandeng, 2 pounds, 13 ounces
• Abyei, 2 pounds, 11 ounces
• Athei, 2 pounds, 2 ounces

The little boy is named Deng, and he arrived weighed 2 pounds, 5 ounces.The new mom, who came to the U.S. to visit her sister, sought medical attention and was ultimately referred to Dr. William Sweeney, the medical center’s maternal-fetal medicine specialist.

She has been released from the hospital and is currently staying with family while the babies grow.She will be able to take them home in two to four weeks, hospital officials said.

Related Articles:

• Amazing Mom Beats Cancer AND Welcomes 2 Sets of Twins in 13 Months!
• Texas Family Expecting Quintuplets
• Texas Couple Welcomes Quintuplets

SOURCE

The Medical center spokesman Justin Paquette could not say when the quintuplets were born and would not identify the hometown of the mother, other than to say she is “non-local” and that everyone is doing well.

According to a news release, a 37-member clinical team handled the delivery of the four girls and one boy.

A news conference is planned for tomorrow.

The hospital made the news this summer when their labor and delivery unit, delivered six sets of twins and one set of triplets in less than 48 hours.

Related Articles:

• Amazing Mom Beats Cancer AND Welcomes 2 Sets of Twins in 13 Months!
• Texas Family Expecting Quintuplets
• Texas Couple Welcomes Quintuplets
• NY Couple Welcomes Sextuplets

SOURCE

This weekend, I went to three Festivals of Lights-one at Watkins Regional Park near Upper Marlboro and sponsored by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, another in Annapolis sponsored by the Anne Arundel Medical Center and the third in Columbia sponsored by the Howard County Hospital.  All of these are to be toured in your car.

The best was the one at Watkins Regional Park and it was the most inexpensive-$5 a carload.  They also gave you a coupon for a Chickafil sandwich.

The display had several crowd-pleasers, including Santa playing basketball, deer leaping across the road, two snowmen having a snowball fight and a series of arch over the road in different lights (aka Fremont Street in Las Vegas).   The MNCPP Festival of Lights didn’t have a radio band music program to accompany you on your drive, but it did have the most number of displays. 

The one at Symphony Woods in Columbia was the second best-and the most expensive at $20 per car.  It has the most complicated light display-which showed a toy factory where the teddy bears and ball went down a conveyor belt and emerged as wrapped presents.  They also included Santa on a snowmobile, a couple of trains with wheels that went around and a display that rocked back and forth (a rocking horse).   One of the prettiest display was a creation of a palazzo with yellow and red lights.

One of the drawbacks to the Columbia Festival of Lights was that they had displays with letters such as “E, F, L and K” but it wasn’t till you were almost done with the display where they noted that there was a contest.  You were to get the eight letters and determine the word-and perhaps win a $200 gift certificate to a restaurant in Ellicott City and a limo ride.

The most disappointing Festival of Lights was the one in Annapolis by the Anne Arundel Medical Center.  Almost all of their displays were static and it was difficult to figure out where you were supposed to go on the trail. They did have a display of three midshipmen throwing their hats-but that was one of the few moving displays.  They also had a display of the state capitol and a selection of various marine animals, including a crab that turned from blue to red as it was being boiled in a pot of water.

It’s a fun tradition to explore the Festivals of Lights-but my recommendation is to go to Watkins Park for the best display