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MERITUS STORIES
Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists uses innovative ‘string test’
It was taking too long for patients of Seemal Awan, M.D., to get a procedure that checked their esophagus for a particular kind of white blood cell called the eosinophil that is a sign of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). “What happens is they have a cell that is not supposed to be in the esophagus, and it just wreaks havoc,” said Dr. Awan, the medical director of Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists. The typical way to check for evidence of eosinophils is to have a gastroenterologist perform an upper endoscopy — inserting a thin tube with a camera down the throat — to look for inflammation and to take biopsies to check for eosinophilic esophagitis. Patients would have to wait months or longer, sometimes, possibly even traveling out of the area. So, Dr. Awan sought a way to check for signs of the chronic immune system disease in the office on Diamond Drive in Hagerstown. The federal Food and Drug Administration recently approved a procedure by EnteroTrack that fits the bill. EnteroTracker — what Dr. Awan and others call the “string test” — involves the patient swallowing a pill that has a string attached to it. The pill goes into the stomach and slowly dissolves over an hour. Meanwhile, the string remains in the esophagus and is taped to the cheek. Though there’s a little uncomfortable feeling at first for 2 to 3 minutes, drinking water helps get over the sensation. The patient then can sit and read or check their phone until it’s time to pull out the string, which is then sent to a lab for testing. “It is generally well-tolerated,” Dr. Awan said of the procedure. “I do not recommend it to initially make the diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis, but it is helpful for checking the number of eosinophils to see if we need to adjust a patient’s medication or diet.” The procedure was pioneered at Children’s Hospital of Colorado with the University of Colorado. Dr. Awan said she learned of the test at the annual allergy conference. Aside from getting results quickly and treating her patients faster, Dr. Awan said that perhaps it is the simplicity of the test that makes it appealing. “I think it’s pretty cool,” she said. To learn more about Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists or to schedule an appointment, visit www.meritushealth.com/Allergy. ### 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 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 Mobile Health brings care to patients
Sometimes it’s a struggle to get to the doctor. Sometimes it’s a struggle to even have a doctor at all. Meritus Mobile Health aims to bridge the gap between patients and providers. “When Mobile Health encounters a patient within the community, their goal is to evaluate, provide education, resources and care coordination to ensure all patients receive equal access to health care,” said Beth Fields Dowdell, DNP, CRNP, director of Community Health and Outpatient Care Management at Meritus Health. “Their services further enforce the Meritus’ core value of being community obsessed and are a valuable resource to patients all across the organization.” The mobile health clinic was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to meet increased demand for vaccines in the area. Using a mobile health van purchased through a grant, the mobile clinic traveled to underserved areas of the community, as well as nursing homes and schools. Since COVID, mobile health has expanded into a primary care clinic consisting of a nurse practitioner/community health worker team. In addition, the team is supported by other subspecialties such psychiatry, pharmacy and peer support. The team sees on average 30 patients per week between community outreach events, street outreach and home visits. The mobile clinic has a full exam room and can test for strep, flu, RSV, COVID and blood glucose levels. Healthcare providers on board offer health screenings and acute illness visits at places across Washington County. “We can set up in a church parking lot or a gas station, for example,” Dowdell said. The team is able to address patients’ medical and social concerns, and if an issue can’t be addressed during the visit, the providers can connect patients with other agencies in the community. Patients who don’t have a primary care provider are set up with follow-up care with one of Meritus’ primary care offices, such as Meritus Family Medicine on Walnut Street in Hagerstown, or Meritus Primary Care in Hancock. Patients can be literally any age. In patient homes, the Mobile Health Team provides follow-up assessments, education and resources after discharge from Meritus Medical Center. Often times patients with new diagnoses of chronic conditions, such as diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), require reinforcement of the education provided at discharge for a successful transition. The mobile team provides a unique view of patients within their own setting which further helps address social determinates of health, which are non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. “We focus on bridging the gap between hospital discharge and follow-up care,” Dowdell said. To learn more about the Mobile Health team, as well as dates, times and locations when services are offered, visit www.meritushealth.com/mobile, or call 301-790-9496.
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Meritus Medical Center recognized for stroke care
American Heart Association recently presented the hospital the Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus award for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care. HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus 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. Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. 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. “Meritus Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Carrie Adams, Pharm.D., hospital chief operating officer. “Get With The Guidelines provides evidence-based guidelines and our team excels implementing these for better outcomes. The end goal is to ensure more people in the region can experience longer, healthier lives.” 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 chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “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.” In addition, Meritus received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke 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. ### 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 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. 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.
Meritus Emergency Department recognized for contribution to EMS system
It was one of only three emergency departments honored by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Meritus Medical Center Emergency Department was honored by a statewide organization for its excellent partnership with Emergency Medical Services to care for the community. The Maryland Stars of Life award was given to the Emergency Department staff by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) on Tuesday, July 8. The department is one of only three in the state to receive the award. Meritus was honored because it has reached certain benchmarks in service and care set by MIEMSS, which oversees and coordinates all components of the statewide EMS system in accordance with Maryland statute and regulation. “We realize providing emergency care for the community is a team effort,” said MIEMSS Executive Director Ted Delbridge, M.D. “Meritus is one of those places in the state of Maryland that contributes immensely to the functioning of the EMS system.” The award was given “in recognition of exceptional expertise, dedication and partnership with the Emergency Medical Services system to provide state-of-the-art service and care for the community.” The Meritus Emergency Department is the fifth busiest in the state and sees around 60,000 patients each year, Dr. Delbridge said. When it comes to EMS patients, the department has treated 11,000 so far this year. Additionally, the hand-off between EMS ambulance crews and Emergency Department staff is about 19 minutes 90 percent of the time, Delbridge said. The statewide target is 35 minutes 90 percent of the time. “That makes a huge difference for the community and EMS system, because, in the case of Meritus and Hagerstown and Washington County, it actually means almost an entire extra ambulance is available in the community 24 hours a day because of the work that happens in the ED at Meritus,” he said. Tammy Mariotti, MSN, R.N., Meritus director of emergency services, trauma and forensics, said the department staff was honored and humbled to receive the award. “Our Emergency Department provides 24/7 access to neuro, thoracic, orthopedic and trauma surgeons, along with a dedicated trauma team,” Mariotti said. “This recognition affirms the exceptional care we provide in partnership with our EMS crews to serve our community.”
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