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New Meritus physician assistants are locally trained
June 16, 2025
Health system hires 4 from University System of Maryland - Hagerstown. HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Health is community-obsessed. That commitment is evident in the health system’s decision to hire at least four recent graduates from the physician assistant (PA) program, joining several students from the program already at Meritus. Frostburg State University has offered Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies through the University System of Maryland – Hagerstown (USMH) since 2019. The two-year program has 25 graduates each year. Jacob Ashby, Ed.D., the executive director of USMH, said the program was created with Meritus in mind. He said the school collaborated with the health system to make sure physician assistants were trained to meet the region’s growing need for healthcare access. It recently created a track just for students who intend to work at Meritus after graduation. As part of the partnership, Meritus provides both a medical director and the real-world clinical training for selected students. Aaron George, M.D., is currently the medical director and Bernardo Diaz Jr., M.D., was recently recognized as the preceptor of the year for his skill as a mentor and educator for the students. “There is a need for physicians and physician assistants in our region,” Ashby said. “We’re helping to serve that need. USMH and Meritus work really well together.” Kerry Birney, MSHS, PA-C, interim department chair and program director of the Department of Physician Assistant Medicine, said the program has admission preferences for students who come from Washington County and the other four counties that make up Western Maryland, as well as adjacent counties in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. “The mission of the program is to ensure we have good access to healthcare in the Western Maryland region,” she said. “People from the area are more likely to stay in the area.” The training also has a focus on serving rural and underserved populations, she said. Students in the program complete clinical rotations — hands-on training experiences — at Meritus and receive support for job placement with the health system after graduation. “It is important to our community that we have healthcare providers who know and understand our region,” said Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H. “That’s why our partnerships with Frostburg State University and USMH is a win-win. We know we are getting people who not only are experts in their field of medicine, but they also choose to live and work here.” The four new physician assistants joining Meritus are: Kelly Combs Gabriela Scott Poojah Shah Jessica Shank They are due to start with the health system in the fall. To learn more about the Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies program at Frostburg State through USMH, visit www.frostburg.edu/programs/graduate-physician-assistant/welcome.php. To learn about job openings at Meritus Health, visit www.meritushealth.com/careers. ### 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.
Meritus Food Farmacy to help patient health through diet and education
June 13, 2025
New initiative meant to help combat food insecurity and teach patients what to eat. HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Health has introduced a new service to provide a fresh approach to better health: The Meritus Food Farmacy. Eating healthy, fresh foods can dramatically improve a person’s overall health. That’s why primary care and specialist providers will begin prescribing healthy food based on medical diagnosis. After the provider sends in a prescription, a Meritus Food Farmacy team member sets up an appointment for the patient to come to the kiosk in the Robinwood Professional Center atrium to pick up a pre-sorted bag of perishable and nonperishable food and recipes. The bag of food, worth about $50 per week for 8 weeks or more, is free to patients with a prescription. They will also have access to weekly cooking demonstrations and one-to-one visits with a Registered Dietitian. “At Meritus, we understand that food is more than just fuel, it’s medicine,” said Beth Fields Dowdell, DNP, CRNP, director of Community Health and Outpatient Care Management at Meritus Health. “The Food Farmacy is designed to support patients managing chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and more by prescribing nutritious, condition-specific foods as part of their treatment plan.” Food insecurity is a major social determinant of health in Washington County. There are roughly 3,000 patients at Meritus who report concerns about food insecurity. About 1,200 patients have been documented with malnutrition. Transportation and finances are factors in patients not having access to healthy food. The goal of Meritus Food Farmacy includes improving access to healthy foods based on medical diagnosis, increased understanding of nutrition and the impact on the patient’s medical diagnosis, and improving health outcomes. Patients will be evaluated in follow-up visits with their primary care provider, or if they should be admitted to the hospital for other health-related reasons. “But the hope is that providing access to healthy food will help reduce the number of admissions and readmissions,” Dowdell said. The Farmacy kiosk will be open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about the Meritus Food Farmacy, visit www.meritushealth.com/farmacy. ### 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.
MeritusNow allows you to see a healthcare provider from your couch
June 10, 2025
Have you or your child found yourselves with a sniffle, sore throat or any other everyday ailment, but the thought of even leaving the couch to make it to the doctor or urgent care seems out of the question? Meritus Health has a virtual solution to help you: MeritusNow. “We want to try to improve the health of the community with accessible quality care,” said Jennifer Mueller, LPN, CPPM, who is in charge of MeritusNow operations. “It’s just like urgent care, except virtual.” The idea grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic and launched in June 2022. The service is for patients 5 years old and older. The cadre of providers on the other end of the computer monitor sees many patients from Washington County and other parts of Maryland, as well as those from Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The service is available seven days a week, with appointments available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the week and in the evening on weekends. There’s one provider available during the day and three who see patients in the evenings. The system uses any computer or smartphone with a camera. Mueller or another person will help walk through the login process anyone who needs assistance. Patients simply visit www.meritushealth.com and scroll down the screen until they see “Virtual Visit” and click the “Schedule Now” button. It can also be accessed through MyChart, but a patient doesn’t need to have a MyChart login to use MeritusNow. From there, the patient will be asked a series of questions, including whom the appointment is for and the reason for the appointment. Mueller or another healthcare provider will review those reasons to help determine what the patient might need. Typical patients are suffering from colds, COVID, flu, urinary tract infections, and other non-chronic maladies. The service is not for treatment of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, nor is it for those suffering a potentially life-threatening emergency. “I have to do triage,” Mueller said. “If I see that you’re not appropriate for telemedicine, I will send you to your primary care provider, urgent care or emergency room for an in-person evaluation.” The provider will speak with the patient directly and assess symptoms. They can write prescriptions or order diagnostic testing. “There are a lot of things a provider can do without having ‘hands-on,’” Mueller said. “If we know the person’s symptoms — a fever, nausea, sore throat — it can lead to a strep throat diagnosis. We can ask if the person has had someone look at their throat. We can even ask them to open their mouth and look at the camera. “If we think it’s strep, we can send them out for testing.” The service has helped nearly 10,000 patients since it started, though appointments were heaviest this past winter during cold and flu season, Mueller said. “It was an alternative to urgent care and the emergency room,” she said. Giving patients access is one of the reasons Mueller and others helped develop the service three years ago. “It was the ability to reach patients that might not be able to get in to primary care, or patients in remote areas,” she said. “I wanted to improve that equity, to give everyone access to care.” To learn more about Meritus virtual care, visit https://now.meritushealth.com.
MSOM offers 15 scholarships to incoming students
June 3, 2025
Financial awards for inaugural class total more than $1.6 million. HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine (MSOM) will offer more than $1.6 million in scholarships to 15 students in its first class over the next four years. That includes one full scholarship; the remainder are partial scholarships. The inaugural class of 90 students is due to fill the D.M. Bowman Academic Hall in July. Funding for the scholarships comes from Meritus Health, its leaders and physicians, and its volunteers, as well as the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. “We are extraordinarily proud of our health system and business community for stepping up to help our students,” said MSOM President Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H. “This group of bright and dedicated young people will be able to focus less on finances and more on training to become physicians who will be socially responsible, professionally accomplished and community oriented.” Some of the scholarships are standard grants awarded annually based on merit and/or financial need and contingent upon students maintaining high performance. However, many are structured as forgivable loans, requiring students to work for the health system for a period of time after graduation. The Meritus Medical Center Auxiliary established the first scholarship in MSOM’s history, the Meritus Auxiliary Regional Scholars Program. The scholarship covers full tuition over four years totaling $220,000 for one student. Auxiliary President Gerry Philp said the school’s mission to educate more physicians and keep them in this region aligned with the Auxiliary’s mission of supporting the activities of Meritus Medical Center. “We thought this was a very good cause,” he said. “We had given money to the school in the capital campaign, and we wanted to see it successful, so we thought it would be good to do a full scholarship versus a partial, and we had the funds available to commit.” Other scholarships and donors include: Meritus Health Scholars Program Four scholarships of $25,000 for each of four years for a total of $100,000 per recipient. Donor: This scholarship was established by Meritus Health, which wants to ensure that the community thrives by bringing the best and brightest future physicians to our region. Meritus President's Scholarship Awarded to one student in the inaugural MSOM class. The scholarship award will be $25,000 a year for four years for a total of $100,000. Donor: This scholarship was funded by the MSOM president. Meritus Leaders Scholarship Awarded to one student in the inaugural MSOM class. The scholarship award will be $25,000 per year for four years for a total of $100,000 Donor: This scholarship was funded by donations from Meritus senior leaders. Meritus Physicians' Scholarship Awarded to two students in the inaugural MSOM class. The scholarship award will be $25,000 per year for four years for a total of $100,000 each. Donor: This scholarship was funded by donations from Meritus physicians. Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Six scholarships of $26,000 for each of four years for a total of $104,000 over four years. Donor: These scholarships were made possible by the generosity of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce which received a grant from Maryland Physicians Care to establish the program. ### 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.
Treating the whole family is the job of Meritus Family Medicine OBs
May 27, 2025
Paula Nguyen, M.D., admits that she’s greedy sometimes. That’s one of the reasons why she is a family medicine obstetrician, working with both Meritus Family Medicine and Meritus Women’s Health in the Robinwood Professional Center. In her role, she treats pregnant mothers and delivers babies. “But I’m also taking care of Dad, and grandparents and siblings as well,” she said. “I’m greedy. I want to take care of a family through the continuum of care.” Family medicine obstetricians have doctor’s degrees in family medicine, but have also received training in obstetrics, giving them certifications to perform certain pregnancy-related procedures. For example, Dr. Nguyen earned her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, and completed her residency in family medicine at the University of California San Francisco. She also did an obstetrics fellowship at University of Illinois, Peoria. Family medicine obstetricians tend to practice in rural areas, among other settings, because there’s a stronger need for doctors who can provide a wide range of care, especially obstetrics, Dr. Nguyen said. “There are so many OB deserts out there,” she said, referring to the U.S. “Having an FMOB means people won’t have to travel as far to get the care they need.” There’s a huge benefit to having an FMOB provide care to you and your family. While biology is a major factor in a person’s overall health, so are nonmedical factors, often referred to as social determinants of health. These include socioeconomic status and geographic location. But more importantly, seeing the whole family allows the doctor to build trust with the patients. And by seeing an FMOB, the newest addition to the family gets the same care from the start. “We’re able to know the family on a more intimate and personal level,” Dr. Nguyen said. To learn more about Meritus Family Medicine, visit www.meritushealth.com/FamilyMedicineRobinwood. To learn more about women’s health, visit www.meritushealth.com/WomensHealth.
Meritus uses AI to streamline, improve patient care
May 22, 2025
Providers are using ambient listening technology, allowing them to interact with and give more attention to patients. HAGERSTOWN, Md. — In its mission to improve the health of the community, Meritus Health providers will be using a new technology to create documentation during patient visits. The technology, Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Copilot, a clinical artificial intelligence-powered listening solution that is now part of Microsoft Dragon Copilot, captures patient-provider conversations and drafts clinical notes directly into the patient’s chart. “Using this new technology allows our healthcare providers to do what they were trained to do,” said Dave Lehr, chief strategy officer at Meritus Health. “Providers can focus on engaging in conversation with patients while AI securely captures the conversation at the point of care. That patient interaction is the reason so many of our care providers went into medicine in the first place.” The solution uses ambient technology to unobtrusively listen to and capture the conversation using a mobile phone or tablet. Then AI converts the conversation into a note while the provider focuses on the patient. “It also allows me to look the patient in the eye,” said Liza Hiles, M.D., a provider at Meritus Primary Care in Hancock. “The patients have noticed that I am able to sit and have a conversation with them.” Dr. Chiemeka Onyima, M.D., D.ABA, said using DAX Copilot has been pivotal to his practice at Meritus Pain Specialists. “With the ability to decrease documentation time, I'm able to focus more on my physical exam and patient interview,” he said. “With the optimization of my patient-centered care, I benefit from huge improvements in patient satisfaction, insurance approvals, and overall job satisfaction. I highly recommend this AI tool for any provider running a high-volume clinic like my own.” The technology is integrated into Meritus’ electronic health records, which is highly secure and continuously monitored. The devices involved with the capture of this information are the same ones used for clinical care and coordination today. Patients will be asked to give written or verbal consent to allow the provider to record their interactions. All documentation will be reviewed, corrected and approved by the patient’s provider to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the medical record. The expectation is that patients will find their providers markedly more personable and conversational, focused and spending less time on the computer, Lehr said. “This new technology will help facilitate that, lowering your stress levels and improving your understanding of your care,” he said. “We want you to not only be healthy, but to have a good experience when you see a provider at Meritus.” ### 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.
Meritus Health mourns the passing of Dr. Paul Mauriello
May 16, 2025
Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists doctor served the community for 40 years HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Health is deeply saddened to share the passing of Paul Mauriello, M.D., of Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists, who died on Monday, May 12, at the age of 72. Dr. Mauriello began his medical practice in Hagerstown in 1983 and became part of the Meritus Health family in 2022. He was a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., and earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1977. He completed his internship at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut and a pediatric residency at the University of Connecticut Health Center’s John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington. He went on to complete a fellowship in allergy and immunology at Buffalo General Medical Center. Known for his dedication and humor, Dr. Mauriello often said he aimed “to save the world, one nose at a time.” For nearly 40 years, he climbed to the cupola atop his office each morning to collect daily pollen samples — reports that were regularly shared on local radio stations and even on The Weather Channel. “It is with a heavy heart we mourn the loss of Dr. Mauriello, who for so many years served the Hagerstown community,” said Miranda Ramsey, Vice President of Physician Services. “I know he will be deeply missed by his colleagues, staff and patients.” His staff recalled his “warmth, compassion and caring spirit” and that “as much as his patients loved him, he cared about them.” They noted how he treated patients as people, not names and numbers on a status board, and how he understood the importance of getting to know them. “Everyone who met him could instantly feel how wonderful, kind, generous and loving he was,” said Nichole Judd, RN, the practice manager at Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists. “He loved taking care of patients and always put them first no matter the circumstance.” “He was not only a friend but also a mentor who welcomed me into his world with open arms,” said Seemal Awan, M.D., medical director of the practice. “We are reminded of his memory on a daily basis as we continue the work he started 40 years ago.” Dr. Mauriello is survived by his beloved wife, Marsha; three children — Matthew (Krystal), David (Cathy), and Chelsea (Cort Meinelschmidt); six grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of Dr. Mauriello’s life will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, at Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. North, Hagerstown. ### 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.
Brian Kessler named new dean of Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine
May 15, 2025
Dr. Kessler will start on July 1 HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Health is pleased to announce that, following a national search, Brian A. Kessler, D.O., D.H.A., FACOFP dist., has been selected as the new dean of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. He will officially assume his role on July 1. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Kessler join us as we start this new journey in providing world-class education to our medical students,” said Meritus President and CEO Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H. “He brings the right knowledge and skill to train physicians who will be socially responsible, professionally accomplished and community oriented.” Dr. Kessler brings to MSOM more than two decades of leadership experience in academic medicine, clinical education and institutional advancement. He currently serves as dean and professor of family medicine at Campbell University's Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine in Buies Creek, N.C. Before that, he held key leadership positions, including dean at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., and director of medical education at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital in Ohio. Dr. Kessler earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Doctor of Healthcare Administration from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) and the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), where he contributes to developing national policies and accreditation standards in osteopathic medical education. "I am honored to join Meritus at this pivotal moment," Dr. Kessler said. "This is more than the founding of a medical school; it represents a profound investment in the future of health care for Maryland and the surrounding region. I look forward to working with the Meritus Health team, our community partners, and local leaders to prepare physicians who will serve with excellence, compassion and a deep commitment to the communities they call home." MSOM was created by Meritus Health’s forward-thinking Board of Directors and leadership to help solve the problem of fewer physicians in the profession across the region and the nation. “The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine represents a bold commitment to improving healthcare in Western Maryland and the surrounding region,” Dr. Kessler said. “I look forward to working alongside the Meritus Health team to build an academic model that responds directly to the needs of the communities we serve.” MSOM is the first medical school to open its doors in Maryland in more than 100 years. The first class, the class of 2029, will have 90 students and will be on campus in July. Future classes will be 180 students. “Welcoming the inaugural class is a once-in-a-career opportunity,” Dr. Kessler said. “These students will help define our identity, culture and future. I am excited to support their growth as physicians who will lead with skill, compassion and purpose.” To learn more about the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine, visit msom.org. ### 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.
Procedure, new to Meritus, used to treat debilitating facial pain
May 14, 2025
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The 95-year-old woman was complaining of pain in her jaw. But rather than going to the dentist to get relief, she went to Meritus Neurosurgery. There, Chikezie Eseonu, M.D., treated her trigeminal neuralgia in early April with a procedure not performed at Meritus before. Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition where patients experience sudden and severe facial pain. Dr. Eseonu said it is often along the jaw line, leading some to think the cause is dental-related. The pain can be so severe and debilitating that some cases have led to suicide, Dr. Eseonu said. The pain is caused usually when a blood vessel puts pressure on the nerve in the brain that is responsible for sensations in the face. Typically, treatment starts with medication, Dr. Eseonu said. “When that’s no longer working, the next option is neurosurgery to help alleviate the pain,” he said. There are three types of neurosurgery that are used to treat trigeminal neuralgia: surgery, rhizotomy and radiosurgery. Surgery involves opening the skull and manually moving the blood vessel or severing the nerve that is causing pain. Rhizotomy involves using a needle to deliver a chemical that destroys the nerve. Both are relatively common and successful. But radiosurgery is noninvasive. The procedure had only been performed in this region at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and Penn State Health in Pennsylvania, Dr. Eseonu said, adding that he was trained in the procedure at Johns Hopkins. Typically, it is reserved for people who, due to illness, are unable to tolerate the other two options. But Dr. Eseonu said there’s nothing preventing anyone from using it. Dr. Eseonu performed imaging scans on the patient to map out the location of the nerve. Then he coordinated with Ashima Saini, M.D., a radiation oncologist with the John R. Marsh Cancer Center at Meritus Health, who used a specialized machine called TrueBeam to target the trigeminal nerve. “The treatment site is probably 5 or 6 millimeters,” Dr. Saini said. “It’s also a super high dose of radiation as compared to more routine radiation treatments.” The machine fired multiple, pin-point radiation beams from different angles, all converging on the nerve, burning it. This prevented other parts of the brain from being damaged by the radiation. The patient was put in a special mask bolted to the operating table to immobilize her head, Dr. Saini said. The procedure took about 45 minutes, and the patient was able to go home the same day. Relief usually takes two to three months, though it can happen sooner, Dr. Eseonu said. According to the doctors, the patient seemed to tolerate the procedure well, but it was not having to travel out of the area that was the selling point. “They wanted a local option,” Dr. Eseonu said of the patient and her family. Primary care providers or pain management specialists can refer patients possibly suffering from trigeminal neuralgia to Meritus Neurosurgery, he said. To learn more or to contact the office, visit MeritusHealth.com/Neurosurgery. ### 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.
To be smart about strokes, you have to BE FAST
May 12, 2025
That car you see swerving all over the road might not have a drunken driver behind the wheel. The driver might be having a stroke. Maryland State Police and other departments across the state are learning to tell the signs of stroke when pulling over suspected DUI motorists. It’s part of Maryland being a Stroke Smart State, a national public health initiative aimed at early detection and prevention of stroke. At the same time, May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Both have the same goal: teaching everyone, from older adults to school children, the importance of identifying stroke symptoms quickly and calling 911. Those lessons have been top of mind at Meritus Medical Center, which was designated a Primary Stroke Center in 2007, said Jennifer Smith, B.S.N., R.N., stroke care specialist at Meritus Medical Center. There was an average of 41.8 deaths per 100,000 people in Washington County between 2017 and 2019, according to the Healthy Washington County FY2022 Community Health Needs Assessment, the most recent assessment available. “Every 40 seconds in the United States, someone is having a stroke,” Smith said. What is a stroke? A stroke occurs when a blood vessel is blocked or a ruptured blood vessel interrupts blood flow to the brain. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die because of the lack oxygen and nutrients to the brain tissue. Without immediate treatment, a person could die or suffer permanent disability. “Remember: Time is brain when it comes to stroke,” Smith said. “The more time between the onset of stroke symptoms and receiving immediate treatment, the more likely the patient could have long-term disabilities associated with having a stroke. However, many people will fully recover from a stroke.” It’s been the hospital’s goal to teach the community about the signs of stroke and what actions to take. Anyone can use the BE FAST approach to identify someone suffering a stroke: Balance issues, dizziness, and nausea/vomiting Eyesight changes like blurred or double vision Facial drooping or muscle weakness, particularly on one side of the face Arm or leg weakness or numbness on one side of the body Speech difficulties such as slurred speech or trouble finding words Time to call 911 immediately upon experiencing these symptoms Who can have a stroke? Another important thing to remember: Strokes can happen to anyone and at any age. While many associate strokes with older adults, they are increasingly happening to younger patients, Smith said. Meritus has treated stroke patients in their 30s. The reason for the increase in young adults is due to how quickly poor lifestyle choices can affect the body and the overall risk for stroke. Experts have long known that diet and lifestyle contribute significantly to cardiovascular health. High cholesterol, High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, are major stroke risk factors, controlling these risk factors for stroke is critical to preventing future strokes. The American Heart Association highlights "Life's Essential 8" factors that have the most influence on cardiovascular health: Diet, exercise, tobacco use, proper sleep, and management of weight, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. Smith admitted at least one of those factors is becoming harder to do. “The cost of nutritious food continues to be on the raise,” she said. But the cost of not knowing the stroke risk factors, how to prevent a stroke and recognizing stroke signs and symptoms is even higher. “Just improving and maintaining cardiovascular health can help you enjoy a longer healthier life,” she said. To learn more about stroke and stroke prevention, visit www.meritushealth.com/stroke.
Meritus Crisis Center helps those ‘scared’ to get help with addiction
May 6, 2025
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — It was a scary time for Paola in early November. After years of drinking, she knew she had to get help. “I knew I had to go to rehab,” said Paola, 28. “I was scared to just go straight into a rehab center.” A friend of hers works at Meritus Medical Center and gave her the number of a community peer recovery coach at the Meritus Crisis Center. He told her to come to the six-bed inpatient facility which supports the needs of those struggling with addiction. The program, on the Meritus campus off Robinwood Drive, is for patients 18 and older who might have experienced an overdose and/or are willing to go to long-term treatment for addiction. The average stay is two days while a plan is made to link the patient directly to residential or intensive outpatient treatment, such as the InStep program at Brook Lane Health Service’s North Village. “I was finding any excuse not to go to residential rehab,” Paola said. “The Crisis Center workers showed me the steps to accept the fact that rehab would be a good choice for me.” Paola was one of 350 patients seeking to end the cycle of addiction who came to the Crisis Center last year. The facility, which was opened Sept. 15, 2023, through a partnership between Meritus and Brook Lane, builds upon the success of a pilot initiative that featured three crisis stabilization beds, launched in August 2022. It was born out of the need to address the rising number of overdose deaths that had plagued the region and the nation since the mid-2010s. At the high point in 2022, 114 people in Washington County died by overdosing on opioids, fentanyl, alcohol and other drugs, according to the Maryland Department of Health. However, fatal overdose deaths in the county decreased in 2023 and 2024. There were 57 people who died by overdosing, a 38 percent drop from 2023, when 93 people died, according to MDH statistics. Meritus behavioral health leaders attribute the decrease to multiple factors, including the prevalence of medications that counteract the effects of an opioid overdose, such as naloxone, as well as improved behavioral health treatment in the community. “While there is no one solution to the epidemic of addiction, we feel confident the Crisis Center played a role in the drop in fatal overdoses,” said Allen Twigg, chief operating officer of Brook Lane Health Services, which became an affiliate of Meritus Health in 2024. “Every time we open a door to immediate help, we avert a potential tragedy.” Paola said she was happy a door was opened to her in those scary days in early November. After filling out paperwork, talking to a therapist and having her blood drawn, she got a short tour. Then, the therapist gave a rundown of what would happen during her stay. That included going over the benefits of a residential rehab facility versus an outpatient program. Ultimately, she was connected with a rehab facility in Frederick County. “I really liked that,” she said. “If I hadn’t gone to the Crisis Center, I wouldn’t have done residential.” The Crisis Center is another way Meritus is meeting its mission of improving the health of the community. “We provide a safe place that has medical resources when needed, and it’s proving to be a successful model,” said Jeff O’Neal, chief executive officer of Brook Lane. Metrics indicate the program has been successful. The number of people readmitted over 90 days is only 10 percent. “These beds aren’t just a place to land,” O’Neal said. “They’re a launching pad for recovery.” ### 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.
Meritus earns its fifth ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade
May 1, 2025
Leapfrog grade for fall 2024 gives Meritus Medical Center a ‘Straight A’ designation HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Medical Center earned its fifth straight “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. Grades are given twice annually. The measures were taken from records during fall 2024. Only about 27 percent of hospitals in Maryland earned an “A” grade this cycle. Meritus is a "Straight A" hospital, having earned an "A" in at least five consecutive cycles of the Hospital Safety Grade, according to Leapfrog. Meritus earned its first “A” grade in the spring of 2023. It is in the top 12 percent of hospitals nationwide to achieve this consistent excellence. “We are thrilled to have earned our fifth straight ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from Leapfrog,” said Chief Operating Officer Carrie Adams, Pharm.D. “We take this as a reflection of our team members’ quality care in safeguarding our patients, and we pledge to continue that care to continue enhancing the health of our community.” The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. “Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I extend my congratulations to Meritus Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first.” To explore Meritus’ full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. ### 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.