NEWS
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Lifestyle changes can impact mental health
March 9, 2026
When Dr. Chris Gauthier sits with a patient, he listens for more than symptoms — he listens for patterns. For Dr. Gauthier, psychiatry is not simply about diagnosing and prescribing. It is about restoring balance — biologically, emotionally and socially. “People generally know what they should be doing,” he said. “They know sleep matters. They know movement helps. The
Peer-reviewed case study highlights Meritus’s “Go for Bold” initiative
March 6, 2026
The work is to appear in the March edition of Population Health, Equity & Outcomes. Three Meritus Health team members recently published a peer-reviewed case study detailing the innovative communitywide “Go for Bold: Lose 1 million pounds” campaign. “Go for Bold: Improving Outcomes One Pound at a Time” is featured in the March edition of Population Health, Equity &
MSOM joins nutrition education initiative
March 6, 2026
MSOM is one of more than 50 medical schools across 31 states to participate in the U.S. Health and Human Services partnership. The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine is joining more than 50 medical schools across the country in a U.S. Health and Human Services initiative to teach nutrition education. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the partnership Thursday during a news con
Meritus chief strategy officer named to MD rural health advisory group
March 2, 2026
Dave Lehr is part of the Rural Health Transformation Committee. Meritus Health’s chief strategy officer was recently named to a statewide committee that advises on the use of federal funds for rural health. Dave Lehr was appointed to the Rural Health Transformation Committee, which falls under the Maryland Department of Health. The committee is an advisory group created to support the
Meritus is a national Baldrige Award finalist
February 20, 2026
The organization is one of six nonprofits across the United States to earn the honor. Meritus is pleased to announce it is a finalist in the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, one of only six nonprofits in the nation to receive such an honor. “It is the teamwork and dedication of our team members in caring for our patients that led to this most prestigious recognition,” sai
Lend me your ear: Hearing-loss impact on mental health
February 9, 2026
When asked about the impact of hearing loss on mental health and well-being, Brian McKinnon, M.D., quotes Hellen Keller, who was deaf and blind. “She once said, ‘Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people,’” said Dr. McKinnon, a physician at Meritus Advanced Ear, Nose, and Throat and chair of the surgical department at Meritus Health. He l
Meritus Neurosurgery adds physician
February 9, 2026
Neurosurgeon Dr. X. Sean Xin has joined the practice in the Robinwood Professional Center. Meritus Health is pleased to welcome a new neurosurgeon to Meritus Neurosurgery. X. Sean Xin, D.O., recently started at the practice in Suite 147 of the Robinwood Professional Center on the Meritus campus. He will join Chikezie Eseonu, M.D., Alina Huneke, CRNP, and Kirti Venkatesh, PA-C, at the practic
Family Medicine Residency Program director named to national board
February 3, 2026
Dr. Stacy Ross to serve on the Board of Directors of the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors. Stacy Ross, M.D., director of the Meritus Family Medicine Residency Program, was recently named to the board of the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors (AFMRD). Dr. Ross is one of five physicians elected to the board and one of two member-at-large directors for the more than
Meritus Fast Lane Care gets you treated quickly
February 3, 2026
New after-hours practice now open in Robinwood Professional Center. Meritus has a new option for when you need to visit a healthcare professional in the evening, but don’t necessarily need the Emergency Department. Meritus Fast Lane Care is open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. in Suite 147 of the Robinwood Professional Center. Staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants,
New hearing specialist joins Meritus Advanced ENT
January 30, 2026
Kristin Jones, AuD, has started at the Robinwood office. Meritus Health is pleased to welcome Kristin Jones, AuD, to Meritus Advanced Ear, Nose, and Throat. Jones, an audiologist, is a doctor who helps people with hearing and balance problems. She focuses on testing patients’ hearing to find the best treatments, such as hearing aids. She joins Nasir Bhatti, MD, and Brian McKinnon, MD, at the
Go For Bold: Health, Community and the Power of Small Steps
January 26, 2026
If you’ve resolved to live healthier in the new year, Washington County’s Go For Bold initiative gives you more than a goal. It gives you a friendly community walking right beside you. Launched in 2020 through a collaboration between Meritus Health and Healthy Washington County, Go For Bold is a decade-long, county-wide movement aimed at strengthening public health and wellness with an
New year, new you? Meritus physician offers advice for healthy 2026
January 12, 2026
It’s a new year, and you might be thinking of ways to improve your health in 2026. Andrew Ditto, M.D., is offering some advice for folks looking to make a change. Dr. Ditto, who recently moved from Meritus Family Medicine in the Robinwood Professional Center to the newly opened Meritus Primary Care at the Valley Mall, said it’s the sort of things he’d tell his patients at their y