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Meritus earns top honors in 2025 Best of the Tristate awards
April 1, 2025
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Health is proud to announce its practices and providers came in first place in numerous categories for the Verstandig Media’s Best of the Tristate 2025 awards. Meritus Medical Center was named Best Hospital in the annual voting competition, which is highly regarded throughout Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. It’s the fifth year in a row the hospital has earned the title. In addition to the hospital, Meritus physicians and practices were also winners for the following categories: • Best Plastic Surgeon: Salvatore DiMercurio, M.D.• Best Cardiology Office: Meritus Hagerstown Heart• Best Urgent Care: Meritus Urgent Care The health system’s providers and practices were named finalists for Best Cardiologist, Best General Surgeon, Best Physical Therapist, Best Nurse, Best Outpatient Surgery Center, Best Physical Rehabilitation Center, Best Physical Therapy and best Orthopedic Clinic. Also, Brook Lane Health Services, an affiliate of Meritus Health, was a finalist for Best Mental Health Services. “We are proud to receive these awards and finalist nominations because the votes come from our community and team members,” said Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., Meritus president and CEO. “Our mission is to improve the health of the community, and we continue to grow to meet that challenge by bringing expert care close to home.” To meet the growing need for mental health services, the health system worked with Brook Lane in 2023 to open the Meritus Mental Health Walk-in facility. Located at the Orange Entrance to the Robinwood Professional Center, the office is there for anyone age 6 and older who needs a mental healthcare provider. The health system, Washington County’s only integrated health system and one of the region’s largest employers, is also in the process of raising its minimum wage to $20 per hour by 2027. So far, pay has been increased to at least $18 per hour for all employees. “Every day, we put the patient at the center of all we do,” Joshi said. “It is gratifying to know that the tristate community recognizes our effort, and they should know that we will continue doing it.” ### 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.
Special Olympian returns to Meritus
March 26, 2025
Candi Blessing, who works in the Nutrition Services Department, nabbed three medals at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy After winning three medals at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, Candi Blessing returned to her job at Meritus Medical Center with her hardware. The 39-year-old Smithsburg, Md., resident won silver medals in the 200 meters and relay snowshoeing events, and a gold medal in the 100 meters. “So happy,” she said, describing how she felt standing atop the podium with her first-place win. Candi made the trip with some help from her co-workers. The Meritus Health Foundation held a raffle fundraiser, with more than $2,300 going toward her expenses. She has worked at Meritus for 11 years in nutrition services, but she has been competing in Special Olympics for more than 30 years. Aside from snowshoeing, her sports include athletics, basketball and floor hockey. She competed in the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in athletics in New Jersey. As for her time in Italy before the games, much of it was spent training, she said. But she and the other athletes representing Team USA did get to do a little sight-seeing, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, home of the Shroud of Turin. But you can’t tour and train on an empty stomach. Candi said she enjoyed the meals in Turin, which included pasta, rice and pizza. She participated in three races over several days during the games, which ran from March 8 to 15. Her first race was the 200 meters. “I can do it,” she said she was thinking to herself as she ran in her snowshoes against eight other competitors. It was a little different than what she’s used to. Normally, she trains at Whitetail Resort near Mercersburg, Pa. “There was more snow” in Italy, she said, which made it tougher to run. While she was competing, her friends and co-workers back home were keeping up to date. Erin Warner, Candi’s program specialist with the Arc of Washington County, said she was texting Chef Joe Fleischman, head of Meritus’ Nutrition Services Department — and Candi’s boss. For his part, Chef Joe would share the news with the staff. Meanwhile, graphics on Meritus Health’s electronic billboard on Robinwood Drive congratulated Candi and noted her medal haul. Her co-workers were excited to see her when she started back to work this week. “They were so happy,” she said.
Meritus Psychiatry Residency Program matches with five new doctors
March 24, 2025
New program joins Meritus Family Medicine Residency Program HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Health’s new Psychiatry Residency Program has matched with its first class of five doctors. They’ll be joining the six doctors who matched with the existing Meritus Family Medicine Residency program. “We are excited to welcome our first class of Psychiatry residents,” said Heather Theibert, D.O., program director for the Meritus Psychiatry Residency. “There is an obvious need for mental health professionals in this region and nationally. We are proud to be educating the next generation of psychiatrists to help meet this need with a focus on training psychiatrists who will stay and serve the Washington County area.” Each year, on the heels of graduation, medical students nationwide eagerly await announcement for where they “matched,” meaning where they will spend their next several years in residency. Residency programs serve as structured apprenticeships leading to board certification in a particular specialty. A resident is a physician who is enrolled in this apprenticeship or residency and is overseen by board-certified faculty physicians. The highly selective process results in five medical school graduates being matched with the psychiatry program at Meritus, along with six being matched with the family medicine program. The psychiatry residency is a four-year program for a total of 20 residents once the program is filled out. The family medicine program is a three-year program for a total of 18 residents. “It is a joy to welcome another class of promising doctors into the Meritus Family Medicine Residency Program,” said Stacy Ross, M.D., program director. “The highly skilled faculty physicians and colleagues here are eager to help guide them over the next three years. And these physicians will be working in our family medicine practice, meaning patients get to participate in their educational journey, too.” The Meritus Psychiatry Residency Program of class of 2029 includes graduates from Maryland, Florida and Iowa: · Crist Cuffee, D.O., Ankeny, Iowa; Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine · Claudia Jensen, D.O., Tampa, Fla.; Liberty College of Osteopathic Medicine · Ramya Kolagani, M.D., Ellicott City, Md.; Penn State University College of Medicine · Judy Lau, M.D., Germantown, Md.; Saint Louis University School of Medicine · Oluwaseun Oyewo, M.D., Silver Spring, Md.; University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts The Meritus Family Medicine Residency Program class of 2028 includes graduates from Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and Nigeria: · Eyimofe Fakoyede, M.D., Lagos, Nigeria; Medical University of Plovdiv Faculty of Medicine · Luke Horning, D.O., McLean, Va.; West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine · Madeleine Miller, D.O., Cleveland, Ohio; Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine · Sofia Paniagua, D.O., Gaithersburg, Md.; New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine · Idongesit Usoroh, M.D., Eket, Nigeria; All Saints University School of Medicine, Dominica · Doopashika Welikala, D.O., Gaithersburg, Md.; Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine Meritus Health plans to launch more residency programs in the coming years as it prepares to welcome the inaugural class of students to the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine this summer. The school, the first to open in Maryland in more than 100 years, is meant to help close the gap in the number of physician openings regionally and nationwide. To learn more about the Psychiatry and Family Medicine residency programs, visit www.meritushealth.com/residency. 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.
New Meritus plastic surgeon helps cancer patients ‘pick up the pieces’
March 21, 2025
Dr. Eric Maiorino now seeing patients in Hagerstown HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Breast cancer is a traumatic experience for patients, often leaving them questioning who they are because of scars after treatment. Eric Maiorino, M.D., the new surgeon at Meritus Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery, said he’s there to help those patients get back some semblance of their identity. “It’s a difficult time for patients. They’re always very afraid of looking deformed or not themselves,” Maiorino said. “My goal is to help them be able to pick up the pieces.” Maiorino grew up in Queens, N.Y., about 15 blocks away from where his practice partner, Salvatore DiMercurio, M.D., grew up. They even went to the same elementary and middle schools, albeit years apart. After earning his medical degree in 2012 from Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Maiorino did his residency in general surgery at Temple University Hospital, which, among other things, focused on underserved populations. In 2018, Maiorino began a plastic surgery fellowship at the University of Texas in Houston at Hermann Memorial Hospital. “It was my first rodeo,” he joked, saying he’d never been to a rodeo before living in Texas. He also trained at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, part of the University of Texas. There he focused on reconstructive surgery for people dealing with a variety of cancers. “Plastic surgery is so broad,” he said, noting he gets to work with physicians in everything from cardiology to gastroenterology. “When you think of it, you think it’s just face lifts and breast enhancements. Plastic surgery touches so much more than that.” Eventually, Maiorino moved back to the East Coast and set up a practice in Washington, D.C. He was voted Top Doc the past three years by Washingtonian magazine. He became aware of Meritus Health thanks to its commitment to expanding medical education and training the next generation of doctors. The health system has residency programs in family medicine and psychiatry and is planning to add surgery in the near future. It also is set to open the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine, the first medical school to open in Maryland in 100 years, this summer. “I was a high school science teacher before I went to medical school, so this interested me,” he said. At Meritus Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery, Maiorino said he hopes to expand services for breast cancer patients, allowing them to avoid traveling out of the area. And he is looking forward to helping grow Meritus’ educational offerings. “I’m excited to help in making this more of an academic center,” he said. To learn more about Meritus Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery or to make an appointment, visit www.meritushealth.com/plastics or call 301-714-4460 in Hagerstown or 717-261-1620 in Chambersburg. ### 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 Urology honored again by U.S. News & World Report
March 18, 2025
Outpatient surgery earns ‘High Performing’ rating HAGERSTOWN, Md. — For the second year in a row, the surgical services at Meritus Urology received top ranking from U.S. News & World Report. Meritus Urology’s outpatient surgery earned a “High Performing” rating for ambulatory surgery centers from the pro-consumer media company. It was one of only 708 same-day surgical centers to earn this rating out of nearly 4,400 centers that U.S. News evaluated. "It is a great privilege to be honored two years in a row by U.S. News & World Report," said Dr. Kevin Hackett, Meritus Urology medical director. "I think it shows the commitment to quality care by our staff with the goal of improving the health of our patients." Procedures typically take less than an hour, with just another hour required in recovery. Care can include everything from an enlarged prostate to kidney stone removal. The practice also treats bladder, kidney, prostate and testicular cancers. Services are available for men and women, children and adults. “Because ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have become an increasingly large part of the U.S. patient experience, U.S. News set out to help consumers, in consultation with their healthcare professionals, identify high quality ASCs,” the publication said in its methodology report. To learn more about Meritus Urology, visit www.MeritusHealth.com/Urology or call 301-733-0022. ### 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.
Mediterranean Diet could be the answer to your health problems
March 17, 2025
March is Nutrition Awareness Month, a time when Americans are encouraged to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits. Adopting the Mediterranean Diet has become a popular option among those healthy eating habits. The diet was first publicized by American biologist Ancel Keys and his wife, chemist Margaret Keys, after studies found that certain cultures around the Mediterranean had lower incidents of some chronic illnesses and obesity. “It’s been shown to improve lot of disease states — cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight loss and other things,” said, Hannah Dinterman, R.D., L.D.N., a bariatric dietitian with Meritus Bariatric Surgical Specialists. “It can also increase longevity.” The Mediterranean Diet is a whole foods diet that focuses on lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy fat sources such as seeds, nuts, fish and lean meats, and plant-based proteins such as chickpeas. A key ingredient in the diet is food containing fiber, Dinterman said. “A diet rich in whole food sources leaves less room for processed foods,” she said. “Fiber helps you feel full. It’s also good for your colon and helps improve cholesterol levels. High-fiber foods in general are usually very health-promoting.” Another factor is that whole foods, especially fruit, contain natural sugars. Not all sugar is a bad thing, Dinterman said. But sugar found in processed food — “stuff that comes in a box” — often has added chemicals and preservatives and is not accompanied by natural fiber and nutrients of foods like fruit. All of this can “affect how the food works to make you feel full,” she said. Even fruit juices, some of which contain good vitamins and minerals, often lack the fiber of their whole beginning fruit. When it comes to planning out your meals under the Mediterranean Diet, Dinterman said there are some basic guidelines. Have fruits and vegetables with most meals, a couple servings per day, she said. Olive oil, whole-grain bread, pasta, rice or couscous and other unprocessed grains should also be included, along with water. At least one meal a day should include olives, nuts or seeds, along with herbs, spices, garlic or onions. Low-fat dairy should be part of one meal per day, too. White meat, like chicken or turkey, along with fish or seafood, can be meals a couple times per week. Eggs should be eaten two to four times a week. Heavy starches like potatoes are OK three times per week. Red or processed meat, like bologna, should be eaten only once a week, if at all, Dinterman said. And save the desserts for only a couple times per week. Dinterman cautioned that the Mediterranean diet, while very healthy, is not always the best option, especially if a person is looking to lose weight. “When we’re looking at diet, we want to look at the patient’s physical and health goals,” she said. “Is it controlling their blood sugar, getting their weight down, reducing risk of colon cancer?” In other words, talk to your primary care provider before embarking on a diet. “You can modify the Mediterranean Diet toward whatever you’re working towards,” she said. Meritus Bariatric Surgical Specialists have a program designed to help patients lose weight through surgery, but sometimes diet and lifestyle modification can do the trick. To learn more, visit meritushealth.com/Weightloss.
Meritus Scholar-Con highlights research, scholarly activity
March 14, 2025
The inaugural event displays academics of Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine faculty and staff, and the greater Meritus Health community HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine recently held its inaugural research and scholarly activity conference — known as Meritus Scholar-Con. Organized by the school’s Office of Research, 43 abstracts were submitted for the March 13 event in the school’s newly constructed D.M. Bowman Academic Hall. Of those abstracts, 37 were poster presentations and six were picked for podium presentations. The posters and talks focused on the following areas: • Clinical research, quality improvement or health systems science• Clinical case studies• Biomedical and translational science• Population, community health and health equity research• Outreach and community-engaged research• Medical education research “This inaugural event highlights the research and scholarly activity of our Meritus Community, including our MSOM faculty and Meritus Health providers and staff, in addition to the larger Meritus community of residents and rotating clinical students,” said Murray Berkowitz, D.O., interim dean. One poster on display by Heather P.M. Theibert, D.O., Evan Curry, M.S., and Ajay Bhandari, M.D., focuses on drug use in regions similar to Hagerstown and Washington County, Md. “Perceptions of Opioid Use and Treatment in Rural Appalachia: A Quantitative Review of the Literature” examines published surveys and interview-based research “to identify trends in perception of opioid use, harm reduction initiatives and barriers.” “This information can help advocate for people who use opioids by identifying ways and populations to educate about opioid use,” the trio wrote in their abstract on the poster. One of the podium talks — “Go for Bold: Improving Health Outcomes One Pound at a Time” — was presented by Allen Twigg, L.C.P.C., chief operating officer of Meritus Health affiliate Brook Lane Health Services, and Remi Patel, M.H.A., Meritus administrative fellow. The talk looked at Meritus Health’s bold goal of getting the community to collectively lose a million pounds by 2030. The goal comes from obesity being a significant population health challenge in Washington County, Md. Twigg and Patel highlighted the successes and challenges of the program, which has more than 7,700 participants who have logged more than 167,000 pounds lost. “We were blown away by the range and depth of the abstracts submitted for our first Scholar-Con,” said Audrey Vasauskas, Ph.D., associate dean of research at MSOM. “This demonstration of academic prowess by our faculty, staff and health system community shows the kind of learning environment our students can expect when our first class starts in July.” More information on the presentations, including full abstracts on each poster and podium talk, is available at msom.org/academics/scholar-con-2025. The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine is to welcome its first class of more than 90 students this summer on the Meritus Health campus near Hagerstown, Md. The medical school, the first to open in Maryland in more than 100 years, was created to reduce the shortage of doctors in the region and the nation. Learn more at 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.
As March Madness heats up, know the signs of problem gambling
March 10, 2025
March is the start of college basketball tournament season, sometimes referred to as March Madness. Not coincidentally, it is also Problem Gambling Awareness Month, tying into the issue of gambling addiction as the brackets get whittled down from 68 teams to two. A recent Forbes magazine article cited the American Gaming Association which reported adults in the U.S. wagered an estimated $2.72 billion on the men’s and women’s tournaments combined at legal sportsbooks in 2024 — more than twice the amount wagered on the Super Bowl ($1.25 billion). Sabrina McCauley Shriver, MA, LCPC, NCC, is an outpatient therapist with Brook Lane’s InSTEP program, which focuses on the disease of addiction. Admittedly, much of her work deals with drugs and alcohol problems, but there are characteristics of addiction that are the same, no matter the vice. “It’s the interesting thing about addiction,” she said. “All substance use behavior follows the same criteria. You’re using for longer durations and at higher levels than what you intended. You have a persistent desire for it, and you are unsuccessful in your attempts to reduce using it.” She notes those addicted to gambling, much like those addicted to drugs or alcohol, find themselves continuing to gamble despite it damaging areas of their lives, including their jobs and relationships. “People give up things that are important to them to continue gambling,” she said. Addiction is a disease Addiction is classified as a disease, rather than simply a lack of morals or making poor choices, because participation can rewire a person’s brain, she said. “When you win, you get a rush of dopamine, and you think, ‘This is fun, I want more,’” she said. “Over time, the dopamine doesn't produce the same level of pleasure. You’re chasing that high, betting more and more.” Popular culture and advertising can also help reinforce gambling addiction, just like it does booze and dope. Walk through a department store or watch commercials and you’re likely to see something that makes vices look cool, McCauley Shriver said. Sports book ads are pervasive during sporting events, and they often use the same techniques employed by selling drugs and alcohol. “The way they get you is to make it seem like it’s not a big deal,” she said. “They say, ‘Sign up and we’ll give you $200 in free gambling bets.’ When the addiction starts, it’s not apparent it’s a problem. But down the line, you’re spending your rent money on gambling.” Gambling addiction is ‘behind closed doors’ In a certain way, gambling addiction is more insidious than others because it is more easily hidden. It’s easy to spot someone who is drunk or high, McCauley Shriver said, because they are obviously impaired. “They’re stumbling around, but with gambling addiction, it’s oftentimes behind closed doors,” she said. “Especially with digital gambling, because we’re all always on our phones, too.” Chasing the dopamine high also usually signals deeper issues in a person. Often destructive behaviors like gambling, alcoholism and drug use are attached to mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. “It’s helpful to have people around you who understand that it’s not as easy as just saying, ‘Stop it,’” McCauley Shriver said. “We have to treat the underlying problems as well.” Treatment for addiction Mental and behavioral health professionals, such as those at Brook Lane, use cognitive behavioral therapy to help address the thoughts that support addiction and can cause a relapse. Brook Lane, an affiliate of Meritus Health, offers group and individual therapy designed to identify triggers and thought processes that influence destructive behaviors, McCauley Shriver said. While professional support helps the addicted person, there are also supports available for the loved ones of addicted people. What else should family do? “The main thing is to be supportive, make sure you’re not minimizing the person,” McCauley Shriver said. “What seems like it would not be a struggle for one person is a struggle for another because the brain rewires itself in the process of addiction.”
Meritus health advisory: Measles questions and answers
March 4, 2025
More outbreaks of illness reported across the country HAGERSTOWN, Md. — With cases of measles being reported across the country, Meritus Health is providing answers to frequently asked questions related to the illness. Within the past few weeks, measles infections have been found in southeast Pennsylvania and northeast New Jersey. That’s in addition to the late-January outbreak in west Texas and New Mexico. More than 150 people have measles in that outbreak, and one child in Texas has died. “Measles is highly contagious, sometimes it’s fatal and it can cause long-term health defects,” said Anand Budi, M.D., chief medical officer at Meritus and a pediatrician by training. What are the symptoms of measles, and what are the health effects? Symptoms start with a high fever (spiking to more than 104 degrees); cough; runny nose; and red, watery eyes. Within two to three days, tiny white spots may appear in the mouth. Within three to five days, flat red spots start to appear on the face at the hairline, then spread down to the rest of the body. Measles can also lead to ear infections and diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to hospitalization, pneumonia, brain swelling and death. Is there a measles vaccine? A highly effective vaccine — known as MMR because it treats measles, mumps and rubella — was developed in the middle of the last century. Thanks to the vaccine, health officials declared measles eradicated in 2000 in the United States. However, some people who are immunocompromised aren’t able to receive the measles vaccine. Others don’t get the vaccine for religious or personal reasons. And some children are limited by age but can still be infected. To ensure these people’s protection against the illness, it is vital that those who can be vaccinated are. “The vaccination is extremely safe,” Dr. Budi said. “There’s enough data, contrary to some of opinions that it can cause issues. The present measles vaccine has been well-tested and has been given to millions of people and found to be extremely safe.” Does the measles vaccine I received as a child protect me? Do I need a booster? Dr. Budi noted that no cases of measles have been reported in the tri-state region. However, patients have been wondering whether they are protected from the disease. Most people were vaccinated as children. Many received their first vaccine between the ages of 1 and 4, then a booster between ages 4 and 6. “If you received two doses, you typically don’t need to get a booster,” Dr. Budi said.
After Hours Pediatrics, Hagerstown Heart open at Meritus Medical Plaza
March 3, 2025
Health system’s practices at the Crayton Boulevard facility will meet growing need in the community Two services are being added to Meritus Medical Plaza, complimenting patient care already available at the facility north of Hagerstown. The facility at 13620 Crayton Blvd. will host providers for Meritus After Hours Pediatrics and Meritus Hagerstown Heart. That’s in addition to Meritus Urgent Care, Meritus Primary Care, Meritus Physical Therapy and Meritus Medical Laboratory offices in the building. “Meritus’ mission is to improve the health of the community, and offering cardiac care and pediatric urgent care at our Crayton Boulevard location is a response to community need in that area,” said Dave Lehr, Meritus Health chief strategy officer. “Increasing access to this kind of care can mean a world of difference to heart patients, parents and children.” Meritus After Hours Pediatrics at Meritus Medical Plaza is a walk-in pediatric care facility, open after your primary care office is closed. Providers care for children up to age 21. Services include everything from caring for a sore throat, to examining rashes, to treating sprains or burns. The office also treats minor eye illness and mild to moderate asthma flare-ups. Providers are available from 6 to 11 p.m. weekdays and 1 to 8 p.m. weekends. To learn more about Meritus After Hours Pediatrics at Meritus Medical Plaza visit www.meritushealth.com/AfterHoursCrayton. To contact the location, call 240-313-3100. Meritus also offers After Hours Pediatrics at Valley Mall, 17301 Valley Mall Road, in the former Sears location. Learn more at www.meritushealth.com/AfterHours. The Meritus Hagerstown Heart office will provide cardiology consultations, EKGs and follow-up appointments for conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks, heart valve issues, heart arrhythmias and congestive heart failure, among others. To learn more about Meritus Hagerstown Heart, including our other locations in Hagerstown, Frederick and Hancock, visit www.meritushealth.com/heart, or call 301-797-2525.
Meritus to Turin: Candi Blessing to represent USA at Special Olympics
February 26, 2025
Candi Blessing will go from the cafeteria at Meritus Health to the mountains in Turin, Italy, on March 8. Blessing, 39, of Smithsburg, is a member of Team USA competing in the Special Olympics World Winter Games, which will end March 15. She’ll be making the trip with some help from her co-workers. The Meritus Health Foundation held a raffle fundraiser, with more than $2,300 going toward her expenses. She has worked at Meritus for 11 years in nutrition services, but she has been competing in Special Olympics for more than 30 years. Aside from snowshoeing, her sports include athletics, basketball and floor hockey. She competed in the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in athletics in New Jersey. “I get to meet a lot of new people,” Blessing said of her involvement in Special Olympics. “We all get along, and I enjoy the competition.” As for her sport during the upcoming games, Blessing said she doesn’t mind the cold. “Sometimes my coach makes me dress warmer,” she joked. She said she is excited for her trip and competition, though she’s a little worried about getting proper rest with the time difference. Italy is six hours ahead of the East Coast. More than 1,500 athletes from 102 delegations will compete in eight sports in an international demonstration of inclusion, acceptance and unity, according to the Special Olympics website for the Turin games.
How do you screen for colorectal cancer?
February 24, 2025
Incidents of colorectal cancer are rising in younger people. Know how to screen for it. Early onset colon cancer is a growing problem, especially for age groups that historically haven’t had to worry about it. In the next decade, it is estimated 25 percent of rectal cancers and 10 to 12 percent of colon cancers will be diagnosed in people younger than 50. And early colon cancer doesn’t always have noticeable symptoms, meaning screening is important, especially if you are 45 years old or older. There are several ways to test for colorectal cancer that are usually prescribed by your primary care provider. C.P. Choudari, M.D., the medical director of Meritus Hagerstown Gastroenterology, said his experience shows there is a clear difference among the tests available. “Colonoscopy is the gold standard,” said Dr. Choudari, who has been a practicing physician for more than four decades. The visual exam uses a scope inserted into the rectum to examine the colon. It is the only test that not only screens for cancer, but also identifies and removes pre-cancerous polyps before they become malignant, Dr. Choudari said. And it correctly identifies 95 percent of patients with cancer. The downside is that it is an invasive procedure. The patient prepares using strong laxatives for a few days before the procedure, and is usually sedated during the procedure. That can lead to lost time at work. However, because the screening is so highly effective, Dr. Choudari said that anyone with a family history of colon cancer or personal history of polyps should opt for it. Other tests, which aren’t invasive, rely on testing a person’s stool for evidence of cancer. Often, they can be performed at home. Studies have shown that such tests correctly identify about 92 percent of patients with cancer, and correctly identify about 87 percent of patients who do not have colon cancer, he said. However, his experience has shown an unacceptable number of false positives and false negatives with the tests. Also, the tests aren’t as effective as a colonoscopy at detecting pre-cancerous polyps, and it doesn’t remove them. “These tests are designed to detect cancer, not prevent it,” he said. With this in mind, Dr. Choudari and other gastroenterologists say stool-based colorectal tests should only be prescribed for patients at average risk for colorectal cancer. “The major thing that I see as a gastroenterologist is people using stool-based tests when they shouldn’t be,” he said. “Because of their family history, or their personal history, they should be getting a colonoscopy.” Things are beginning to get more urgent when it comes to colorectal cancer. Health officials recommend regular colon cancer screenings starting at age 45. The starting age just a few years ago was 50. Anecdotally, Dr. Choudari said he encounters a colon cancer in a person under the age of 50 every two months or so while performing colonoscopies. “We need to get patients and primary care providers to understand the facts, the pros and cons, and make a good decision,” he said. To better meet patient needs when it comes to screening for colon cancer, Meritus Health recently opened the C.P. Choudari Surgical Center, which is named for Dr. Choudari. The center schedules colonoscopies and is in the process of certification for other procedures. To learn more about colorectal cancer, visit www.meritushealth.com/ColorectalCancer or call 240-513-7072. To learn more about the C.P. Choudari Surgical Center, visit www.meritushealth.com/choudarisurgicalcenter.