Meritus Urology brings aboard new providers

Dr. Alexander Ernest Jr., Dr. Jeffrey Johnson and Pauline Hamacher, CRNP, are seeing patients at the Hagerstown practice. 

Meritus Urology has added three new providers in recent weeks to better serve patients.

Alexander J. Ernest Jr., M.D., Jeffrey P. Johnson, M.D., and Pauline Hamacher, CRNP, are now seeing patients at the practice in Suite 228 of Robinwood Professional Center, 11110 Medical Campus Road, Hagerstown.

Dr. Ernest earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia, and completed his residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

Additionally, Dr. Ernest completed a urology fellowship at Tripler Army Medical Center and an endourology fellowship in 2011 at UCLA specializing in the treatment of kidney stone disease, laparoscopy and robotic surgery. Dr. Ernest is board certified in urology with the American Board of Urology.

Among many accomplishments, he became the chair of the Robotic Surgery Committee at Tripler, and he was the second surgeon in the state of Hawaii and first surgeon at Tripler to perform pediatric robotic surgery in 2013. He was also the first urologist in the Department of Defense (DOD) to perform single-site robotic surgery in 2015, as well as the first in the DOD to complete an intracorporal radical cystectomy in 2018.

“I am excited to be a part of Meritus Urology and serve this community,” Dr. Ernest said. “I believe that my experience and skills will provide our patients with expert care, close to home, particularly when it comes to minimally invasive urologic surgery, specializing in robotic kidney and prostate surgery as well as prostate cancer care.”

Dr. Johnson earned his medical degree from Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and completed his residency at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.

Additionally, Dr. Johnson completed an endourology fellowship at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. He also completed an internship in general surgery at SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York.

“My expertise is kidney stones, but I am passionate about providing high-quality care for all urologic conditions and have publications ranging from urinary tract infections to cancer,” Dr. Johnson said. “I look forward to caring for you and your loved ones at Meritus Health.”

Hamacher earned her Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner degree from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. She is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

“I am happy to help patients at Meritus Urology,” Hamacher said. “Whether its diagnosing or treating issues involving the bladder, prostate or kidneys, my goal is to provide expert care, close to home.”

To learn more about Meritus Urology, visit www.meritushealth.com/Urology, or call 301-733-0022.