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Paragon of gynecologic oncology retires from Meritus
Dr. Neil Rosenshein started with the health system in 2000 When Victoria Giffi, M.D., was a medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, part of the training was for students to spend time in the operating room with Neil Rosenshein, M.D. “He would go around the room asking students question after question after question,” recalled Dr. Giffi, who is an oncologist with Meritus Hematology & Oncology Specialists. “We were all scared of him. His questions were tough.” Finally, after being in the operating room with him for days, Dr. Rosenshein asked her a question that she answered correctly. “He looked up at me, as if he was a little surprised I’d answered correctly,” she said. “And to this day, I still remember the question and answer.” Dr. Rosenshein is retiring after nearly 25 years with Washington County Hospital and Meritus. Dr. Giffi began working with him a decade ago at Meritus and said that “he is just so supportive and approachable.” He graduated from University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, in 1969. He then did his residency in gynecology and obstetrics at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, as well as a fellowship in gynecologic oncology and a fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. During Dr. Rosenshein's extensive career, he has authored books, published articles, conducted medical research and won numerous awards. Most recently, he has been the director of Meritus Gynecologic Oncology Specialists. Known nationally and locally as a champion of women's health, his passion has been to educate women outside major urban areas about ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer. “I think the reason his patients adore him is because he listens,” Dr. Giffi said. “He also listens to his colleagues. And he has a mind like a steel trap. He remembers patients he met decades ago.” Dr. Rosenshein’s patients have been sad to hear the news of his retirement, but many, like Sarah Thomas, say they are grateful to have had him as their doctor. “He saved my life,” Thomas said. She had cancer that was at stage 1-A — the earliest form — when it was discovered. Her gynecologist referred her to Dr. Rosenshein, who saw her within a week and performed surgery to remove the growth by the next week. It was at stage 1-B when he removed it. “That was six years ago,” Thomas said. “Every year I’ve been to him since then, he’s just been a sweetie.” At her last visit, she asked to take a photo of him. He insisted she be in the picture, too. “So we ended up taking a selfie of both of us. I’ll treasure that always.” For his part, Dr. Rosenshein is humble when talking about himself. The Smithsburg resident took the opportunity of his retirement to thank all those who have supported him in his quest to advance women’s health in the tristate region. “I've been honored to be part of the health system, first at Washington County Hospital, and at Meritus Health,” he said. “It has been a rewarding experience for me to deal with such wonderful patients and superb support staff throughout the hospital.” Dr. Rosenshein’s final day at Meritus was Dec. 19.
NEWS & UPDATES
Family Birthing Center at Meritus strives to ensure healthy baby, mom
The Family Birthing Center at Meritus Medical Center welcomed 1,997 babies in 2024. That’s an almost 11 percent increase from the 1,801 babies birthed at the hospital in 2023. And U.S. News & World Report recently named Meritus a High Performing hospital in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) for 2024. “I think our Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum unit is special,” said Ellen Curry, clinical manager of the Family Birthing Center. “Our staff is phenomenal. I think it’s about the environment, support and respect we give our moms.” Proper support is important for moms and infants, especially in the child’s first few days of life. The World Health Organization notes that babies who are protected from injury and infection, are able to breathe normally, and are properly warm and fed are less likely to have other health issues during the first month of life. The Family Birthing Center at Meritus has been designed to provide that good start. For example, many other hospitals have two units — labor, delivery and recovery, and postpartum. At Meritus, the mother stays in one room the entire time. Her baby stays in the room with her after birth, and select family, like fathers, can stay as well. The birthing center has 20 LDRP rooms, plus 12 other rooms that can be used for consultations or performing C-sections. Additionally, Curry said 90 percent of vaginal deliveries at the hospital are attended by midwives. “That’s unique,” she said. “A midwife’s training is, compared to physicians and surgeons, as birth experts.” That’s not to say that physicians and surgeons aren’t experts in their field, she noted. “Midwives have a different approach,” Curry said, adding that physicians are at the ready should the need arise for more help. That has been especially important as more pregnant mothers coming to the hospital with certain acuities — for example, high blood pressure or diabetes. The birthing center also has expert care at the ready should the newborn need it. The Special Care Nursery, a level two neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, can treat many conditions seen in infants in their first days of life. This eliminates the need to travel outside the area, Curry said. Caring for patients isn’t limited to inside the hospital. Because breastfeeding provides numerous benefits to both child and mother, the birthing center has lactation consultants available 24 hours a day, regardless of whether the patients are still in the hospital. And before patients even come to the hospital, a staff nurse goes into the community through different organizations to build relationships, especially with those who are coming from a disadvantaged background. “We try to meet people where they are,” Curry said. “We respect people, their cultures and backgrounds, who they are as people and what kind of care they need to make them healthy. Doing so improves the chances of having a healthy pregnancy, healthy delivery and healthy baby.”
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Heather Markell named Meritus chief nursing officer
Washington County native brings 20 years of experience to position Heather Markell, MSN, RN, CEN, has been named Meritus Medical Center chief nursing officer effective Jan. 6. Markell, who served as interim CNO for the past few months, brings more than 20 years of diverse clinical and leadership experience to the role. “I am thrilled to announce Heather as our new chief nursing officer,” said Meritus Chief Operating Officer Carrie Adams, Pharm.D. “She has demonstrated her leadership through a variety of roles in the nursing division dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusion, collaboration and continuous improvement throughout the organization.” With a clinical background in emergency nursing, operations and leadership, Markell most recently held the roles of director of clinical operations for the Division of Nursing as well as director of emergency services, trauma and forensics. Markell holds a Master of Science in nursing with a focus in executive nurse leadership and holds clinical certification in emergency nursing. “I am proud to be chief nursing officer of Meritus Medical Center, a place where I’ve spent most of my career,” said Markell, a Boonsboro High School graduate. “I am committed to our nursing staff and our patients, driving innovative strategies that work toward the organization’s mission of improving the health of the community.”
Meritus sees next phase of minimum wage increase
Health system has committed to increase minimum wage to $20/hour over two years Meritus Health, Washington County’s only integrated health system and one of the region’s largest employers, took the next step in its charge to increase its minimum wage to $20. As of today, all team members are earning at least $18 per hour. The increase affects roughly 150 people and will be reflected on the Jan. 24 paycheck. The raise keeps Meritus at the forefront in the region and state for healthcare pay rates. “Every position at Meritus Health helps us achieve our mission of improving the health of the community,” said President and CEO Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H. “Having a livable wage provides stability in the lives of our team members and allows them to provide our patients with the best care possible.” The first phase of the increases began this summer, impacting 500 frontline team members, including Medical Assistants, Certified Nursing Assistants, Phlebotomists and Emergency Department Technicians. By January 2027, all positions will have moved to the increased pay scale of $20/hour. As part of the investment in its workforce, Meritus is also providing a performance-based bonus structure and incentives to long-standing team members as they achieve years of service milestones. Joshi emphasized the health system’s goal to encourage local community members to begin a career with the health system versus a temporary job. Meritus offers employees opportunities for tuition reimbursement and educational opportunities. Joshi said many can enter the health system in a minimum wage, entry-level role, take advantage of educational benefits and earn advanced degrees and achieve higher-level career milestones and goals. The current rate increase is the third time in recent years that the health system has increased its base pay. In 2021, Meritus increased its minimum wage to $15 an hour, four years ahead of state-mandated increases. That hike impacted 1,100 employees at an investment of $2.8 million. In 2023, the health system invested an additional $3 million to increase minimum wage to $17. Joshi said many factors influenced the decision, including turnover rates, cost of living and the desire for Meritus to be a nationally ranked employer. “In our community, we are competing with other industries for workers,” Joshi said. “But unlike other industries, we simply cannot operate safely and serve our community with vacancies. We must be competitive and attract talented, dedicated individuals to our workforce.”
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