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MERITUS STORIES
You have the flu. When is it time to see a doctor?
Meritus chief medical officer highlights symptoms, treatments, importance of taking care during viral illness season. As the community continues to struggle with a spike in cases of influenza, RSV and other viral illnesses, Meritus Health is offering more information about what you can do to start feeling better. Why it’s important to stay home when possible Rest is one of the best ways to deal with viral illness, and there’s no place like home for that. But there’s a second benefit: Avoiding contact with others while you’re showing symptoms can help stop the spread of illness, said Anand Budi, M.D., Meritus chief medical officer. Visiting the doctor when symptomatic can compound the situation. Not only are other patients potentially exposed, so are healthcare workers. While Meritus is committed to treating all patients, if healthcare workers are sick, it becomes harder to treat patients who are most in need. There are options to diagnose your illness, should you need it. Over-the-counter rapid testing kits can determine if you have COVID or flu. And you can consult with healthcare providers virtually using MeritusNow and your smartphone or computer. Just visit now.meritushealth.com to start. What are the symptoms and treatments? The symptoms tend to include a fever of 101 or 102 degrees, but can go as high as 105 in children, Dr. Budi said. Fever should be treated with over-the-counter fever reducers such as Tylenol as well as plenty of fluids. “When you are on the dry side, it can cause your temperature to go up by as much as a degree,” Dr. Budi said. “That makes you more dehydrated and can worsen other symptoms. So, drink plenty of fluids.” Other symptoms can include headache, chills, cough, congestion, sore throat, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea. Over-the-counter medications are available to treat these. When it’s time to see a doctor There might come a time when you should see your primary care provider, visit urgent care or even go to the emergency room. Generally, if your symptoms persist for more than four or five days, if they get worse, or if they aren’t responding to over-the-counter medications, you should see a healthcare provider, Dr. Budi said. “If it persists for longer than five days, it may lead to pneumonia, or sinus infections or ear infections,” he said. Parents should seek care promptly for infants and young children who show signs of breathing difficulty, dehydration or lethargy. For your safety, the Emergency Department should be used only for life-threatening or extremely serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing. Urgent care or your primary care provider are best for flu or viral illnesses without relief. To check the wait times at the Emergency Department and urgent cares on Crayton Boulevard and at the Valley Mall, as well as after hours pediatrics at both locations, visit www.meritushealth.com/emergency. Meritus Health is strongly encouraging all visitors to wear a mask while inside Meritus facilities, especially if they are feeling unwell or experiencing symptoms.
NEWS & UPDATES
New year, new you? Meritus physician offers advice for healthy 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 yearly physical. “The single highest-value change that someone can make is to stop drinking dessert, to stop drinking high-sugar beverages,” he said. “Whether it’s Mexican Coke or soda with high-fructose corn syrup, it doesn’t matter. Stop drinking sweetened things.” The reason why? “It is high calories with zero nutritional value,” he said. “It can be the cause of diabetes and pre-diabetes.” Related to that, Dr. Ditto’s second piece of advice also has to do with food. “Try to eat foods that are as close to coming out of the ground, off the plant, from the animal, etc., as possible,” he said. “When you’re grocery shopping, try to stick to the outside edges of the grocery store. You should try to avoid all the processed and boxed foods in the middle of the grocery store.” In other words: Fresh is best. Just like soda, processed foods often have little nutritional value and are loaded with additives that the body has trouble processing. Another new year suggestion is to get moving, Dr. Ditto said. The average person should be getting about two and a half hours of exercise per week. That can be broken up however it best fits your schedule, he said. “If you want to do 30 minutes a day five days a week, or an hour Saturday and an hour Sunday, then another 30 minutes another day, that’s fine,” he said. Ideally, the exercise should be broken down into half strength training and half cardio — the kind of workout that gets your heart pumping. “That said, something is better than nothing,” Dr. Ditto said. “Don’t let time be a factor. Five minutes of walking around is better than five minutes of sitting.” He said to find ways to build exercise into your daily routine. Park farther away from the store entrance and walk. Take the stairs. One last thing Dr. Ditto recommends is to not go it alone. “Try to interact with friends and family,” he said. “Relationships are good for someone’s wellbeing, helping to prevent dementia down the line.” For those who feel lonely and don’t have friends or family to talk to, he recommended the Meritus Care Caller program. Meritus started the program based on studies that found loneliness and social isolation can impact life expectancy as much as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity. For 15 or 20 minutes once every few weeks, a volunteer or paid caller will call a person who has said they feel lonely. Those interested can learn more by calling 301-790-8491 or emailing carecaller@meritushealth.com. In the end, Dr. Ditto’s advice for the new year is common sense, though admittedly it can be tough to put into practice. “It’s never too late to start again,” he said. To learn more about Meritus Primary Care at the Valley Mall, visit www.meritushealth.com/ValleyMallPC or call 301-790-9236.
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Meritus News
Meritus doctor named Physician of the Year by MD association
Dr. Catherine Feaga practices at Meritus Family Medicine in Robinwood. Meritus Health is proud to announce that Catherine Feaga, D.O., was named the Maryland Association of Osteopathic Physicians’ 2025 Physician of the Year. She was recently recognized by the MAOP for “exemplary professional achievement, dedication to the osteopathic profession, and distinguished service to the citizens of Maryland.” Dr. Feaga is part of Meritus Family Medicine Residency and practices full-scope family medicine, including obstetrics, in Robinwood and at Meritus Medical Center. She is also director of osteopathic education at Meritus and clinical faculty at the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. For more information about Meritus Health, please visit www.meritushealth.com.
Meritus welcomes first baby of 2026!
The first baby born in 2026 in Washington County arrived in the morning of New Year’s Day. Nylah Grace Hamby, a girl, was born at 1:43 a.m. to Cheyanne Davis and Tyshaun Hamby of Hagerstown, MD. Nylah weighed in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 20.75 inches long. Meritus Medical Center’s Family Birthing Services provides expert medical care, compassionate nursing, and a family-centered environment. If your newborn needs advanced care, our Level II Special Care Nursery provides specialized care, eliminating the need to travel outside of the area. To learn more, visit www.meritushealth.com/Maternity.
PROMOTING A
Healthy Washington County
NOTES OF PRAISE
Featured Moments of Praise
— Rocky D.
July 2025— Rhona
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