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Meritus earns its fifth ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade

Leapfrog grade for fall 2024 gives Meritus Medical Center a ‘Straight A’ designation HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Medical Center earned its fifth straight “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. Grades are given twice annually. The measures were taken from records during fall 2024. Only about 27 percent of hospitals in Maryland earned an “A” grade this cycle. Meritus is a "Straight A" hospital, having earned an "A" in at least five consecutive cycles of the Hospital Safety Grade, according to Leapfrog. Meritus earned its first “A” grade in the spring of 2023. It is in the top 12 percent of hospitals nationwide to achieve this consistent excellence. “We are thrilled to have earned our fifth straight ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from Leapfrog,” said Chief Operating Officer Carrie Adams, Pharm.D. “We take this as a reflection of our team members’ quality care in safeguarding our patients, and we pledge to continue that care to continue enhancing the health of our community.” The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. “Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I extend my congratulations to Meritus Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first.” To explore Meritus’ full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.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.

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Meritus Health mourns the passing of Dr. Paul Mauriello

Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists doctor served the community for 40 years HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Health is deeply saddened to share the passing of Paul Mauriello, M.D., of Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists, who died on Monday, May 12, at the age of 72. Dr. Mauriello began his medical practice in Hagerstown in 1983 and became part of the Meritus Health family in 2022. He was a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., and earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1977. He completed his internship at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut and a pediatric residency at the University of Connecticut Health Center’s John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington. He went on to complete a fellowship in allergy and immunology at Buffalo General Medical Center. Known for his dedication and humor, Dr. Mauriello often said he aimed “to save the world, one nose at a time.” For nearly 40 years, he climbed to the cupola atop his office each morning to collect daily pollen samples — reports that were regularly shared on local radio stations and even on The Weather Channel. “It is with a heavy heart we mourn the loss of Dr. Mauriello, who for so many years served the Hagerstown community,” said Miranda Ramsey, Vice President of Physician Services. “I know he will be deeply missed by his colleagues, staff and patients.” His staff recalled his “warmth, compassion and caring spirit” and that “as much as his patients loved him, he cared about them.” They noted how he treated patients as people, not names and numbers on a status board, and how he understood the importance of getting to know them. “Everyone who met him could instantly feel how wonderful, kind, generous and loving he was,” said Nichole Judd, RN, the practice manager at Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists. “He loved taking care of patients and always put them first no matter the circumstance.” “He was not only a friend but also a mentor who welcomed me into his world with open arms,” said Seemal Awan, M.D., medical director of the practice. “We are reminded of his memory on a daily basis as we continue the work he started 40 years ago.” Dr. Mauriello is survived by his beloved wife, Marsha; three children — Matthew (Krystal), David (Cathy), and Chelsea (Cort Meinelschmidt); six grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of Dr. Mauriello’s life will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, at Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. North, Hagerstown. ### 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.

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Brian Kessler named new dean of Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine

Dr. Kessler will start on July 1 HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Health is pleased to announce that, following a national search, Brian A. Kessler, D.O., D.H.A., FACOFP dist., has been selected as the new dean of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. He will officially assume his role on July 1. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Kessler join us as we start this new journey in providing world-class education to our medical students,” said Meritus President and CEO Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H. “He brings the right knowledge and skill to train physicians who will be socially responsible, professionally accomplished and community oriented.” Dr. Kessler brings to MSOM more than two decades of leadership experience in academic medicine, clinical education and institutional advancement. He currently serves as dean and professor of family medicine at Campbell University's Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine in Buies Creek, N.C. Before that, he held key leadership positions, including dean at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., and director of medical education at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital in Ohio. Dr. Kessler earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Doctor of Healthcare Administration from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) and the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), where he contributes to developing national policies and accreditation standards in osteopathic medical education. "I am honored to join Meritus at this pivotal moment," Dr. Kessler said. "This is more than the founding of a medical school; it represents a profound investment in the future of health care for Maryland and the surrounding region. I look forward to working with the Meritus Health team, our community partners, and local leaders to prepare physicians who will serve with excellence, compassion and a deep commitment to the communities they call home." MSOM was created by Meritus Health’s forward-thinking Board of Directors and leadership to help solve the problem of fewer physicians in the profession across the region and the nation. “The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine represents a bold commitment to improving healthcare in Western Maryland and the surrounding region,” Dr. Kessler said. “I look forward to working alongside the Meritus Health team to build an academic model that responds directly to the needs of the communities we serve.” MSOM is the first medical school to open its doors in Maryland in more than 100 years. The first class, the class of 2029, will have 90 students and will be on campus in July. Future classes will be 180 students. “Welcoming the inaugural class is a once-in-a-career opportunity,” Dr. Kessler said. “These students will help define our identity, culture and future. I am excited to support their growth as physicians who will lead with skill, compassion and purpose.” 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.

Procedure, new to Meritus, used to treat debilitating facial pain

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The 95-year-old woman was complaining of pain in her jaw. But rather than going to the dentist to get relief, she went to Meritus Neurosurgery. There, Chikezie Eseonu, M.D., treated her trigeminal neuralgia in early April with a procedure not performed at Meritus before. Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition where patients experience sudden and severe facial pain. Dr. Eseonu said it is often along the jaw line, leading some to think the cause is dental-related. The pain can be so severe and debilitating that some cases have led to suicide, Dr. Eseonu said. The pain is caused usually when a blood vessel puts pressure on the nerve in the brain that is responsible for sensations in the face. Typically, treatment starts with medication, Dr. Eseonu said. “When that’s no longer working, the next option is neurosurgery to help alleviate the pain,” he said. There are three types of neurosurgery that are used to treat trigeminal neuralgia: surgery, rhizotomy and radiosurgery. Surgery involves opening the skull and manually moving the blood vessel or severing the nerve that is causing pain. Rhizotomy involves using a needle to deliver a chemical that destroys the nerve. Both are relatively common and successful. But radiosurgery is noninvasive. The procedure had only been performed in this region at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and Penn State Health in Pennsylvania, Dr. Eseonu said, adding that he was trained in the procedure at Johns Hopkins. Typically, it is reserved for people who, due to illness, are unable to tolerate the other two options. But Dr. Eseonu said there’s nothing preventing anyone from using it. Dr. Eseonu performed imaging scans on the patient to map out the location of the nerve. Then he coordinated with Ashima Saini, M.D., a radiation oncologist with the John R. Marsh Cancer Center at Meritus Health, who used a specialized machine called TrueBeam to target the trigeminal nerve. “The treatment site is probably 5 or 6 millimeters,” Dr. Saini said. “It’s also a super high dose of radiation as compared to more routine radiation treatments.” The machine fired multiple, pin-point radiation beams from different angles, all converging on the nerve, burning it. This prevented other parts of the brain from being damaged by the radiation. The patient was put in a special mask bolted to the operating table to immobilize her head, Dr. Saini said. The procedure took about 45 minutes, and the patient was able to go home the same day. Relief usually takes two to three months, though it can happen sooner, Dr. Eseonu said. According to the doctors, the patient seemed to tolerate the procedure well, but it was not having to travel out of the area that was the selling point. “They wanted a local option,” Dr. Eseonu said of the patient and her family. Primary care providers or pain management specialists can refer patients possibly suffering from trigeminal neuralgia to Meritus Neurosurgery, he said. To learn more or to contact the office, visit MeritusHealth.com/Neurosurgery. ### 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.

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