<p class="article-body"> Oncology Rehabilitation is a key component of the care and support of a cancer patient. Cancer does not just affect a body part. It can affect the entire patient and their loved ones. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, countless doctor visits, and just plain worry can be strenuous. <br> <br> Oncology rehabilitation is the process of addressing a host of potential issues that might include: </p> <ul> <li> Cancer-related fatigue </li> <li> Deconditioning and general debility </li> <li> Swelling and lymphedema </li> <li> Range of motion problems with many causes: <ul> <li> Scar contractures </li> <li> Axillary web syndrome </li> <li> Unrelated chronic orthopedic issues such as frozen shoulders, knee and hip arthritis, etc. </li> </ul> </li> <li> Nerve injuries with hypersensitivity, weakness, and palsy </li> <li> Pain, discomfort </li> <li> Psychological stress and anxiety </li> <li> Challenges to activities of daily living </li> </ul> Oncology rehabilitation ideally begins right after diagnosis or initial hospitalization with efforts to promote flexibility, endurance, balance, and strength. It continues with individualized treatment plans designed to address an individual patient’s goals. These can range from simply getting out of a tub or chair to resuming labor-intensive occupations or sports, self-care, and childcare. <br> <br> <blockquote> Oncology rehabilitation ideally begins right after diagnosis or initial hospitalization with efforts to promote flexibility, enduarance, balance, and strength. </blockquote> Our physical and occupational therapists are specialized and equipped to evaluate and address issues related to posture, scar management, post-radiation skin care, neuropathies, and lymphedema. <br> <br> We tailor a program to fit a patient’s specific needs. Our team includes our lymphology medical staff and it works in concert, as indicated, with other affiliated GBMC oncology teams including speech and swallowing, mental and spiritual health, and nutrition. By identifying small issues early, we can help address them before they become big problems. <br> <br> Speak with your oncology provider about a referral for oncology rehabilitation. Please call the Greater Baltimore Center for Rehabilitation Medicine for a consultation or initial evaluation at 443-848-6210. <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<p class="article-body"> A new wave of recently approved treatments is expected to significantly alter the fight against cancer. <br> <br> “We now have many more tools — and more effective tools — to help our patients with certain types of cancers,” says Robert B. Donegan, M.D., chief of the division of medical oncology at Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC). He adds that “2015 and 2016 were remarkable years when it came to new drug approval for the treatment of cancer.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 16 new oncology medications in 2015 and at least 10 in 2016. <br> <br> </p> <blockquote> At GBMC, we aim to provide highly personalized cancer care for all of our patients. </blockquote> Of those many treatments, three new drugs have been approved for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (the most common form of lung cancer) and four new drugs for the treatment of multiple myelomas. Also making the list is the first therapeutic virus, a drug directly injected into melanoma skin tumors that cannot be surgically removed. “Some of the responses to these drugs have been dramatic and sustained,” says Dr. Donegan. <br> <br> Michael Stein, executive director of oncology services at GBMC, is also very encouraged by the new drugs recently added to the arsenal of GBMC’s physicians. “Our physicians are already using these new therapies, among many others, to offer patients the best chance of defeating their cancer,” Stein says. And there’s more good news: “These drugs in particular appear to have the potential to be effective against other tumor types in the near future.” <br> <br> <figure class="image-left"> <img src="/sites/default/files/hg_features/hg_post/65dc90e1e7479f6610c0b01e8e8b35dd.jpg"> </figure> “In the past, most of the new medicines approved to fight cancer were chemotherapy drugs,” explains Dr. Donegan, adding that chemotherapy traditionally causes many side effects (like hair loss) because it also interferes with healthy cells. <br> <br> “Chemotherapy drugs are still very important in the treatment of many cancers,” he says. “However, the newer drugs that are getting approved are generally more specific, either by targeting the cancer cell directly or by recruiting the patient's own immune system to lead the fight. Sometimes these newer drugs are combined with traditional chemotherapy leading to an improved response rate.” <br> <br> Stein says the medical oncologists at GBMC work to stay abreast of the latest therapies by serving as investigators on clinical trials, taking leadership roles in national research and medical associations, and presenting their patients' diagnoses at a weekly tumor board meeting to gather ideas and input from their colleagues and other cancer specialists. <br> <br> “This collaborative environment helps our medical oncologists focus on the precise and most effective therapy to help our patients,” says Stein. “With so many new therapies approved by the FDA, patients treated at GBMC can rest assured that their physicians have more options than ever to treat their cancer.” <br> <br> With even more new drugs awaiting approval, the future continues to look bright for cancer treatment. “There are now hundreds of targeted therapies and immunotherapies in the research pipeline, and I expect that approval rate will only accelerate,” Dr. Donegan says. <br> <br> But there’s one hitch, adds Dr. Donegan: To get FDA approval, drugs must undergo rigorous testing through clinical trials, but fewer than 10 percent of cancer patients choose to participate. <br> <br> “If more patients were to participate in clinical trials, we would ultimately see a more rapid approval of those drugs proven to be effective. I encourage every patient to at least consider clinical trial participation when one is available,” Dr. Donegan says. <br> <br> He adds that GBMC has a very active clinical trials program that brings new treatment options to its patients long before FDA approval. <br> <br> “At GBMC, we aim to provide highly personalized cancer care for all of our patients,” Dr. Donegan says. “This involves a team approach, where caregivers of all types collaborate in a small and close-knit setting. Not only do we incorporate many of these new and exciting medications, but we also are forever mindful of our patients’ physical, emotional and spiritual needs.” <br> <br> <em>— Joe Yogerst for Greater Baltimore Medical Center</em> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_5GYw0dSQH8" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> When GBMC initially talked about getting a simulation lab, Deb Higgins was among the first in line to get involved. <br> <br> "I was very excited and went to my boss and I said this is me, it's me all over," Higgins said. <br> <br> She explained she's loves to teach and is passionate about education. <br> <br> "I felt it was such a creative way to bring education to the healthcare community, and not just to nursing, but to everybody," she said. <br> <br> In the simulation lab there are mannequins that blink, breathe, have heartbeat sounds and bowel sounds, but the realistic nature doesn't end there. <br> <br> Higgins said she can use makeup techniques she's learned to demonstrate bruising or different types of injuries, too. <br> <br> "This is the realest thing you're going to get, next to being there with a patient," Higgins said. <br> <br> It's a valuable experience for those who come to learn. <br> <br> "Coming here I feel like learn something new every day, because by teaching it here and practicing we can apply it to real life," Jessica Cornejo, a medical surgical nurse, said. <em>A Day in the Life is produced by WMAR - ABC2</em> </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CILLHUJKLvw?rel=0?ecver=2" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> Real patients. Real challenges. This is the Art of Nursing at GBMC. Follow the daily lives of our nurses as they bring healing and hope to the youngest and oldest patients of GBMC HealthCare. </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xku1MYxst3Q" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> Director of Lean Operations, Lisa Griffee, discusses what Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) is doing to continually improve patient safety and quality. Focusing on achieving better health, better care and least waste through Lean Daily Management and standard processes, GBMC is working to get closer to its vision of: "To every patient, every time, we will provide the care we would want for our own loved ones." In September 2016, GBMC received the Inaugural Patient Safety and Innovation Award from the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) with Datix in recognition of its Patient Safety and Innovation. </p>
<p class="article-body"> Greater Baltimore Medical Center’s new employed physicians group president brings vision, experience and good humor to one of the region’s preeminent healthcare systems. <br> <br> Before taking the helm of the physicians group owned by GBMC, Harold J. Tucker, M.D., served as chief of staff and had an impressive medical resume, a dedicated job history at GBMC as both a private physician and group doctor, and the respect of colleagues. <br> <br> “Hal is wise, funny, even-tempered and knowledgeable,” says Melissa Sparrow, M.D., GBMC’s new chief of staff. “He is very comfortable in a leadership position. Professionally, he brings the mindset of a private-practicing physician, an independent doctor. He has been at GBMC a long time and knows the intricacies of systems and relationships.” <br> <br> Looking back, Dr. Tucker seemed forever on a path to lead local physicians. <br> <br> Born in Baltimore, by 1969 he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland, returning to the campus at 22 S. Greene Street immediately after to earn a medical degree from his alma mater. <br> <br> Dr. Tucker interned and completed his residency at the University of Maryland Hospital, a teaching hospital founded in 1823.He later served as a fellow of gastroenterology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and got his start as a physician in Baltimore at what was then Francis Scott Key Medical Center, now Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. <br> <br> Dr. Tucker joined GBMC in the early 1980s. He has since served in a number of key roles, including vice chief of staff, chief of staff and chairman of GBMC’s Credentials Committee. <br> <br> Over the years, however, one thing has been a constant: Dr. Tucker has never lost the passion for his job as a gastroenterologist. <br> <br> “I’m a specialist in dealing with a variety of diseases that affect the digestive system,” Dr. Tucker says. “Stomach problems, intestinal problems, liver problems … So it’s a little bit of surgery, a little bit of counseling with patients and a little bit of pharmaceutical therapy, so you do everything. It’s quite varied, which keeps it very interesting.” <br> <br> He spoke about a patient with a severe liver disorder and how not long ago, the damage would have led to a pained and depressing outcome. “But now we have newer medications that we are able to use effectively, and we turned his life around,” says Dr. Tucker. Seeing a patient fully rebound never gets old, he adds. <br> <br> Dr. Tucker brings the same level of passion and fervor to his new post as president of Greater Baltimore Medical Associates, the large and diverse group of primary care and specialty physician practices owned by GBMC. <br> <br> Already, he has a three-pronged plan. <br> <br> First, he will work to rename the group and set up a formal governance body with bylaws and new polices. <br> <br> Next, he will shift his focus to the culture of the physicians group. <br> <br> “While our physicians are employed by the hospital, they also have to continue to work under the notion of being employed but still functioning as though they are independent,” Dr. Tucker says. “That is a big cultural change for the doctors, and we have to work to develop that.” <br> <br> Finally, he wants to position the group as “the face of the GBMC HealthCare system.” <br> <br> “It will take some time,” he says, “but we are a high quality, well-respected and well-liked group of doctors who will help build the GBMC brand.” <br> <br> At home, Dr. Tucker is happy to go by a different title: Husband to his wife, Roberta, a pathologist. The couple married 10 days before Dr. Tucker began medical school 47 years ago. Now, they are parents of three grown sons and have four grandchildren. <br> <br> Life is good for this Baltimore native son, who remains on top of his game and proves a life spent caring for others, building community and being a good colleague is a life well spent. <br> <br> <em>- Daniel Vasquez for Greater Baltimore Medical Center</em> </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZtxkMFT8t-k" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <h4> The goal at GBMC is 'to treat every patient, every time as a loved one,' VP of patient safety says, after receiving national recognition. </h4> Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) HealthCare Inc. was recently honored with the inaugural American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) Patient Safety Award — partnering with Datix — for GBMC’s organizational efforts to further patient safety. <br> <br> GBMC was selected from many applicants nationwide for its use of Lean and Lean Daily Management to improve health outcomes for patients and reduce preventable harm such as infections, falls with injury and hospital acquired pressure ulcers. To qualify for the award, GBMC had to do the following: <ul> <li> Demonstrate a new approach that has not yet gained national exposure </li> <li> Promote an organizational culture of safety </li> <li> Support collaboration with other providers and within the continuum of care </li> <li> Provide a system that can be replicated or adapted by other organizations </li> </ul> "Patient safety and quality are our highest priorities at GBMC HealthCare Inc. Receiving this recognition from an external authority, like ASHRM, is a substantial confirmation of the work we're doing to improve the safety and quality of patient care," said John Chessare, MD, president and CEO of GBMC Healthcare Inc. "We're very proud of our hard work and commitment to patient safety." <br> <br> According to Carolyn Candiello, GBMC’s Vice President of Patient Safety, GBMC has realized such award-winning success because of the hard work invested by its dedicated staff members. “Since we started Lean Daily Management in April 2013, we have seen significant reduction in not only patient harm, but employee injuries, reduced waste and improved patient satisfaction. We measure our progress towards achieving our vision by our results in each of our four aims of Better Health, Better Care, Least Waste and Most Joy for those providing care,” says Candiello. <br> <br> Candiello added that GBMC is honored to be recognized for the way the GBMC healthcare system utilizes Lean Daily Management to help promote a culture of safety, high reliability and engage our workforce in daily problem-solving. “Our leaders interact daily with our staff to provide guidance and support so they can provide care that meets our vision – to treat every patient, every time as a loved one,” states Candiello.
<p class="article-body"> Doctors at Greater Baltimore Medical Center are much more than graduates of the nation’s top medical schools. They’re standout graduates of life. <br> <br> That’s why, after spending any amount of time with Melissa Sparrow, M.D., it’s not hard to figure out why she was recently promoted to chief of staff at GBMC: Not to mention, the first woman to be named GBMC’s chief of staff. <br> <br> How did she get there? <br> <br> “I love what I do,” says Dr. Sparrow. “I like to look at the big picture and make it better. I see a problem, and I want to fix it.” <br> <br> That can-do spirit has served her well throughout her life and career. <br> <br> Prior to graduating from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1999 and completing her pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2002, Sparrow earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton University. She also worked as a fashion model in Paris, a high school English teacher, as well as a writer and editor. <br> <br> She is fluent in Spanish and French, and the proud mother of two children. <br> <br> And in the spare time she manages to find, she writes poetry. <br> <br> Dr. Sparrow joined GBMC 13 years ago as a pediatrician. Since then she has taken on a number of challenges, including helping create and run a groundbreaking pediatric facility that combines emergency and inpatient services, providing seriously ill or injured children with a continuum of quality care until they are well enough to go home. The program has become a national model. <br> <br> At GBMC, she also has served as a member of the Pediatric Service Excellence Committee, as chair of the Medical Staff Peer Review Committee, and as a member of the Board of Directors, on which she still serves. Prior to her appointment this summer as chief of staff, Dr. Sparrow helped run the hospital as vice chief of staff. <br> <br> Timothy Doran, M.D., chairman of pediatrics at GBMC, says Dr. Sparrow’s work ethic, professional dedication and willingness to speak up for patients established her as a natural born leader among her peers. <br> <br> “Melissa has no problem speaking truth to power,” says Dr. Doran, who is Dr. Sparrow’s mentor and supervisor. “She has real passion for patients and tends to really focus on the patient experience and is keenly interested in physician behavior and conduct.” <br> <br> In her role as chief of staff, Dr. Sparrow takes charge of hundreds of physicians utilizing GBMC, including those directly employed by the center and those affiliated who treat patients there. “The job is a big deal and she’s the right person for it,” Dr. Doran adds. <br> <br> On a recent afternoon, a doctor treating a child suffering from latent tuberculosis called Dr. Sparrow for help. The condition doesn’t mean the child has contracted the deadly infection, but has been dangerously exposed. The doctor was having a hard time convincing the young patient’s parents that nine months of in-hospital therapy was called for. The parents disagreed and demanded to take their child home, forcing the doctor to face the tough choice of calling in county social services officials — or the police — to protect the best interests of the child. <br> <br> Dr. Sparrow was able to counsel the doctor on how to handle the conversation with the upset parents and turn their decision around. No cops needed. <br> <br> “The life of a physician is an ongoing education,” Dr. Sparrow says. “I feel so energized by what I do and honored to have the trust of the people I work for. I feel gratified every day.” <br> <br> <em>- Daniel Vasquez for Greater Baltimore Medical Center</em> </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MgtMJdkg_5o" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> Roxann Cavey always wanted to work in the medical field. <br> <br> When she was still in nursing school, Cavey got a job working as a tech with the Medical Intensive Care Unit at GBMC. <br> <br> The hands-on experience there made for a smooth transition into becoming a nurse on that floor. Cavey said the small, homey feel of the hospital makes it a perfect fit for her. <br> <br> "Everyone's very caring and open and would really care for their own patients as if it were their own family members," Cavey said. <br> <br> She looks forward to coming to work every day. "Lots of patients have had impacts on me, I would say I think what touches me the most is when you do relate to them and it's not just like they are a patient, you sort of get that emotional feel with them because it could be your own family member," Cavey said. </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1TxMcx8bUJw" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> Sara Turner is a home hospice nurse for Gilchrist Services, helping to ease the process of passing on for patients and their families. <br> <br> Turner works to meet her patients’ needs, offering both medical care and emotional support. <br> <br> “If you can help somebody in their very last hours, days, months, that’s kind of the best gift you can give for somebody and their family as well,” she said. <br> <br> While saying goodbye to a loved one can be tough, Turner said she loves building new relationships and making the transition smooth for families under her care. <br> <br> “My favorite, favorite part of the job is when somebody passes and they’re comfortable and their family is okay with it, and their family is comfortable, because that’s a hard thing to do,” she said. <em>A Day in the Life is produced by WMAR - ABC2</em> </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ObVRTAJJPRA" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> The team's involvement with patients and their families can begin as early as pregnancy, when some birth defects may be diagnosed. A geneticist and genetic counselor provide information to the parents. The family has the option of scheduling a consultation with a facial plastic reconstructive surgeon. At that consultation the surgeon will describe the types of surgery, explain the anticipated time frame for surgery and answer any other questions parents may have. </p>
<p class="article-body"> <b>Paul Celano, MD, FACP</b>, has been named Medical Director of the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC. A graduate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, New York, Dr. Celano has been a medical oncologist at GBMC since 1993 and was previously Chief of the Division of Medical Oncology in the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute as well as Assistant Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. <br> <br> </p> <figure class="image-right"> <img src="/sites/default/files/hg_features/hg_post/65767961657a50dad6aa9fd0fb4ef0ff.jpg"> <figcaption> Paul Celano, MD, FACP - Medical Director of the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute </figcaption> </figure> During his tenure at GBMC, Dr. Celano has acted as the oncology representative on multiple hospital committees, assisted with developing the oncology clinical trials program, established clinical relationships with Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and served in leadership positions at the national level in numerous oncology and research organizations. Consistently recognized as a Top Doctor by <em>Baltimore</em> magazine, Dr. Celano is also active in legislative affairs and policy as they relate to cancer care in Maryland and the nation. <br> <br> Dr. Celano succeeds Dr. Gary Cohen, who retired in January 2016 after serving as Medical Director of the Berman Cancer Institute for 25 years. <hr> <b>Mary Louise Z. Collins, MD</b>, has been appointed Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology. She succeeds Charles P. Wilkinson, MD, who retired in December 2015 after more than 20 years leading GBMC's Department of Ophthalmology. <br> <br> After earning her medical degree from Georgetown University and completing residency at Wills Eye Hospital and fellowship at Children's National Medical Center, Dr. Collins began her GBMC career in 1993. <figure class="image-left"> <img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K11zPj0o33M/Vz8RKAdbgEI/AAAAAAAABMY/0MhaV9ByV5ob7Dw1iwEY2rmPjsSQexRfQCLcB/s200/DSC_0666a.jpg" style="max-width:250px;"> <figcaption> Mary Louise Z. Collins, MD - Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology </figcaption> </figure> <br> <br> She is the Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the Director of Resident Education for the Ophthalmology Residency Program and has been the consulting ophthalmologist at The Maryland School for the Blind since 1993. In her new position as Chairman, Dr. Collins plans to expand and improve access to primary eye care services on GBMC's campus, support comprehensive and subspecialty ophthalmology medical staff members and advance the academic and teaching mission of the Department. She will continue her clinical practice in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus. <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<p class="article-body"> As it does every year, GBMC HealthCare celebrated National Nurses Week from May 6 - 12 to recognize its talented nurses. This year, GBMC had extra cause for celebration; <em>Baltimore</em>magazine named six members of GBMC's nursing staff as 'Top Nurses of 2016' in its Excellence in Nursing issue! Chosen by their peers from among thousands of nurses throughout the Baltimore region, these six outstanding professionals were selected in five different specialties and represented 11 percent of all winners. <br> <br> Honorees include Justine Kellar (Management/Nurse Executives), Shannon Isaac (Orthopedics), Joseph Henry (Pediatrics-Neonatal), Laura Clary (Women's Health), Sherry Pearson (Women's Health) and Erin Batton (Hospice/Home Health/Palliative Care). A complete list of all nurses recognized can be found online at <a href="http://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2016/5/3/top-nurses-2016-unsung-heroes-of-health-care" target="_blank">www.baltimoremagazine.net/top-nurses-2016</a>. <br> <br> According to GBMC President and CEO John Chessare, MD, “Nurses and nursing support technicians are the backbone of GBMC. They spend the most time with patients and are critically important members of the healthcare team. Their untiring work at the bedside and in improving patient safety and redesigning systems to improve care is remarkable.” GBMC is proud of its exemplary caregivers and this truly deserved recognition. <br> <br> <a href="http://www.gbmccareers.org/nursing" target="_blank">Click here</a> to read what the honorees have to say about GBMC. </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2l2dnC3YQrc" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> GBMC has been a community establishment since 1965. Find out what our vision entails for the future of our organization. <br> <br> In this era of healthcare reform, GBMC is moving toward a patient-centered, evidence-based medicine model where physicians and care teams focus on a patient's overall wellness and long-term care rather than episodic care. To accomplish this, we are making significant investments in healthcare information technology (EMR, CPOE) and are building a network of hospital and community-based healthcare providers (GBHA) to deliver integrated and coordinated care. <br> <br> We are moving into the future with renewed energy and increasing insight and have adopted a new vision: "To every patient, every time, we will provide the care that we would want for our own loved ones." </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4qAgy_xQHzY" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> For Lisa Blevins, being a nurse in the radiation oncology department is about more than just taking care of a patient's physical needs. </p>
