<p class="article-body"> GBMC is a community-centered hospital system fortunate enough to be part of a diverse community. GBMC HealthCare Chief Diversity and Learning Officer Lisa Walker says dedication to diversity and inclusion is at the forefront of GBMC’s vision. <br> <br> “We have an integrated strategy to ensure our work aligns with our vision and mission, [which is] to give every patient, every time, the care we would want for our loved ones,” Walker says. <br> <br> A 2021 exploration into GBMC’s practices showed a lot of work being done to support diversity, equity, and inclusion, Walker says. It also highlighted opportunities to strengthen the work already being done and some areas that could be improved. Key takeaways from the assessment included appointing Walker as the chief diversity and learning officer (the first at GBMC) and creating an integrated strategy to ensure the diversity and inclusion work at GBMC is progressing at a rate that keeps up with the needs of the community. <br> <br> Walker explains a lot of the diversity work will relate to growing and developing the leaders within GBMC, along with training the workforce. <br> <br> “I oversee both strategies so we can be very intentional with our work,” Walker says. “That includes leveraging the resources of the entire team to get that work done and making sure our workforce has basic education and competency.” <br> <br> More specifically, Walker says, this includes making sure all GBMC leaders are trained on unconscious and implicit bias, gender-inclusive language, and gender identity, and ensuring GBMC supports the LGBTQ+ community and culture. <br> <br> “It also includes improving recruitment practices and working on increasing the diversity of our leadership team,” Walker says. “We’re partnering with diverse, community-based organizations to ensure we can increase the pipeline of candidates.” <br> <br> The staff at GBMC is an integral part of the overall inclusion and diversity strategy, Walker explains. <br> <br> “We hold town hall meetings to keep staff informed and give them the opportunity to offer suggestions and ask questions. It’s a safe space that allows us to speak with smaller, intimate groups of teams and allows them to share their ideas.” <br> <br> Over the next three years, GBMC will continue to implement its inclusivity strategy, with goals focused on providing culturally competent care to new and current patients as well as increasing the diversity of the leadership team from 25% in 2022 to 35% in 2023. <br> <br> “We want to increase access to care for marginalized communities in Baltimore through community engagement and partnership as well as continue to work on health equity and bridging the disparities of care in the communities we serve,” Walker says. <br> <br> Walker hopes both patients and potential employees of GBMC will notice the work being done. <br> <br> “People should see our commitment to inclusivity in the care they receive, and candidates should see it in the touch points of their recruitment process. Everyone has a place in our organization.” </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
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GBMC has been recognized as one of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2022 by Newsweek! This prestigious recognition was given to only six Maryland hospitals, and GBMC is 1 of 3 in the state to receive a designation as a five-ribbon hospital. Based on medical key performance indicators and patient survey results, 350 hospitals in the United States were selected. As "the Baby Hospital" serving Marylanders for the past 57 years, this is a true honor and reflection of why so many families choose to start their journey here.
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<p class="article-body"> President and CEO of the GBMC HealthCare System, John B. Chessare, MD, MPH, was recently presented with the 2022 Harry S. Hertz Leadership Award from the Baldrige Foundation. <br> <br> <a target="_blank" alt="The Baldridge Foundation" href="https://baldrigefoundation.org/">The Baldrige Foundation</a> supports organizational performance excellence in the United States and throughout the world. Awarded annually by the Baldrige Foundation, the Hertz Award recognizes outstanding leaders who have inspired, encouraged, challenged, and empowered others to achieve performance excellence. This accolade is one of four categories in the Baldrige Foundation Leadership Awards. <br> <br> “This award is a further endorsement that, under Dr. Chessare’s leadership, our healthcare system has made a meaningful difference in the lives of those we have the privilege to serve, especially the most vulnerable members of our community. We are grateful for his direction, and we congratulate him on this prestigious honor,” said Fred Hudson, Chair of the GBMC HealthCare Board of Directors. <br> <br> The Baldrige Foundation considers nominees from across the nation for this significant award. The nominees’ leadership and achievements are thoroughly deliberated, including how they lead their organizations and encourage their teams to achieve high performance. Their accomplishments in becoming counselors for excellence throughout the Baldrige community are also assessed. <br> <br> "John is a role-model leader deeply committed to the Baldrige framework and who embodies the Baldrige leadership principles," said Al Faber, President and CEO of the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Inc. "His unwavering servant leadership style has been instrumental in the success of GBMC HealthCare in navigating the unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic." <br> <br> The Baldrige Foundation created the Harry S. Hertz leadership award in 2013. It was named after Harry Hertz, the first winner, because he personified the Baldrige Core Values and Leadership Behaviors: visionary leadership, customer-focused excellence, valuing people, organizational learning and agility, managing for innovation, management by fact, societal responsibility, ethics and transparency, delivering value and results, and a systems perspective. <br> <br> “I am truly honored to receive this recognition. At GBMC HealthCare, we use the science of improvement, first promulgated by W. Edwards Deming and Walter Shewhart, and now supported by the Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence Program and the Baldrige Foundation to move faster towards our vision of becoming the community-based system of care that can deliver to every patient, every time, the care that we would want for our own loved ones,” said Chessare. “I want to thank all of my colleagues for embracing continuous improvement and the Baldrige criteria.” </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<p class="article-body"> During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health emergency (PHE) declarations at the federal level and in many states made it possible for patients to have appointments with their medical providers remotely via computer, tablet, or smartphone using different platforms like FaceTime or Zoom. Known as “telehealth,” this practice helped people to get medical care and be isolated from others at the same time. <br> <br> With many PHE declarations due to COVID-19 ending, the rules for telehealth are changing back to what they were before the pandemic. GBMC HealthCare providers can no longer deliver telehealth services to a patient who is physically located outside the state of Maryland. <br> <br> GBMC HealthCare does continue to offer telehealth appointments, but only to <strong>patients physically located in Maryland at the time of the service</strong>. Patients who are not physically located in Maryland at the time of the appointment will need to reschedule their visit. <br> <br> Additionally, telehealth rules require that services be provided using secure platforms that protect the medical information you share. For this reason, <strong>all telehealth appointments going forward must be held within GBMC’s patient portal, MyChart</strong>. This is also due to the PHE declaration coming to an end, and certain waivers of telehealth rules with it. We understand this may pose some challenges and assure you that our staff members are committed to helping patients navigate their telehealth appointments. <br> <br> Thank you for being a GBMC HealthCare patient and for your cooperation during these changes. <br> <br> Sincerely, <br> John L. Flowers, MD, FACS <br> Chief Medical Officer – GBMC <br> President of GBMC Health Partners </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
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<p class="article-body">When it comes to selecting a good healthcare provider, the goal is finding someone you can trust who is going to provide excellent care. You might not have given much thought before to the letters behind your practitioner’s name, but what exactly is the difference between an MD and a DO? Is one better than the other? </p><p class="article-body">First, the basics: MD stands for medical doctor or Doctor of Medicine, and they practice allopathic medicine while DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Allopathic means treating symptoms and disease while osteopathic looks at the “whole person” and what other factors, aside from underlying symptoms, might be contributing to health issues. </p><p class="article-body">Both attend four years of medical school and must complete a residency, but osteopathic physicians receive extra training in principles and practices around the idea that you cannot separate the mind, body and spirit when it comes to medical care. </p><p class="article-body">“We look at the whole person to understand how structure relates to function,” Robin Motter-Mast, DO, FAAFP, CPE, Chief of Staff at GBMC HealthCare and Family Medicine Physician at GBMC Health Partners Primary Care—Hunt Manor, said. “If you visit an osteopathic physician, they are going to evaluate your entire person and ask questions that help them understand how you are doing emotionally, how you are doing physically, do you exercise, what’s your social structure look like to support you, etc.” </p><p class="article-body">Dr. Motter-Mast stresses that osteopathic approaches to medical care have become more common, and, as society at large has seen the benefits of this type of practice, an allopathic physician will often take more of a holistic approach to patient care. However, for those seeking a medical provider, a DO suffix indicates training in and a commitment to this type of practice. </p><p class="article-body">According to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), “the number of osteopathic physicians in the U.S. climbed to nearly 135,000—an 80% increase over the past decade.” As of 2021, 11% of all physicians in the United States were DOs. One even oversees the President’s healthcare. </p><p class="article-body">At GBMC, there are 34 employed DO physicians, 17 of whom practice in a primary care setting, which is the most common setting patients would see a DO. According to AOA, 56.5% of DOs nationally practice in primary care while the percentage for allopathic physicians is much lower. GBMC has osteopathic physicians in surgery, gynecology, emergency medicine and more. </p><p class="article-body">“I was a nurse for 10 years and saw my osteopathic colleagues had an inherent bedside manner, which is what attracted to me to it,” Jonathan J. Hennessee, DO, a family medicine physician at GBMC Health Partners Primary Care—Padonia, said. “When I started researching it, I decided I wanted to do primary care. After practicing reactionary medicine in the Emergency Department, I wanted to go back and learn to practice preventive medicine.” </p><p class="article-body">Dr. Hennessee earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA, while Dr. Motter-Mast received her degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in PA. There are currently no osteopathic doctoral programs in Maryland, but Morgan State University—recognizing the need for homegrown primary care providers—<a href="https://news.morgan.edu/osteopathic-medicine/">was in negotiations in 2020 to establish an osteopathic program</a> before COVID-19 held up talks. </p><p class="article-body">DOs share a lot of similarities with MDs, but they also have some things in common with chiropractors. Because osteopathic physicians believe in treating the whole person, they look at how the structure of the body works together to maintain healthy functioning. To that end, they tend to focus a lot on the spine. </p><p class="article-body">“Both chiropractors and osteopathic physicians believe symptoms can be traced back to the spine, and that if the spine is in alignment, that would naturally allow everything to fall into place and function a bit better,” Dr. Motter-Mast said. </p><p class="article-body">As part of their education, DOs are trained in manipulations of the spine. Dr. Motter-Mast defined the difference as an alignment (chiropractic) versus an adjustment (osteopathic). Chiropractors are not medical doctors but can—and do—treat existing pain and inflammation of the joints with forced pressure and manipulation. Osteopathic manipulation therapy (OMT), on the other hand, is more of a preventive measure that involves massage, stretching and light pressure. While patients visit a chiropractor specifically for treatment of an injury, OMT is just one tool in an osteopathic physician’s toolbelt to treat the whole person. </p><p class="article-body">A DO is a blended healthcare smoothie of medical doctor and chiropractor with a sprinkle of holistic medicine thrown in. While they are trained in a whole-body approach to care, all GBMC clinicians—MD, DO, FNP, CNRP and more—are committed to delivering the best care for patients every time. </p><p class="article-body">Choosing the healthcare provider for you all comes down to preference. As Dr. Hennessee says, “there is a physician out there for everyone. My bet is you would always have a good interaction with an osteopathic physician.”</p>
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<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cLJj3ARAx58" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> Dr. Delia Chiaramonte is the Medical Director of Integrative and Palliative Medicine at GBMC HealthCare System. Integrative medicine services include nutrition consultations, evidence-supported approaches to the use of supplements in cancer treatment, and mind-body therapies such as meditation, guided imagery and breathing techniques. Patients may also receive support to help cope with symptoms such as sleep problems, anxiety, depression, pain, nausea, fatigue and stress. <br> <br> For patients of the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC, Dr. Chiaramonte provides an innovative combination of her expertise. Dr. Chiaramonte and her team partner with oncologists as they go through their treatment. During a Feb. 23 conversation, she shared many important tips for thriving during cancer treatment; how to cope with symptoms, pain, mental health; and more. <br> <br> Palliative medicine does not mean end of life care, but rather it is symptom-focused care for serious illness. Dr. Chiaramonte and her team combine the benefits of palliative medicine with integrative medicine therapies—such as acupuncture, massage, meditation—to treat the whole person. They focus on treating the symptoms that might normally make it challenging for patients to live their daily lives. <br> <br> The Palliative and Integrative Medicine team works closely with oncologists to try alternatives to managing difficult symptoms patients may face, such as nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite. However, before prescribing strong medication like opioids, they do like to start with alternatives to managing pain. If alternative methods are not making progress in managing pain, the team will closely monitor patients and may provide small doses of pain medication. <br> <br> Dr. Chiaramonte offered many suggestions for how everyone, not just people undergoing cancer treatment, can improve their overall health. She suggested certain diet changes like including anti-inflammatory foods (berries) and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli) into your diet, moving your body in a way you enjoy such as dancing, and meditation to calm the mind. <br> <br> Some of the services provided by Dr. Chiaramonte and her team are covered by insurance. The program includes a mind/body specialist, who is available for both patients and family members. Services provided by the mind/body specialist are offered free of charge, and therefore rely entirely on donations to be able to continue. You can help support treating the whole patient during treatment by donating to <a href="https://www.classy.org/give/288692/#!/donation/checkout">the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC.</a> </p>
Treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are established, clinical methods for treating cancer. While they are effective at treating the disease itself, providing integrative and palliative medicine alongside these conventional treatments ensures the patient’s physical and emotional wellbeing are also being addressed. “Integrative means using all the different tools while palliative means reducing the physical and emotional suffering,” Delia Chiaramonte, MD, a palliative medicine physician and Medical Director of Integrative Medicine at GBMC, explains. Kruti Patel, MD, a radiation oncologist in the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC, says the collaboration between radiation oncology and the integrative and palliative medicine team immensely benefits patients going through treatment. “Radiation can be claustrophobia-inducing, especially if the cancer involves the brain or head and neck region,” Dr. Patel explains. “Patients often have to wear a mask for the duration of their treatment - sometimes up to an hour – under a large machine, in a room by themselves. It can be very stressful.” Dr. Patel says utilizing techniques introduced by the integrative medicine team, like guided imagery, can help tone down the anxiety the patient feels during treatment. Integrative medicine can be used throughout a patient’s treatment and recovery, helping them cope with side effects from radiation like:Fatigue. Dr. Patel explains, “We can break down the causes of the fatigue and find ways to tackle them. Yoga, dance, and qigong can all help with strength and stamina.”Poor sleep. Mindfulness practices before bed and melatonin are potential options offered by the integrative and palliative team to help patients increase their quality of sleep.Pain. Massage, guided imagery, and meditation, along with helping the patient understand how the brain perceives pain, are tools the patient can utilize to manage their pain, Dr. Patel says.There’s also an emphasis on mental health in integrative and palliative care, which can play a role in how a patient responds to treatment. “Exploring patients’ thoughts and emotions in an effort to understand how they are processing the diagnosis, therapies and side effects can improve the treatment experience, both the physical and emotional aspects,” Dr. Patel says. Dr. Chiaramonte says the partnership with the Radiation Oncology team at GBMC is unparalleled. Radiation can help eliminate cancer, but it can cause side effects. It’s important to balance those with integrative medicine treatment approaches, which can teach patients how to manage the side effects of radiation. “We truly are part of the team. More and more physicians are recognizing the benefits of this integrated approach and how it helps the patient,” Chiaramonte says. “They care about the whole person and want to treat the whole person.” Dr. Patel agrees, “integrative medicine is strongly valued at GBMC, and we are actively growing the program because it’s an important part of the patient experience.”
<p class="article-body"> As GBMC prepares for construction on the Sandra R. Berman Pavilion, convenience for patients has already begun with the relocation of Advanced Radiology to Physicians Pavilion East. <br> <br> Advanced Radiology delivers a full spectrum of state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging services, provided by expert radiologists at two caring and comfortable centers. <br> <br> <strong>The GBMC Imaging Center</strong>, relocated to Physicians Pavilion East, Suite 100, in September 2021, allows more room for increased capabilities as well as patient convenience. The center includes two MRIs, a CT and a dedicated PET/CT, ultrasound, X-rays, breast and prostate MRI, and low-dose CT for lung cancer screening. <br> <br> Due to its proximity to Iris Park, parking for this location is more accessible, including dedicated parking spots for those visiting the GBMC Imaging Center. <br> <br> <strong>The GBMC Women’s Imaging Center,</strong> located in the main hospital and down the hall from the new GBMC Imaging Center, continues to offer all breast diagnostic services as well as bone density scans. The GBMC Women’s Imaging Center is part of the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Comprehensive Breast Care Center, which means a multidisciplinary team (including navigators, breast surgeons, and more) is conveniently available for patients, if needed. <br> <br> Together, these two centers offer all the imaging services patients and families need for ease and convenience and are housed closer to many specialists. Using the most up-to-date technology, board-certified and subspecialty trained radiologists work collaboratively with the experienced team of GBMC physicians to provide the highest quality care. </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<p class="article-body"> A hybrid approach to learning that includes exposure to practical experience in addition to traditional textbook learning is important, especially in the medical field. When COVID-19 first shut down and then delayed surgeries, medical students had a challenging time finding a way to get that more tactile experience. <br> <br> On January 28, GBMC, in partnership with the SurgCenter of Northern Baltimore in Hunt Valley, offered Towson University audiology doctoral students a chance to sit in on a cochlear implant surgery—from their couches. <br> <br> Eighty students and faculty tuned in via Avail technology to watch Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at GBMC, Brian Kaplan, MD, perform a cochlear implant surgery. Prior to the pandemic, the operating room (OR) could only accommodate one or two participants in-person for observation, so this new technology opened the opportunity to a wider audience of students, giving them a chance to experience a surgery in real-time and ask questions. <br> <br> According to Regina Presley, Au.D., FAAA, CCC/A, Director of Audiology at the Presbyterian Board of Governors Cochlear Implant Center of Excellence at GBMC, “The students were able to observe the entire surgery, which is a great anatomy lesson as well as a great opportunity to discuss cochlear implants in general. When it’s time to make a referral to their own patients, they can talk to them from a place of knowledge about what the process is because they understand the technology.” <br> <br> Only about 5-7% of patients who could benefit from cochlear implant technology actually pursue the surgery, in part because, as a relatively new surgical option, there is a lack of awareness about its benefits among clinicians. <br> <br> “The purpose of this observation was training and education,” Presley said. “There is a commitment to educate audiologists and ENTs, while increasing awareness of the latest technology and when it’s appropriate to make recommendations.” <br> <br> The patient, who consented to participate, was completely draped with no identifying features visible, and the Avail technology used to broadcast the observation to students was held on a secure platform to prevent hacking or tampering. <br> <br> The Cochlear Implant Center at GBMC is a trailblazer in the field and involved internationally with industry innovation and engagement. Utilizing this technology is no exception. Currently, there are fewer than 10 institutions in the United States performing surgeries using Avail for students. <br> <br> This first operation was a success. In an anonymous post-observation survey, one faculty member said, “This was fantastic. There is nothing I can do in my classroom that would match viewing the surgery. This experience gives my students a level of perspective on cochlear implantation that I cannot give them without an opportunity like this.” <br> <br> One student commented, “The broadcast was easy to use, and the session ran incredibly well. It was a wonderful and unique opportunity to have the surgeon available for questions in real-time.” <br> <br> When asked, “On a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best), did you feel the broadcast was educational and an effective learning event,” 94% of participants answered 5, while the other 6% answered 4. <br> <br> Based on the success of the observation, the hope is to offer similar observations for future audiology students within Towson University’s curriculum, as well as for ENT residents. </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P6ufM4nq5Ak" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> Dr. Colin Russell explains the role of hospitalists at GBMC. At GBMC, hospitalists act as primary care physicians for patients by providing care as well as coordinating with specialists and other medical teams. The hospitalist also orders testing, blood panels, imaging, and the like and makes care choices along with the patient and their loved ones. </p>
<p class="article-body"> At GBMC, whether you are parking, visiting a GBMC HealthCare provider, or <a href="/node/2209">using the patient portal, MyChart,</a> there is a group of community members behind the scenes working to make processes as smooth as possible. <br> <br> <a href="/node/2267">The Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC) at GBMC</a> was created because, as Director of Patient Experience Michelle Johnson explains, “We wanted to get feedback from patients about how we’re providing services to them. We want to be sure we’re meeting their needs.” <br> <br> Made up of 12 members of the community, Patient/Family Advisors (PFA) represent the demographic served by GBMC from an age and ethnic perspective. Johnson says Council members usually join PFAC after a memorable experience with GBMC, either as a patient or as a patient’s family member. According to Johnson, their experience with GBMC doesn’t need to be a perfect one to become a PFA. <br> <br> “For example, if someone files a grievance, we may ask them to be part of the committee. We want a good balance of members who are going to give us honest feedback,” Johnson says. <br> <br> The GBMC HealthCare PFAC is an integral part of the decision-making process throughout many departments within the hospital, explains Johnson. <br> <br> “We try to ensure they’re part of the strategic planning process every year. Their voices are heard all the way up to the board,” she says. <br> <br> Some past input and suggestions from the PFAC include: </p> <ul> <li> Parking. Johnson says parking at GBMC was redesigned based on PFAC feedback to include valet parking and separate parking for oncology offices. </li> <li> Payment options. “Once, we considered going cash-free in the offices, but PFAC said, ‘Absolutely not. We need to be able to pay cash because certain parts of the population aren’t electronically-savvy.’ So, we kept cash as a payment option,” Johnson says. </li> <li> Patient Portal design. PFAC members sit on the Patient Portal Design Committee to help ensure the place where patients and families go to get information is user-friendly and easy to navigate. </li> <li> Complaints and grievances. A PFA sits on the Grievances Board because, “we’re not always honest when looking at ourselves with a critical eye. It’s important to hear the voice of the patient and not just a clinical perspective,” Johnson says. </li> </ul> GBMC currently has one hospital-based PFAC, while the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute, Gilchrist, and GBMC Health Partners have their own councils. Johnson says there is an additional PFAC in the process of being formed for Maternal Newborn Health. <br> <br> Each PFAC is comprised of 12 to 15 members, and patients and family members of patients within the GBMC HealthCare System are welcome to apply. There is an interview process to thoroughly explain the role of the PFAC and the responsibility of its members, and the committee meets at least six times a year. <br> <br> “PFAC members are an engaged, verbal group,” Johnson says. “They love being a part of the decision-making process and are dedicated to helping GBMC maintain our reputation in the community.” <br> <br> All healthcare providers and administration at GBMC are grateful for the work of PFAC and value their feedback. <br> <br> “We are here because of the patients, so we need to ensure the voice of the patients is heard in everything we do,” Johnson says. <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
