<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YWc63wX2giM" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> The Nearly New Sale is a longstanding tradition at GBMC and has been a hugely successful fundraising event thanks to the generosity and support of our donors and patrons. Held twice each year, it raises approximately $250,000 annually, contributing significant dollars to patient care delivered by GBMC Healthcare. Recent proceeds have gone to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the GBMC Center for Neurology, the Gilchrist Kids Endowment Fund and a new state of the art surgical simulation lab for clinicians and nurses on campus. See what Yuliya Klopouh, PharmD, MH thinks about this amazing event and learn about what things you can find! Go to <a target="_top" href="/node/2483">https://www.gbmc.org/nearlynewsale</a> to learn more </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CAcR135WSzM" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> The Nearly New Sale is a longstanding tradition at GBMC and has been a hugely successful fundraising event thanks to the generosity and support of our donors and patrons. Held twice each year, it raises approximately $250,000 annually, contributing significant dollars to patient care delivered by GBMC Healthcare. Recent proceeds have gone to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the GBMC Center for Neurology, the Gilchrist Kids Endowment Fund and a new state of the art surgical simulation lab for clinicians and nurses on campus. See what Mike Stein, thinks about this amazing event and learn about what things you can find! Go to <a href="/node/2483" target="_blank">https://www.gbmc.org/nearlynewsale</a> to learn more </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0soDczkINrM" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> The Nearly New Sale is a longstanding tradition at GBMC and has been a hugely successful fundraising event thanks to the generosity and support of our donors and patrons. Held twice each year, it raises approximately $250,000 annually, contributing significant dollars to patient care delivered by GBMC Healthcare. Recent proceeds have gone to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the GBMC Center for Neurology, the Gilchrist Kids Endowment Fund and a new state of the art surgical simulation lab for clinicians and nurses on campus. See what Brian Riemer thinks about this amazing event and learn about what things you can find! Go to <a target="_top" href="/node/2483">https://www.gbmc.org/nearlynewsale</a> to learn more </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R4rDobEuKgY" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> The Nearly New Sale is a longstanding tradition at GBMC and has been a hugely successful fundraising event thanks to the generosity and support of our donors and patrons. Held twice each year, it raises approximately $250,000 annually, contributing significant dollars to patient care delivered by GBMC Healthcare. Recent proceeds have gone to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the GBMC Center for Neurology, the Gilchrist Kids Endowment Fund and a new state of the art surgical simulation lab for clinicians and nurses on campus. See what Christopher Greenawalt, MD thinks about this amazing event and learn about what things you can find! Go to <a target="_top" href="/node/2483">https://www.gbmc.org/nearlynewsale</a> to learn more </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KrDKWxrc6Cs" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> The Nearly New Sale is a longstanding tradition at GBMC and has been a hugely successful fundraising event thanks to the generosity and support of our donors and patrons. Held twice each year, it raises approximately $250,000 annually, contributing significant dollars to patient care delivered by GBMC Healthcare. Recent proceeds have gone to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the GBMC Center for Neurology, the Gilchrist Kids Endowment Fund and a new state of the art surgical simulation lab for clinicians and nurses on campus. See what Deborah Higgins thinks about this amazing event and learn about what things you can find! Go to <a target="_top" href="/node/2483">https://www.gbmc.org/nearlynewsale</a> to learn more </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-gbaQR2NLI" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> In the last year, it has been painfully obvious how much COVID-19 can affect a person’s physical health. However, Elie Miller, M.D., family medicine physician at GBMC Health Partners Primary Care – Owings Mills, explains that living through a global crisis, quarantine, and minimal human interaction can have a major effect on mental health, too. <br> <br> As a primary care physician, Dr. Miller is often the first point of contact for a patient who’s seeking professional help for feelings of anxiety or depression. <br> <br> “One thing that makes family medicine unique is that it allows for a broad array of interactions. The practice is old-fashioned in the sense that we are truly counted on to understand everything,” Dr. Miller says. <br> <br> COVID-19 brought unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety to patients, some of whom have never dealt with those concerns. Dr. Miller explains, “Almost daily, I encounter patients, high-functioning people, who are unclear as to how to define the issue because they’ve never dealt with something like this. They have symptoms like daily chest pain, they’re up all night, unable to sleep, and it’s because of stress.” <br> <br> Dr. Miller says he noticed a few major factors in 2020 that seemed to play a role in increasing levels of anxiety and stress in his patients. The first was fear of the unknown. <br> <br> “None of us like not knowing what is coming next, and mixed messages from healthcare professionals about the pandemic created stress for many,” Dr. Miller says. He further explains that, at the beginning of the pandemic, there was a tremendous amount of data going out in different directions. <br> <br> “It was a time of uncertainty, and patients looked to doctors to give them answers when they didn’t necessarily have the right ones.” <br> <br> Finally, Dr. Miller describes the blurring of professional and family life as a major cause of stress among people who usually worked outside the home. He suggests creating a commute to make sure work and home time don’t blend together. <br> <br> “When we lost our commutes, we lost the ability to separate a bad day at work from our home life. You finish up a stressful day at work and then automatically have to move into homework and bedtime,” Dr. Miller says. “A walk a few times around the block before coming into the house helps to create that separation.” <br> <br> It turns out he was on to something, as a Wall Street Journal article published in January 2021 detailed the benefits of creating a fake commute to separate work and home life. <br> <br> With COVID-19 vaccines now widely available and most states eliminating restrictions around wearing masks and social distancing, Dr. Miller says the struggle lies in reversing some of the bad habits developed during the months of social isolation. <br> <br> “Here we are, a year later, and the negative habits that we’ve worked on for a year, like drinking every night of the week and unhealthily snacking throughout the day, have become a lifestyle. You have to actively work to reverse those habits,” Dr. Miller says. <br> <br> Primary care physicians can help undo those negative lifestyle trends post-pandemic by addressing the mental concepts behind them. Dr. Miller says collaborative care programs, like the ones offered at GBMC, help immensely. <br> <br> “[They] allow primary care doctors to manage patients’ anxiety in the ways they feel appropriate, while referring them to therapists that we work hand-in-hand with to review the case and give recommendations.” <br> <br> This treatment plan allows Dr. Miller to help long-time patients work past mental obstacles and greatly improve their quality of life. <br> <br> “Everyone is desperate for answers, some degree of consolation,” he says. “We [in primary care] are the main point of contact, and we have to make sure patients get the help they need.” <a href="/node/2531">Get more information about mental health treatment and get started with a primary care provider.</a> </p>
<p class="article-body"> In the latest edition of the <em>Baltimore Sun</em> and <em>Baltimore's Child</em> magazine, GBMC HealthCare has been recognized as the best in several disciplines! We are so grateful for our community's support and for our hardworking staff who tirelessly care for patients each and every day. <br> <br> </p> <h3> <em>Baltimore Sun</em> readers named GBMC HealthCare the best in the following categories: </h3> <ul> <li> Best Hospital </li> <li> Best Audiologist </li> <li> Best General Practitioner </li> </ul> And runner-up in the following: <ul> <li> Best OB/GYN Practice </li> <li> Best Audiologist - Presbyterian Board of Governors Cochlear Implant Center of Excellence </li> <li> Best Pediatric Practice - GBMC Pediatric Group </li> </ul> <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/baltimores-best/bs-fe-best-services-2021-20210706-xpxm57bowvc3zi5xura5ktppvm-story.html" target="_blank">Click here to read the issue!</a> <br> <br> <h3> <em>Baltimore's Child</em> readers named GBMC HealthCare the best in the following categories: </h3> <ul> <li> Best Hospital - Hometown Heroes - COVID-19 Pandemic Response Best Place to Deliver Your Baby </li> <li> Best Pediatric Vision Care - Dr. Allison Jensen, Eye Center at GBMC </li> </ul> And runner-up in the following: <ul> <li> Best Pediatric Physician - Hometown Heroes - COVID-19 Pandemic Response, Dr. Theresa Nguyen - GBMC Pediatric Group </li> <li> Best Medical Matters </li> <li> Best ER for Kids </li> </ul> <a href="http://digital.baltimoreschild.com/issues/July-2021/index.html" target="_blank">Click here to read the issue!</a> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<p class="article-body"> The term "cancer survivor" can mean something different for everyone. For Robert B. Donegan, M.D., Chief of the Division of Medical Oncology at GBMC's Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute, a person becomes a survivor at one specific moment. <br> <br> "Survivorship starts at the time of diagnosis. The moment a patient is told they have cancer, they're surviving that cancer," Dr. Donegan says. <br> <br> Dr. Donegan is part of the Berman Cancer Institute's Survivorship Program, a multi-team approach to treating cancer that encompasses the patient's entire wellbeing with comprehensive and continuous services during treatment and beyond. <br> <br> "What is central to survivorship care is a broad appreciation for the entire patient experience. It is not simply a focus on treating the cancer itself. It also means being appreciative of the short- and long-term physical side effects of treatment, the mental health overtones, the impacts on families and jobs as well as the financial burdens," Dr. Donegan says. <br> <br> At GBMC, when a patient reaches a milestone in their therapy, they may meet with a Survivorship Coordinator who further addresses these issues and provides important supportive literature and handouts regarding survivorship care. A printed summary of the treatment received is also given to the patient. <br> <br> The Survivorship Program also helps patients with: </p> <ul> <li> Managing some of the side effects of cancer treatment, including physical and body image concerns. </li> <li> Regaining physical strength and tips on how to live as actively as possible. </li> <li> Making positive dietary changes and maintaining a healthy weight. </li> <li> Learning to live fully and dealing with concerns about returning to work. </li> </ul> Dr. Donegan says the Survivorship Program at GBMC isn't executed simply by one department or team. Everyone who interacts with the patient plays a role. <br> <br> "Physicians, nurses, social workers, and many others who touch the patients' lives help to identify survivorship needs from the time of diagnosis." <br> <br> Dr. Donegan adds that GBMC's various care teams and departments work closely with each other to give patients an integrated approach to their cancer care. <br> <br> "We have the benefit of being a smaller and closely-knit organization. We are all in the room together, literally and figuratively, and I think that does a world of good for the patients. We put a lot of shared heart and soul into what we do, and I think the patients appreciate that." <br> <br> There are currently close to 17 million cancer survivors in the United States, and that number is expected to increase to 22 million by the year 2030. June is National Cancer Survivor Month, a time to celebrate those who have fought the disease and those who are currently in treatment. <br> <br> Dr. Donegan stresses that even though improvements in care, treatment, and screenings mean more people will survive a cancer diagnosis, people need to recognize the effect a diagnosis has on the rest of a person's life. <br> <br> "We have to broaden the definition from people living with cancer to living through cancer, and hopefully, for some, beyond cancer." <br> <br> Learn more about the <a href="/node/2571">Survivorship Program at GBMC.</a> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BITcBlHPElM" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> The Nearly New Sale is a longstanding tradition at GBMC and has been a hugely successful fundraising event thanks to the generosity and support of our donors and patrons. Held twice each year, it raises approximately $250,000 annually, contributing significant dollars to patient care delivered by GBMC Healthcare. Recent proceeds have gone to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the GBMC Center for Neurology, the Gilchrist Kids Endowment Fund and a new state of the art surgical simulation lab for clinicians and nurses on campus. See what Becky Stove, RN, thinks about this amazing event and learn about what things you can find! Go to <a href="/node/2483" target="_blank">https://www.gbmc.org/nearlynewsale</a> to learn more </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9TrfBm2mTno" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> Susan Wright Aucott, MD, Director of Neonatology at GBMC, describes the services available in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and talks about the upcoming Father’s Day 5K and 1-Mile Fun Walk happening on June 20, 2021. Go to <a href="https://www.gbmc.org/5k">www.gbmc.org/5k</a> to register or donate! </p>
<iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YWeDadiuAfw" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p class="article-body"> Having a child in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is an incredibly stressful experience for parents and families. GBMC offers multiple resources to help lessen that burden and make a family’s stay as comfortable as possible. Certified Child Life Specialists are part of a multidisciplinary team that specializes in helping children and their families navigate, cope with, and feel prepared for hospital experiences. The Child Life Program does not charge for its services; it is fully funded through philanthropy. In this episode of Greater Living Live, Sabrina Whiteleather, CCLS, spoke with Mary Beth Marsden to explain the program in greater detail. She covered topics such as: </p> <ul> <li> A Child Life Specialist’s role in the NICU </li> <li> Resources available to help parents and siblings cope with stress </li> <li> Ways that siblings can bond with a brother or sister in the NICU </li> <li> Methods Child Life Specialists use to help patients and families during the pandemic </li> <li> How the community can support GBMC’s NICU and Child Life Program </li> </ul> Every year, GBMC holds a Father’s Day 5K and 1-Mile Fun Walk to raise funds for the NICU. This year’s event will be held on June 20, 2021! Proceeds from the 5K benefit GBMC’s tiniest patients. The money raised from last year’s race has helped the NICU implement the following new advancements to aid families in their baby's care journey: <ul> <li> A Special Care Nursery that creates a larger opportunity for family involvement and helps ease the transition to home care </li> <li> A Bereavement Program that assists in the healing process for parents who have lost their baby </li> <li> A Developmental Program that utilizes positioning devices, stimulating toys, and additional equipment to aide in the prevention of musculoskeletal issues </li> </ul> <a href="https://www.gbmc.org/5k">Click here</a> to donate or register for the Father’s Day 5K! To learn more about the Child Life Program and ways to support it, visit <a href="/node/2341">www.gbmc.org/childlife</a>.
<p class="article-body"> GBMC is celebrating Father's Day 2021 the same way it has for the past 32 years: helping its smallest patients. <br> <br> "No one expects to have a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)," says Dr. Maria Pane, M.D., who works in neonatal-perinatal medicine at GBMC HealthCare. "Most parents do not know much about having an infant in the NICU unless they experience it." <br> <br> GBMC is hoping to increase awareness about the needs of premature babies with its Father's Day 5K and 1-mile Walk. The event benefits the NICU, specifically the brand-new special care nursery that opened there this year. <br> <br> Designed for babies who are close to going home, the special care nursery fulfilled a need for more space and an increased emphasis on the parent/child connection, Dr. Pane explains. <br> <br> "There are five brand-new rooms for growing preemies – including a room to accommodate twins – who don't need the intensive care of the NICU but still require a little extra attention. Rooms include newly designed chairs to encourage skin-to-skin bonding, as well as developmentally appropriate mobiles and therapies," Dr. Pane says. <br> <br> In addition to the new nursery, the NICU team has implemented two new programs in the past year. One helps families better understand and aid in the development of their preemies, and the other deals with bereavement and the grieving process for families who have had a baby pass away. <br> <br> The special care nursery expands the current Level III NICU at GBMC, which helps about 400 babies annually who are born too small, too sick, or too soon. Dr. Pane says the Father's Day 5K is a chance for the families of NICU babies to meet and celebrate everything they've experienced. <br> <br> "The race takes place annually not only to raise money, but also to bring families of NICU graduates together. It takes many people to take care of a NICU baby – the parents and extended family and the entire NICU team. Race day is a great day to reunite families and staff," Dr. Pane says. <br> <br> Dr. Pane says it doesn't matter how long a baby is in the NICU. The experience stays with the family long after their baby leaves the hospital. <br> <br> "Even if the baby is only in the NICU a few hours or up to several months, they develop close relationships with the caregivers and healthcare providers. We are a family," she says. <br> <br> This year, the race will combine limited in-person participants with virtual runners and walkers. The in-person event will be held Sunday, June 20 at 8 a.m. while virtual participants will have the option to log miles between Thursday, June 17, and Sunday, June 20 at 11:59 p.m. Because of generous donations made through the Father's Day 5K, the NICU at GBMC can provide comprehensive, compassionate care for every baby born in the hospital. <br> <br> If you'd like to participate in the event or make a donation, please visit <a href="https://www.gbmc.org/5k">www.gbmc.orghttps://www.gbmc.org/5k.</a> </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<p class="article-body"> Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. In fact, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer in the U.S. each year than all other cancers combined. Mei Tang, M.D., a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist at The Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC, says one reason for the large number of diagnoses is the fact that Americans are living longer. <br> <br> "Most 70- to 80-year-old people didn't wear as much sunscreen growing up and didn't take precautions to avoid the sun, so we're seeing higher incidences of skin cancer among that age group now," she explains. <br> <br> One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. While that number seems daunting, Dr. Tang says the ability to detect abnormalities in the skin through regular screenings means most skin cancers are caught before they become too serious. <br> <br> "The reason we aren't as afraid of melanoma as we are other types of cancer is that most skin cancers are found early from screening and are treated surgically, removed, and cured." <br> <br> Almost all patients whose melanoma is detected early and receive an estimated five-year survival rate for patients are cured, according to Dr. Tang. <br> <br> Standards of care are in place for every type of skin cancer. The medical community is continuously researching whether varying treatment options may be more efficient in conquering skin cancer. Dr. Tang and the Clinical Trials Department at GBMC are currently recruiting for two national melanoma trials that examine the efficacy of the order in which certain treatments are given to patients. Dr. Tang says these trials are only for patients with specific cancer mutations at advanced stages. Yet, the mere fact that GBMC offers access to newer treatments through clinical trials, in addition to the standard of care, means patients have every opportunity to explore the cutting edge of advancement in cancer care near their homes. <br> <br> "We have patients and patient families who are actively looking for options that can improve survival and improve their care, and we're proud at GBMC that we can give them access to those options," Dr. Tang says. <br> <br> May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and with summer right around the corner, Dr. Tang reminds everyone that prevention is the key to dodging a skin cancer diagnosis. She recommends avoiding direct sunlight, wearing a hat and sunscreen while spending time outdoors, and avoiding indoor tanning beds. She also recommends regular screenings for anyone who's had previous extensive sun damage to their skin (five or more sunburns). <br> <br> "Early detection [of skin cancer] is key. If it can be diagnosed early and removed, most patients will be cured," Dr. Tang says. <br> <br> For more information on the Clinical Trials Program at GBMC, please visit <a href="/node/2351">www.gbmc.orghttps://www.gbmc.org/clinicaltrials</a>. </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
<p class="article-body"> The events of 2020 taught many lessons, one of them being the pivotal role nurses play as members of hospital care teams. JoAnn Z. Ioannou, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, Executive Vice President of Hospital Operations and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), says this should come as no surprise. <br> <br> "COVID-19 highlighted how important nursing is. Nurses are at every level of the organization – from the Command Center to with patients at the bedside 24/7, filling in for family, being a companion and a caregiver," Dr. Ioannou said. <br> <br> Nurses play a critical role on the multidisciplinary care team. GBMC recognizes this value and places a large emphasis on nurturing each nurse to grow them in their career. <br> <br> "Our residency program is so robust," Dr. Ioannou explains. "We, as an organization, believe in attracting talent. To that end, we foster and mentor the careers of new nurses from the time they enter the building." <br> <br> GBMC's Nurse Residency Program is the only hospital in Baltimore to have earned accreditation with distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the highest level awarded. The one-year program is designed for new nursing graduates to facilitate the transition into professional practice. During their residency, nurses at GBMC cultivate the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors necessary to deliver safe, high-quality care. <br> <br> "New nurses take part in these programs for a year to make them feel comfortable," Dr. Ioannou says. "We have a tremendous number of new graduates who want to work with us specifically because of the time, energy and effort that we give to help them succeed in nursing." <br> <br> The nursing program at GBMC offers a variety of career pathways, something for every area of interest. <br> <br> "You can work in an acute setting, outpatient area, with advanced practitioners, be a care manager, be a researcher, a nurse leader. The sky is really the limit," Dr. Ioannou says. <br> <br> No matter which department your career path leads you to, there is one important trait that defines nursing at GBMC, according to Dr. Ioannou. <br> <br> "We encourage people to have a questioning attitude," she emphasizes. "We want people who are critical thinkers, who question things, because that's how you learn." <br> <br> Beyond a competitive pay and benefits package, a nursing career at GBMC offers professional and personal growth, and the ability to be a part of life-changing care for patients. In 2020, GBMC became the first healthcare system in Maryland to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest presidential honor for performance excellence. Dr. Ioannou says the recognition is validation for the effort put toward hiring quality care providers and helping them flourish in their careers. <br> <br> "We value our nursing staff and are committed to mentoring and growing them from the beginning." She adds, "If you want to grow in your career professionally and personally, come to GBMC because we will invest in you." <br> <br> To learn more about a career in nursing at GBMC, please visit www.gbmc.orghttps://www.gbmc.org/nursing. </p> <div class="end-of-story"> </div>
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