Leonardtown, Maryland (Jan. 25, 2018) – Nine members of Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM), an educational leadership program for executives, visited MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital on Jan. 18 as the program’s monthly focus turned to local healthcare.
Participants from the Class of 2018 arrived for a presentation with Stephen Michaels, MD, chief operating and chief medical officer at MedStar St. Mary’s, followed by a tour of the Leonardtown campus. Stops included Interventional Radiology, the Emergency Department, the MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Wound Healing Center, and “Reflections,” the new history room.
Amy Magyar, CRN, VA-BC, demonstrated the vast capabilities of the Interventional Radiology department, including a discussion of kyphoplasty: a minimally invasive procedure used to treat spinal compression fractures. Through a small hole, kyphoplasty injects special cement into the vertebrae, which can alleviate back pain.
In the Emergency Department, Daniel Geary, MD, department chief, and Dawn Yeitrakis, MS, RN, CEN, department director, demonstrated Telestroke — a virtual connection to stroke experts at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. The electronic communication allows local emergency clinicians to consult with specialists in real time through a secure video link. Stroke patients may be stabilized and treated faster in Leonardtown with this specialty care, leading to better patient outcomes.
At the MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Wound Healing Center, Richard Greengold, MD, medical director, and Lisa Nelson, RN, MHA, CWCN, clinical program director, spoke about hyperbaric oxygen therapy — one of many advanced treatments offered in Leonardtown. Patients breathe pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber to stimulate the body’s natural healing capabilities. The department recently received the Center of Excellence Award from Healogics, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services.
The Jan. 18 tour ended in “Reflections,” the first-floor history room, where participants learned more about the hospital’s role in the community since its founding in 1912.