- Giving, Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWe’ve never experienced anything like the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic before. Now the holidays are here, which could be a tough time for many. So how can you shine some positivity into your local community? You can make a difference with an attitude of gratitude and giving. Consider shopping small this year Since March, a number of businesses have closed or moved online in order to stay afloat. Use your favorite search engine and look up “local gifts near me,” and check out what local merchants are selling. Or, get takeout from a local coffee shop, bakery or restaurant. You can even “pay it forward,” by purchasing a few gift cards to local businesses to hand out to someone in need. If you can’t afford to give, consider donating to charity, such as your local Goodwill or food pantry. If you’re stressed during these uncertain times, do something good for someone else. This can make you feel better, too. Feeling overwhelmed? Missing interaction with loved ones? We may be social distancing, but we can still communicate. Call a friend or a family member to chat or laugh about a funny memory. If your mental health is suffering, reach out to a mental health professional or a primary care provider (PCP) for assistance, or dial 911 if it is an emergency. We’ll get through this – together. Author Tormeika Sanford, DNP, MSN, CRNP, is a nurse practitioner with Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center.
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLuminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) has received an ‘A’ in the fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care. LHAAMC is one of only 16 Maryland hospitals to receive an ‘A’ in the fall 2020 report. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Safety Grade is a letter grade assigned to all hospitals across the country and updated every six months, assessing how well the hospital prevents medical errors and other harms to patients. “We are extremely grateful to hospital leadership and health care workers who have remained steadfast in prioritizing patient safety as our nation battles COVID-19,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work for Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the U.S. health care system, we appreciate you putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.” Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to approximately 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. Hospitals are graded based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and the results are free to the public. To see full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogBarbara Jacobs, Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer, reflects on her family’s history as she shares why she will be getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Like many of you, I have been thinking about whether or not to take the new vaccines. Lots of people have asked me what I will do. I would like to say that I made my decision solely on the basis of reviewing detailed medical literature and thinking of the 2000+ people dying daily in American hospitals. However, for me it all became really clear as I was getting ready for Thanksgiving. For those of you interested, I will share my decision-making process. As I prepared a small turkey breast for our very different dinner this year, memories of previous Thanksgivings came to me. In cleaning up that day I had for a moment focused on the cabinet that holds a 100-year-old treadle Singer sewing machine. This came to me from my grandmother and it once belonged to her mother, Minnie. Standing in the kitchen cooking that turkey breast and thinking of the sewing machine brought back a particular memory. A Singer sewing machine that belonged to Barbara Jacobs’ great-grandmother. My grandmother Balletto was a personality. As a treat she let my siblings and me all squeeze in her bed to hear stories when we stayed with her in the Bronx (made especially nice since the landlord turned the heat and hot water off at 8 pm!). While telling those stories, she really made her childhood come alive for us. We often heard about her parents and siblings. Her family lived in Washington Heights in Manhattan in an area where a lot of working people lived in apartments and row houses. Several of my oldest relatives still lived there when I was young. In 1920, my grandmother’s family consisted of her parents and her younger brother. Her mother, Minnie, had recently obtained the beautiful Singer sewing machine that I now own. New York City in 1920 had endured two terrible spikes in the Spanish flu pandemic, one in 1918 and another in 1919. Up to 500 people a day were dying in its peak. This flu spared the young and the old, but not the middle, and left thousands of children orphans. By January 1920, things had started to improve and in the middle of that month, my great-grandparents went to the Veterans Fireman Association of New York Vaudeville Show. It was held in the Palm Room, in Hells Kitchen in Manhattan, which had a theater/ballroom large enough to have a show and dancing. My grandmother kept the program from that event and inside the front cover she wrote “the last ball mama went to, she died on 22, 9 days later.” We kids heard about how my great-grandfather hired a nurse (how brave she must have been) who stayed at my my great grandmothers side until she died of Spanish influenza. Like some of our patients with positive COVID-19, my great grandmother went from health to death in a remarkably short time. On the first Thanksgiving after her mother’s death, my grandmother was 13. We kids heard the story many times of how she was in charge of preparing the dinner. She told us how she cooked a turkey that looked beautiful on the outside but, when the family sat down to eat, was raw inside. My grandmother was embarrassed, but mostly felt incredible sadness for the loss of her mother. Her mother’s death changed her life and by 16, she had left school to work to bring in additional money. My grandmother, in memory of her mother, kept the Singer sewing machine that she later gave me. As I thought of my grandmother on Thanksgiving, I asked myself what decision would she have made if she were presented with a vaccine that might have helped save the life of her mother. I remembered the terrible loss she still felt many years later as she told us stories. In addition, my 91-year-old father also told me, “we have a choice, we either get the vaccine or we get the virus.” I thought of the thousands of U.S. deaths and the many families enduring loss and remembered my grandmother, the turkey and sewing machine — and the advice of my sage father. My decision became clear. By getting the vaccine, I might help my own family or others not suffer the loss of a loved one. As soon as it is my turn, I will be vaccinated. Each of you will make your own decision about vaccination, but I wanted to share how I made mine.
- General Page Tier 3BlogIt’s the holiday season – a time to enjoy our favorite seasonal treats. Watching your sugar or calorie intake this year? We have you covered with these recipes, which offer your sweet tooth a healthier alternative. Snickerdoodles This version of the holiday staple has less added sugar. Ingredients 1 cup trans-fat free tub margarine 1/4 cup stevia sugar blend plus 1 tablespoon stevia sugar blend, divided use 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Directions Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the margarine, 1/ 4 cup stevia sugar blend, egg, and vanilla until smooth. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using the electric mixer on medium speed, gradually beat the flour mixture into the stevia sugar blend mixture just until moistened but no flour is visible. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon stevia sugar blend and the cinnamon. Using your hands, shape the dough into 1 and 1/4-inch balls to make 24 cookies. Gently roll in the stevia sugar blend cinnamon mixture, coating lightly. Place about 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet or two small baking sheets. With the palm of your hand or a fork, lightly flatten each ball. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned. Serving size one cookie, 91 calories per cookie. Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association. Mint-Chocolate Meringue Cookies Ingredients 3 egg whites 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 1/4 teaspoon mint extract 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips or finely chopped bittersweet chocolate Directions Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, securing the edges with tape. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add cocoa powder and beat until the mixture becomes glossy. Add mint extract. Gently fold in chips. Place mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/ 2 or 3/ 4- inch tip. Pipe 1-inch rounds onto the parchment, leaving 1 to 2 inches between cookies. With damp fingertips, press down any peaks. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Place baking sheets on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before peeling cookies off the parchment. If a pastry bag isn’t available, spoon mixture into a zip-top bag and snip a ½-inch hole in the bottom corner of the bag. Batter can also be dropped with a tablespoon onto the parchment. Makes about 60 cookies. Serving size one cookie, 15 calories per cookie. Recipe courtesy of the American Cancer Society. Poached Pears with Pomegranate Sauce Ingredients 1/3 cup pomegranate juice 2 teaspoons sugar 1 medium pears (peeled, halved, cored) 1 teaspoon water 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (dry-roasted, crumbled) 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch Directions In a small saucepan, stir together the pomegranate juice and sugar. Add the pear halves with the cut side down. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for five minutes, or until tender, turning occasionally. Remove from the heat. Leaving the liquid in the pan, transfer the pear halves with the cut side down to dessert plates. Put the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the water, stirring to dissolve. Pour into the same pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest and vanilla. Spoon over the pears. Sprinkle with the almonds. Tip: Be sure to use a ripe pear for peak texture and flavor. Using a firm pear not only will require at least twice as much cooking time but also will not be as tender, sweet, and flavorful. Serving size one pear half and one tablespoon of sauce, 120 calories per serving. Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association. Enjoy!
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWe’ve never had a holiday season like this before. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed how we live – and it will change how we celebrate the holidays. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended staying home and spending the holidays with your immediate family to help slow the spread of COVID-19. For your safety, and the safety of your friends and family, it’s best to avoid traveling this year. Remember, you can still pass the virus onto others, even if you don’t feel sick. It is also getting colder outside in many parts of the country, forcing people indoors – where COVID-19 spreads more easily. But there are still things you can do to spark some joy this holiday season. Here are some ideas to get you started: Gather your household members together and have fun decorating, whether you’re putting ornaments on the tree or stringing up lights outside. Then, take a ride around your community and admire your neighbors’ holiday cheer! Get crafty. Staying home is the perfect opportunity to tap into your creative side. One easy project we love – making a gratitude jar. 2020 hasn’t been the easiest year for anyone – which is why it’s more important than ever to count our blessings. Bake holiday cookies. You could even participate in a socially distanced cookie exchange with your friends and family. Have everyone make a different kind of treat and arrange times to drop them off on each other’s porches. For some inspiration on how to make healthier desserts this season, check out the American Diabetes Association’s Food Hub. Reach out to family members who are far away. Even if we aren’t physically together, we can still keep in contact thanks to technology. Organize an online meeting Make time to get on Zoom or call your relatives to wish them a happy holiday – particularly if they are alone this year. If you must travel for Christmas, these are the important things to keep in mind: Practice the 3Ws. Wash your hands, wear a mask and watch your distance. Consider whether you, or any of your family members, is at risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19. If so, stay home. Look at the number of COVID-19 cases in your community as well as in the community that you plan to travel to. Different states and counties have different travel restrictions. Some may require you to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, or self-isolate for a period of time after arrival. But a negative COVID-19 test simply means you don’t have the virus when you took the test. You should still plan on self-isolating before meeting with family members outside your household. You also need to consider any restrictions you’ll have to follow when you return home. Limit the number of guests. Set expectations with your family ahead of time – and stick to them. Ask family members to bring their own food and drink. But if you are sharing a meal, have one person serve and eat with single-use plastic utensils. If you’re inside, open the windows to increase air flow. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces regularly. We all have to work together to flatten the curve of COVID-19. From all of us at Luminis Health, we wish you a happy, safe holiday. Author Jean Murray is the director of Infection Control at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center.
How can we help?
Common Searches
Common Searches
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?
Your Account
View your Dashboard
Messages
Find Care
Schedule Appointment
My Care Team
My Record
Appointments
Medications
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?