| UMMS Partnership
 For nearly a century, residents of northeastern
Maryland have enjoyed top-notch medical care, delivered by a community
health care system with unparalleled clinical expertise and leading-edge technology.
Upper Chesapeake Health (UCH) includes two acute care, not-for-profit hospitals:
Upper Chesapeake Medical Center (UCMC) in Bel Air and Harford Memorial Hospital
(HMH) in Havre de Grace. Both facilities provide medical and surgical services
and both have intensive care units and emergency rooms.
Upper Chesapeake Medical Center—the
newer facility (just 10 years old this year)—is focused on the
surgical specialties, interventional cardiovascular services, obstetrics,
pediatrics (including pediatric emergency care) diabetes and endocrine
care. Harford Memorial offers a behavioral health unit and centers for
wound care, sleep study and bariatric weight loss. Both hospitals are
designated primary stroke centers by the Maryland Institute for Emergency
Medical Services Systems and both do joint replacement surgeries. "Having
two hospitals under one health system, with specialties at each, allows
us to efficiently serve two major areas of our community," says
Lyle E. Sheldon, FACHE, President and CEO of Upper Chesapeake Health.
UCMC recently completed a $39 million expansion project to include renovations
to the emergency department, a new critical care unit, 31 additional
beds and construction of a new outpatient facility. HMH recently completed
a $7 million renovation, including a new 10-bed cardiac unit. The health
system has purchased over 90 acres of property off of Interstate 95 in
Havre de Grace to hold for future health care expansion. Significant
increases in patient volume at both UCH hospitals are expected to continue
as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision.
"The
trend in health care today is toward more specialization in hospitals
and a higher acuity of patients admitted," Mr. Sheldon says. "The
expertise of our medical staff and our clinical technology have positioned
us well to provide a top-quality patient experience in our two hospitals
as the field evolves in that direction."
In response to the needs of a growing and aging population in
northeast Maryland who want their medical care—including specialty care—to
be available close to home, Upper Chesapeake Health and the University
of Maryland Medical System joined forces in July 2009 to form a strategic
affiliation.
"The relationship with the University of Maryland
Medical System will facilitate the expansion of our clinical services,
such as oncology and cardiology care," Mr. Sheldon says. "Subspecialties,
such as those under pediatrics (pediatric cardiology, pediatric gastroenterology,
etc.) will also have the opportunity to grow. Another advantage of the
affiliation is assistance with physician and specialist recruitment,
even in light of a projected physician shortage. This partnership is
the most exciting news for us going forward."
Upper
Chesapeake Health is the number one nongovernment employer in Harford
County, with 75 percent of staff residing in the community—truly
neighbors taking care of neighbors. "We want people to know that
we are a forward thinking, nationally recognized health care system,"
Mr. Sheldon continues. "We are positioning ourselves to expand
services and keep up with the many health care changes on the horizon."
NEW University
of Maryland Specialist New to the Bel Air Campus
- Ad Campaign:
The Power of Partnership ad campaign launched during National
Hospital Week, 2010 conveys two main messages to the community
we serve. One is that Upper Chesapeake Health continues to bring
unparalleled care through two outstanding, award-winning hospitals
located in Bel
Air and Havre
de Grace, Maryland and second, there is real power in
our partnership with the University of Maryland Medical System
(UMMS) that will bring expanded clinical service lines, facilities
and specialists to the region. UMMS has evolved into a multi-hospital
system with academic, community and specialty service missions
reaching every part of the state and beyond. Find out more
about University of Maryland Medical System at http://www.umms.org/.
In our continuing efforts to enhance our relationship and maximize the many community benefits of our partnership with the University of Maryland Medical System, Upper Chesapeake Health has added the University of Maryland ExpressCare program to its emergency care services. A dedicated satellite program for the area is now established at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center but will also support Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace to provide safe and timely inter-hospital transfers. The new ambulance will be fully equipped with state-of-the-art critical care transport technology and will proudly display both the University of Maryland ExpressCare and Upper Chesapeake Health logos. The satellite will operate 7 days a week, 12 hours per day (11 am – 11 pm) and will focus on the transfer of the higher acuity patients requiring Specialty Care level of transport. A highly qualified ExpressCare staff of Critical Care Transport Nurses, Paramedics and EMTS has been recruited specifically for this venture. The service will transfer to the University of Maryland Medical Center or any other acute care hospital as requested by Upper Chesapeake Health medical staff.
To find out more about Maryland ExpressCare visit http://www.umm.edu/expresscare/index.htm
- Clinical Services:
Learn more about University of Maryland
Medical Center at http://www.umm.edu/ and
the University of Maryland Medical System at http://www.umms.org/.
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