Shore Regional Health

06/05/2026

UM Shore Regional Health’s Dorchester Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT) has welcomed three new members to its team!

K. Beth Lednum, LCSW, medical social worker, and Ruth Bedoya and Tabitha Simmons, CMA, both serving as the team's community health advocates.

SCOT provides a variety of healthcare-related services to Dorchester County residents, including home visits and safety inspections, blood pressure checks and diabetes screenings at locations throughout the county, assistance with chronic disease management, and access to health care resources.

To make a referral or get more information, call Rochalla Jones, SCOT nurse coordinator, 443-225-7545.

Welcome to our new team members!

06/03/2026

🏥📢🚨Exciting update from UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown!

UM Shore Regional Health now offers convenient on-campus transportation between the parking lot and the medical center building at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.

Transportation service is available Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

A transportation attendant is stationed in the parking lot during service hours and is available to assist patients and visitors traveling to and from the building.

If the attendant is currently assisting another patient or visitor, please refer to the transportation sign located in the parking lot and press the call button to notify the attendant that you are waiting for a ride. The attendant will assist you as soon as possible.

Pictured, below, from left are UM Shore Regional Health Security team members Captain Darrius Lyons and Officer Robert Thompson.

06/02/2026

As we celebrate Pride Month this June, UMMS team members across the state join in recognizing and honoring the LGBTQ+ community while reaffirming our shared commitment to inclusion, respect, compassion, and belonging.

Pride Month is also a time for reflection - recognizing the history, resilience, and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals while continuing to foster an environment grounded in psychological safety, collaboration, and mutual respect. By supporting one another and embracing inclusion, UMMS strengthens our ability to work together in service of our mission and the communities we serve.

Happy Pride Month!

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

The Emergency Department at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) at Cambridge has earned accreditation as a Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

This achievement follows previous GEDA accreditations earned by the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center emergency departments at in Chestertown (2022 and 2026) and Easton (2023), and at University of Maryland Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown (2023).

ACEP established the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation Program in 2018 in response to growing evidence that most emergency departments, while well-equipped to treat patients with single-cause acute episodes, are less able to meet health care needs of elderly persons who often have multiple chronic conditions and social support needs.

Achievement of Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) signifies that UM SRH hospitals and freestanding emergency centers have strategies and protocols in place designed to serve the particular needs of older patients. These include best-practice approaches to care that address common geriatric health issues, improved emergency throughput and optimal transitions of care for patients discharged from emergency care to their home or other setting, such as acute rehabilitation, assisted living and long-term care facilities.

Current UM SRH aggregate data indicates that at the Cambridge, Chestertown, Easton and Queenstown emergency departments, nearly 1 in 3 patients seeking care is at least 65 years old.

“Given our aging population, it is increasingly important that our emergency care providers can focus on the safety and well-being of our geriatric patients, said Luke Whelan, MD, who oversees emergency care in Cambridge and Queenstown. “Many care processes and medications that can be routine for the general adult population take on greater risks with age. The work we have done and continue to do to receive and maintain our GEDA accreditation speaks to Shore Regional Health’s daily commitment to mitigate those risks and deliver the highest quality care possible to our community."

“Achieving and sustaining GEDA at all Shore Regional Health emergency departments is no small task,” said Tisha Thompson, DNP, RN, UM SRH Senior Director of Emergency Services. “It reflects commitment, clinical excellence and compassion that define our emergency teams every single day. I am very proud of the way these teams have embraced and prioritized how we care for this specialty population of patients. They continue to uphold the expectations of what geriatric emergency care should look like with every patient interaction.”

Pictured below at the UM Shore Regional Health at Cambridge Emergency Department are emergency care team members Bob Corder, MD, and AnnMarie Hernandez, nurse manager.

05/28/2026

University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown has been named one of “100 Critical Access Hospitals to Know in 2026” by Becker’s Hospital Review.

Becker's Hospital Review is the leading media and live events platform for hospital and health system executives. According to the Becker’s announcement, "In the most remote parts of the country, critical access hospitals stand as essential pillars of care. Though they are small by definition, their reach is profound. Offering round-the-clock emergency services with no more than 25 inpatient beds, these hospitals are purpose-built to bring quality healthcare directly to communities that need it most. Rural access hospitals are expanding service lines and embracing technological innovation to meaningfully reduce how far patients must travel to receive both general and specialty care, continually redefining what's possible within the critical access model."

‌Factors supporting the Chestertown hospital’s designation by Becker’s as a "Critical Access Hospital to Know" include:

• The hospital was the first in Maryland to receive Maryland Rural Hospital designation through its achievement of geriatric emergency department accreditation, its designation as an Age Friendly Health System and its membership in Healthy People 2030.

• ‌The hospital’s Shore Community Outreach Team collaborates with partners to offer home safety inspections, advance directives preparation assistance, blood pressure checks, health screenings, chronic illness case management, wellness activities, and telehealth consultation arrangements.

• ‌The hospital has developed health education programs that provide free community health education classes, both online and in-person.

•‌ Launched in 2024, the hospital’s remote patient monitoring program gives providers access to health information that keeps patients healthier at home.

• ‌A new state-of-the-art MRI machine, partially funded by the Chester River Health Foundation, was installed in the hospital last year.

"We are very proud to be recognized by Becker’s Healthcare as a 2026 Critical Access Hospital to Know, said Zack Royston, Vice President of Rural Health Transformation, UM Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) and Executive Director of UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. “As the northern-most emergency and acute care hospital in Shore Regional Health’s five-county service area, our hospital plays a vital role in ensuring that our local, rural communities have access to timely, exceptional care close to home. This recognition honors the dedication, compassion and commitment our team demonstrates every day in advancing access, improving health outcomes and strengthening the communities we serve."

For more information about UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, visit https://www.umms.org/shore/locations/medical-center-chestertown

Key players in UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown’s achievement of Becker’s Recognition are shown, from left: Libby Woolever, Chair of the Chester River Health Foundation; Shore Medical Center at Chestertown clinical team members Bobbi Jo Trosbach, Cassandra Bilbrough and Sandy Prochaska; and Emily Welsh, Nurse Coordinator, Shore Community Outreach Team/Kent County. Not pictured are: Zack Royston, Vice President, Population and Rural Health, UM SRH, and Executive Director, UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, and Sandy Wilson-Hypes, Health Educator, UM SRH.

05/27/2026

UM Shore Regional Health’s Stroke Support Group and Stroke Coordinator recently hosted an in-person meeting with an option for virtual attendance on May 7.

Nicole Leonard, Stroke Coordinator for UM SRH, said, “We were excited to expand our virtual stroke support group with an in person option. Meeting in person offered another layer of connection and community for people who share similar experiences. In past in-person meetings, I have witnessed an immense amount of support, encouragement, and hope from those who attended. Members of our Shore Regional Health Stroke Specialty Team, including physical and occupational therapists, also joined us for this meeting to facilitate a discussion about how to ‘Be Stroke Smart.’"

The Stroke Support Group is held monthly, virtually, on the first Thursday of each month, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. For more information or to register and receive login credentials, please reach out to Leonard at 410-822-1000, ext. 5068, or [email protected]. The next meeting will be Thursday, June 4.

Pictured below are Sara Pender, Occupational Therapist, Nicole Leonard, Stroke Coordinator, and Emily Chambers, Physical Therapist.

05/26/2026

Check out our June Childbirth and Parent Education and Safe Sitter course options!

05/22/2026

Congratulations to our November 2025 DAISY nurse – Madelyn Facchina, BSN, RN, who was nominated by a patient for the extraordinary care she received. The nomination read:

“I am nominating Maddie for the DAISY Award for the extraordinary kindness, competence, and patient advocacy she demonstrated while caring for my grandmother in the ICU. As a nurse myself, I understand the clinical demands of this setting, but Maddie consistently exceeded all expectations in providing holistic, compassionate care. My grandmother has a significant aversion to hospitals and doctors, and her admission to the ICU was a time of immense fear and anxiety for her. Maddie recognized this immediately and tailored her care to address not just the critical physical needs but the profound emotional ones. On top of her nursing tasks, she put a genuine smile on my grandmother’s face, transforming a terrifying, high-acuity environment into a space that was a little less scary and more bearable. Maddie’s positive attitude and frequent, thorough check-ins provided a constant source of reassurance. Beyond the bedside, she extended her consideration to the family, locating a reclining chair to ensure a family member could comfortably sleep overnight. This small but significant act demonstrates her understanding that patient-centered care extends to the entire family. Maddie exemplifies the absolute best of nursing. She pairs clinical excellence with a generous spirit, making her a truly unforgettable caregiver. Her ability to ease a patient's fear and maintain such a kind, positive presence during an intense hospital stay makes her highly deserving of the DAISY Award.”

As part of winning the DAISY award, Maddie will be internationally recognized on the DAISY website. She also received a certificate, a DAISY pin, and a “Healer’s Touch” statue. As tradition holds, she and her team were also treated to cinnamon rolls.

05/21/2026

It was wonderful to honor and celebrate our incredible nurses who work tirelessly to care for others during Nurses Week, May 6 -12. Our nurses enjoyed a special week of festivities - the traditional Blessing of the Hands, Spirit days, pet therapy, special treats and more. Thank you nurses for all you do!