The Laboratory Services Department at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center (UM SMC) at Chestertown is now home to two new chemistry analyzers, made possible by more than $300,000 in funding provided by the Chester River Health Foundation. UM SMC at Chestertown is University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) hospital; UM SRH is a member of organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

 

“These new analyzers represent a significant technological advancement compared to our previous equipment,” said Julianna Hospodor, Director of Laboratory Services at UM SRH. “They provide overall faster processing and better cardiac readings, as well as some technologies we did not have before. We are so grateful to the foundation and its many donors for their generosity in making this new technology a reality for our hospital and our patients.”  

 

Installing the analyzers first required significant updates to the Chestertown laboratory facilities, which began in 2021. “It was a lot of work to get the space ready,” said Hospodor. “Now that the new analyzers are installed and operational, this state-of-the art technology is consistent throughout our laboratory sites, and that consistency supports quality patient care.”

 

“The Board of Directors of the Chester River Health Foundation recognized the significant need to update the hospital’s laboratory equipment and we were happy to commit the necessary funding,” said Libby Woolever, foundation chair. “The lab team was a great partner in this project, working through the process with grace and commitment. It’s gratifying to see it come to fruition and to know that patients are benefiting from access to state-of-the-art laboratory services here in Chestertown.”

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

 

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Kent Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT) has been honored by the Kent County Chamber of Commerce as recipients of its Community Excellence Award – 2025 Organization of the Year. Kent SCOT is a population health initiative of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.‌

‌Presented at the Kent County Chamber’s annual meeting at the Chester River Yacht Club,,the award recognizes the outstanding community service and contributions of SCOT members Emily Welsh, MSN, RN, nurse coordinator; social worker Michelle Matthews, LCSW-C and community health advocates Amanda Webster, CCHW and Serenity Kelly, CCHW. The award is designed to highlight a non-profit or community organization that has “significantly enhanced the quality of life for Kent County residents through exemplary effort that contributes to the overall well-being and vitality of the community.” In addition to a commemorative plaque, the award includes a $1,000 gift from the chamber to support SCOT’s continued health care outreach and services for residents of Kent County.‌ 

‌Since January 2024, SCOT members have provided 60 free health screening events (blood pressure and diabetes) and 988 home visits and case management support for 166 patients. Patients served by SCOT may benefit not only from improved access to health care services, but also fewer emergency department visits and hospital admissions, as well as reduced health care costs.

‌“On behalf of the entire Shore Regional Health team serving Kent and northern Queen Anne’s Counties, I am proud to congratulate our Kent Shore Community Outreach Team on this well-deserved recognition from the Kent County Chamber of Commerce,” said Zack Royston, Vice President, Rural Health Care Transformation and Executive Director, UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. ”The team has been a driving force in transforming rural healthcare by delivering services to individuals where they are — whether in patients’ homes, trusted community sites, or through our partnerships with other community organizations. Through these efforts, the Shore Community Outreach Team is not only improving access to care, but also making a profound, positive impact in communities we serve.”

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

 

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, recently welcomed Dawn Gordon as Medical Staff Director. In this role, Gordon will provide leadership, management and operational oversight of the Medical Staff Office. 

Gordon joins UM SRH from Centra Health, Inc., in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she served from 2014 to 2024 as Director of Integrated Professional Staff Services and ultimately as Corporate Director. In that capacity, she oversaw medical staff and credentialing activities for approximately 1,200 providers at three Centra facilities, the Centra Medical Group and its long-term care hospital. From 2007 to 2014, she served as Director of the Centralized Verification Office and Medical Staff Office of Carilion Clinic’s Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia. Her professional experience also includes four years as an adjunct faculty member in Liberty University’s nursing program and five years a registered nurse at Virginia Baptist Hospital.

Gordon’s educational credentials include a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. She is certified in Professional Medical Services Management, Provider Credentialing and Leadership from the National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS). She has served as President of the Virginia Association of Medical Staff Services and Director at Large representing several states for the NAMSS.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Adam Goldrich, MD, has been named Medical Director of the Cancer Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH). UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

 As a provider with the Annapolis-based practice, Maryland Oncology Hematology, Dr. Goldrich has been seeing patients in the practice’s Easton location at 509 Idlewild Avenue since 2021. 

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Goldrich as the Cancer Center’s medical director,” said Jeanie Scott, Director of Oncology Services and the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center at UM SRH. “His familiarity with our cancer program as well as his medical expertise and commitment to the highest standards of patient-centered care make him an excellent choice for this leadership role.”

Dr. Goldrich, who serves on the UM SRH Cancer Program’s Governance Committee, earned his medical degree from the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University and completed his internal medicine residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and served as chief resident at Kings County Hospital. He completed his fellowship in oncology and hematology at the Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple University Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology. 

‌Dr. Goldrich’s research interests include the use of immunotherapy with special attention to comprehensive genomic tumor profiling and targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer. His clinical focus includes gastrointestinal malignancies, lung and head and neck cancer, urologic cancer, breast and gynecologic cancer, along with leukemia and lymphoma. 

“Serving as Medical Director of the Cancer Center at UM Shore Regional Health is a role I am honored and excited to take on,” said Dr. Goldrich. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Cancer Center at Shore Regional Health along with the wider medical community on the eastern shore. My goal is to continue to develop and advance the Cancer Center’s treatment programs and continue to improve patient outcomes for the local community.”

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

 

The University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is hosting upcoming Safe Sitter® courses at UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown and Easton, and the 2025 dates were recently announced. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

The course will be taught by UM SRH Women and Children’s Department skilled nurses and is designed for children ages 11 to 13.  Dates and times for the courses are: Saturday, January 18, April 26 and June 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton’s Health Education Center, 219 South Washington St.; and Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the conference room at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, 100 Brown St.

The course is designed to prepare students to be safe when they are home alone, watching younger siblings or babysitting other children. The instructor-led class is taught using games and role-playing exercises so that students can practice rescue skills. Participants in the program can also expect to learn safety skills, including how to prevent unsafe situations and what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies; child care skills, such as tips to manage behavior that will help sitters stay in control of themselves and the children in their care; first aid and rescue skills, including CPR and choking rescue; and life and business skills to help sitters screen potential childcare jobs, discuss fees and greet employers.

“Safe Sitter helps pre-teens gain skills and confidence in caring for a sibling or babysitting, while learning in a supported and hands-on environment,” said Stephanie Blades, MSN, RNC-OB, clinical nurse educator, Women and Children’s Services, UM SRH. “The Safe Sitter course is a nationally recognized program that provides up-to-date information about caring for younger children in today’s world, including teaching CPR, choking rescue, and basic first aid skills. The course is nurse-led and designed to be interactive, through a mixture of learning and game play. My own children took this course more than 10 years ago and now I get the opportunity to teach it to the next generation.”

The cost of the program is $50 and a Safe Sitter kit will be provided to all student participants. Students should bring a lunch on the day of the program.

To register for the course, email Gladys Peeples at [email protected]. Early registration is encouraged, as class size is limited. For questions, call Stephanie Blades at 410-822-1000, ext. 5234. 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

University of Maryland Shore Medical Group (UM SMG) – Surgical Care has welcomed general surgeon Faiz Khaja, MD, to its provider team. UM SMG is an affiliate medical practice of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Dr. Khaja earned his medical degree from the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. and his undergraduate degree in biology from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He completed his surgical residency at ChristianaCare in Wilmington, Delaware. Dr. Khaja has a special interest and skill in robotic surgery and has a wealth of medical volunteer experience abroad.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Khaja to our practice,” said William Bair, MD, Medical Director, UM SMG. His extensive expertise in a diverse range of surgical procedures, including robotic surgery, is an asset to our team.”

To make an appointment with Dr. Khaja, patients can call 410-822-4553.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Several health education classes will be offered this year by the Rural Health Care Transformation initiative at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center (UM SMC) at Chestertown. UM SMC at Chestertown is part of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, a member organization of University of Maryland Medical System.

“We are continuing our commitment to expand health education opportunities for residents of Kent and northern Queen Anne’s counties,” said Sandra Wilson-Hypes, Health Educator at the Chestertown hospital. “These classes are designed to help individuals maintain their best health and safety as they go about their daily lives and are offered free of charge, some in-person and others online.”

Three classes will be offered in a series of sessions that begin this month. These include Don’t Worry, Be Healthy, a five-session class beginning January 13 that offers tips for infection prevention, fire and burn prevention, medication safety, diabetes prevention and fall prevention; Caring with Compassion: Essential Lessons for Adult Caregivers, taught in five sessions beginning January 16; and Breathe Again: Smoking Cessation, offered in five sessions beginning January 29.

One-day classes offered at the hospital in the coming months include Heart Smart: Taking Control of your Cardiovascular Health, Tuesday, February 18, 1 to 2 p.m.; Adult Community CPR (non-certification), March 4, 1 to 3 p.m.; and Organize Your Health, presented by the Kent Shore Community Outreach Team, March 19, 5 to 6 p.m.

For class details and registration information, contact Wilson-Hypes by calling 667-343-3151 or emailing [email protected] 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s first baby of 2025 arrived on the morning of New Year’s Day at UM SRH’s Birthing Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton. UM Shore Regional Health is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Baby boy Ronin Chance was born at 10:03 a.m. to Amanda and Jesse Chance of Preston, weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces, and measuring 20 inches long. He joins an older sister, Nova, at home. Mom Amanda Chance, RN, BSN, is a nurse in UM Shore Medical Center at Easton’s Intensive Care Unit.

The family was gifted a congratulatory basket from UM Shore Regional Health, which included baby clothing, diapers, bathing, feeding and health items, pacifiers, baby toys and baby books. Shore United Bank also donated a $250 savings bond certificate to the newborn.

Nearly 1,000 babies are born at the Birthing Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton each year.

University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton recently was recognized for the fourth time as High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Mindful Eating for Memory Care in the African American Community is the topic of a presentation on Saturday February 1, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Kent County YMCA, 200 Scheeler Road in Chestertown. The presentation is being offered by the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) Kent County Shore Community Outreach Team and Rural Health Care Transformation initiative in collaboration with the YMCA, the African American Health Advisory Committee and the Alzheimer’s Association of Maryland. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Focusing on healthy living strategies for both brain and body, the event will feature two guest presenters, Baltimore chef Heather Smith and Crystal Day-Black, EdD, MSN, associate professor in the College of Health Professions at Coppin State University and volunteer community educator for the Maryland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Their topics will include research in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement. Cooking and exercise demonstrations also will be featured.

”This informative program is designed to help individuals maintain their best physical and cognitive health,” said Sandy Wilson-Hypes, Health Education Coordinator for UM SRH. “In addition to the presentations, participants will enjoy a free, light-fare breakfast and have the opportunity to tour the YMCA and learn about programs offered there.”

There is no charge to attend the event but advance registration is required. Interested persons may register by phone, 800-272-3900, or online at bit.ly/4eZUEhR. For questions, call Wilson-Hypes at 667-343-3151. 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The new Maternity Care Access Hospital distinction brings recognition to UM Shore Regional Health’s commitment to creating health care access points for patients throughout the Region.

EASTON, Md. (December 30, 2024) – UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, a University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) hospital, has been recognized for the fourth consecutive year as High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study. U.S. News & World Report has also named UM Shore Medical Center at Easton as a 2025 Maternity Care Access Hospital.

U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meets their family’s needs. Hospitals from across the nation that provide labor and delivery services submitted detailed data to the publication for analysis; 817 hospitals participated in this year’s U.S. News survey and only half of all hospitals evaluated for U.S. News’ 2025 ratings edition have been recognized as a Best Hospital for Maternity Care. 

UM Shore Regional Health is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.  University of Maryland Medical Center also was recognized as High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) for 2025.

“Our Birthing Center teams and UM Shore Medical Group – Women’s Health providers deserve tremendous credit for achieving this distinction and maintaining this ranking for the fourth year in a row,” said Danielle Wilson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, UM SRH. “This accomplishment speaks to the dedication of every single one of our team members, as well as to the alignment across the University of Maryland Medical System toward our priority of becoming a High Reliability Organization. Being named a Maternity Care Access Hospital is tremendous validation that we are on the right path to achieving our goals.”

Earning this recognition required UM Shore Medical Center at Easton to excel on quality metrics that matter to expectant families, such as severe unexpected newborn complication rates and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, C-sections among lower-risk pregnancies, early elective delivery rates, the hospital’s ability to meet federal criteria for birth-friendly practices and how successfully the hospital supports breastfeeding.

“Hospitals that receive a High Performing designation as part of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care meet a high standard in caring for parents with uncomplicated pregnancies,” said Jennifer Winston, Health Data Scientist at U.S. News. “These hospitals have C-section rates that are 26 percent lower and newborn complication rates that are 37 percent lower than unrecognized hospitals.

On average, nearly 1,000 babies a year are delivered at the hospital’s Birthing Center. UM SRH has OB/GYN physicians and anesthesiologists on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Pediatric coverage is also provided around the clock by UM School of Medicine and UM Shore Medical Group-Pediatrics providers in the hospital. 

“We are proud to earn this recognition for a fourth year,” said Jessica Genrich, MBA, RNC, Director of Women and Children’s Services at UM SRH. “This honor highlights Shore Regional Health’s commitment to providing the highest-quality maternity care to our Eastern Shore families. It also reflects the dedication of our providers, nurses and techs delivering compassionate, evidence-based care.”

U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings now recognize hospitals offering essential maternity services to underserved communities. The Maternity Care Access Hospital designation recognizes essential hospitals serving communities that would be in danger of becoming “maternity care deserts” if they were to stop providing crucial maternity care services. Only 14 percent of all U.S. News evaluated hospitals have been designated as Maternity Care Access Hospitals.

The U.S. News Maternity Care Access Hospitals designation is based on a number of measures including geographic isolation, number of obstetric providers per 10,000 births and hospital quality. Maternity Care Access Hospitals must also meet quality measures for C-section, severe unexpected newborn complications, and episiotomy.

“U.S. News awarded the Maternity Care Access Hospital designation to just 118 hospitals nationwide,” said Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News. “These hospitals ensure continued access to critical maternity care services and demonstrate their dedication to closing the gap in maternity care deserts.

Parents-to-be can research their local hospitals’ performance metrics for free at health.usnews.com to help them choose where to have their baby.

For information about The Birthing Center at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, including a list of the 2025 Childbirth and Parent Education courses and 2025 Safe Sitter in-person courses, visit umshoreregional.org/birthing.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 400 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.