Local Leaders Explore Local Health Care
The Leadership Southern Maryland Executive Program met at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and Pyramid California Residential and Outpatient Treatment Center for a daylong examination of the current state of health care in Southern Maryland.
Participants sat down with the CEOs, chief financial officers, and other senior leaders of MedStar St. Mary’s, CalvertHealth System, and University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, and with the county health officers and other key public health staff to discuss current challenges and opportunities of our healthcare system. They learned how workforce and financial sustainability challenges are met in part through collaboration with Southern Maryland’s educational institutions and other community partners.
During the January 5 event, the LSM group received a behind-the-scenes virtual tour of St. Mary’s Hospital’s cutting-edge capabilities in robotic surgery and interventional radiology.
“Hearing about the surgery capabilities and robotics availability in the local area was amazing,” said Ryan Morning, director of business development at StraCon Services Group. “I had no idea we were using that technology at MedStar St. Mary’s.”
The group placed special focus on mental and behavioral health in Southern Maryland. A dementia exercise by Sagepoint Senior Living Services put participants into the shoes of people living with memory loss and sensory impairment.
“The dementia exercise was eye-opening,” said Tekla Research Vice President of Pax River Operations Steven Girard. “Getting an understanding of what dementia patients are going through, and seeing how they ‘see’ the world was very helpful.”
Pyramid California Residential and Outpatient Treatment Center, Maryland Coalition of Families, and St. Mary’s County Health Department Harm Reduction Program introduced participants to innovative and supportive programming available to residents suffering from mental illness and addiction. A walk through the Charles County Sheriff’s Office’s Heroin Overdose Prevention Effort, or HOPE, trailer brought home the message that addiction and mental illness can touch any family.
Dr. Johnnie Taylor Jr., Neany Inc.’s managing director of contracts, said, “I am so impressed by the obvious collaboration between agencies and respect for what each agency contributes to resolving the healthcare challenges in our tri-county area.”
LSM’s Executive Program is an interactive and life-enriching nine-month, tuition-based “behind-the-scenes” experience designed to enhance the collaborative abilities of the region’s top senior professionals. LSM welcomes mid- to senior-level executives representing diverse geographic locations, industries, professions, ethnicities, genders, and other backgrounds who are committed to addressing the community needs of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties.
