Impact on Economic Development Among Other Areas

Last week, I was invited to speak to the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce's Economic Development Committee.  My topic "Meeting the Challenge of Health Care Change" covered three areas: the health system's economic impact on the region; how health care is changing at WMHS and some background on the potential alliance between WMHS, Frederick Regional Health System and Meritus Health.  The meeting was well attended and the response was extremely positive.  Lots of questions and the group received a great perspective on health care and how dramatically it is changing under the Affordable Care Act. 

Tomorrow, Dr. Rob Flint, Chairman of Emergency Medicine, and Jamie Karstetter, the Director of Nursing who responsible for the ED as well as a number of other areas, will be presenting to the Cumberland Rotary Club on how we are meeting the challenge of health care change in the Emergency Department.  We will also be taking the success that we have had with the Door-to-Balloon project out on road so our community is aware of our success in this area, as well.   We jokingly refer to taking our message out to the public as shameless self-promotion, but quite honestly, there are many wonderful things happening at WMHS that we have to share with our patients and the community.