The Shore Wound Care team is led by wound care specialist, Thomas Lubeski, DO, FACOS. He is joined by Dot Mayorga, RN, Case Manager, and Cheryl Ruff, Practice Administrator. Surgeons from Shore Surgical Care are also available for consultation to allow for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach.

Most health plans, including Medicare, cover Shore Wound Care treatment.

“There is a tremendous need for wound care treatment resulting from diabetes, surgery, severe skin irritations, burns, traumatic accidents, and for people with impaired blood flow” says Dr. Lubeski. “If you have a sore or wound that has not improved significantly in two weeks or healed entirely in six weeks, you should ask your doctor about Shore Wound Care or call us directly.”

Dr. Lubeski is an experienced clinician and wound care specialist with 21 years as a healthcare provider. Prior to joining Shore Wound Care, he was medical director of the Atlantic General Hospital Wound Care Center in Berlin, Maryland. Dr. Lubeski is board certified in General Surgery. A graduate of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Lubeski was conferred title of Fellow in the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons.

According to Dr. Lubeski, Shore Wound Care patients will receive a comprehensive assessment and individualized plan of care to ensure maximum healing. This plan will include regular visits to provide treatment, evaluate progress and make changes as needed to improve the healing process. The initial patient visit begins with a review of prior medical history, photos and measurement of the wound, and an examination to determine the best course of treatment. Non-invasive tests may also be required to provide information about blood flow in the wound area.

“In addition to the care patients receive at the center, they or their caregivers will be provided education and detailed instructions on home care, dressing changes, and how to protect the wound to support healing and prevent further injury or recurrence,” adds Dr. Lubeski. “Patient progress, in the form of care plans, photos, and phone calls will also be submitted to the patient’s primary care physician and other referring physicians on an ongoing basis.”

Shore Wound Care uses the newest clinical tools in wound healing along with proven clinical practices that include wound dressings, debridement (the removal of unhealthy tissue), compression therapy, edema (swelling) management, skin grafting, and addressing special needs for relief such as beds, seat cushions and footwear. With a focus on the whole person, the plan of care may also include a nutritional assessment, diabetes education, patient counseling, and pain management.

“There are often small steps that patients need to take that will have an impact on wound healing, such as increasing protein or reducing salt in the diet,” says Mayorga. “Because we are part of Shore Health System, we’re also able to offer patients access to many related services they may need, such as diabetes care, vascular and plastic surgery, dietary counseling and home care.”

Shore Wound Care is a newly-remodeled, single-story facility on Dutchman’s Lane with four private exam rooms equipped with lift chairs for patient convenience and comfort. Selected and designed to make access as seamless as possible for patients, the center has convenient parking and two entrances. The rear entrance is custom-built to accommodate patients in wheelchairs or who arrive by ambulance.

Shore Wound Care is located at 505-A Dutchman’s Lane in Easton, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To schedule an appointment, or for more information, call 410-820-6500, or visit www.shorehealth.org.

Shore Wound Care is a member of Shore Clinical Foundation, a Shore Health System affiliate that provides medical management services for employed physician practices. Shore Clinical Foundation physicians provide primary and specialty care to people of all ages in the Mid-Shore region.

In photo: Dr. Tom Lubeski

Echocardiographic testing, also referred to as cardiac ultrasound or 2-D echo cardiogram, is useful in the detection and management of many types of heart disease. This non-invasive test has become one of the standard diagnostic tools in cardiology with an estimated 10 million echocardiograms performed annually in the US. Shore Health System performs over 8,000 cardiac ultrasounds a year for cardiologists and other physicians who need an accurate view of the heart and its valves, blood flow, and pumping function to diagnosis and treat a variety of heart conditions.

“Patients can be confident that Shore Health’s cardiology team is committed to maintaining the highest quality in cardiac studies,” says Bruce Helmly, MD, Medical Director for Shore Health’s cardiac ultrasound service. “We are very proud of all of the resources we have, including skilled staff and the latest technology, to assure that our patients get exceptional cardiac care.”

Echocardiography is a complex imaging technique that relies on the experience and training of the technologists who conduct the testing under the direction of a cardiologist. Also known as cardiac sonographers, the technologists use their technical abilities and clinical expertise to help the diagnostic accuracy of a cardiac ultrasound examination.

Gary Jones, FACCA, Director of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Services said, “All of our skilled technologists do an excellent job; however I want to recognize the efforts of one of our cardiac ultrasound technologists, Melissa Svehla, BS, RDCS, RVT. She was responsible for assembling the very detailed information required for obtaining reaccreditation.”

In order to maintain its accreditation in cardiac ultrasound, the lab must show that it is meeting a number of criteria, including studies that have been evaluated for their technical proficiency as well as quality of interpretation; evidence of regular case reviews and a representation of the different types of ultrasound studies that have been done; and credentialing of the ultrasound technologists, interpreting physicians and the medical director of the lab.

In photo: Cilica Nita, MA, RDCS, Cardiac & Vascular Sonographer; Melissa Svehla, BS, RDCS, RVT, Technical Director; Amanda Helgason, BS, RDCS, Cardiac & Vascular Sonographer; and Bruce Helmly, MD, Medical Director for Cardiology. (CardiacUltrasoundAccred1211.jpg)

This specialty stretcher, which can accommodate up to 750 pounds, is padded with a thicker, extra comfort mattress to redistribute a patient’s weight. The stretcher’s built-in scale helps the nursing staff weigh patients without having to move them to a separate scale. A fifth wheel, located in the center of the stretcher, makes it easier to transport patients to other areas of the hospital.

Ida Jane Baker, President of the Dorchester General Hospital Foundation, comments, “This stretcher fills an important need for the emergency department so that all patients, regardless of size, can receive comfortable care while they are here.”

In photo: Cathy Weber, RN, Manager of Emergency Services for Dorchester General Hospital, (left) and Amy Brockson, RN, Clinical Coordinator, (right) thank Ida Jane Baker, President, Dorchester General Hospital Foundation, (center) for the Foundation’s gift that was used to purchase a specialty stretcher for the hospital’s Emergency Department.

Recognizing the importance of ongoing care and communication for patients, Black was instrumental in the Cancer Transitions program, a six-week program that helps patients make the transition from treatment to survivorship. Seeing that there were support groups and other resources in place for cancer patients during and after treatment, Black realized a void existed at the beginning of the process. She developed the “Welcome Group,” a program for newly diagnosed cancer patients. These groups began in fall 2010 as a way to introduce patients to resources available to help them and to help them adjust to their cancer diagnosis.

In addition to her group programs, Black works diligently with individual patients and families providing social work services.

“Pam is the epitome of an unsung hero and is truly deserving of this honor,” said Brian Leutner, Director of Oncology Services for Shore Regional Cancer Center. “She has been an integral part of our cancer survivorship program and goes above and beyond to help patients get the resources they need as they go through a cancer diagnosis.”

The Keiser® Infinity Trainer is used by physical therapists to help patients recover strength, balance and range of motion following surgery, injury and illness.

The Infinity Trainer uses air-pressurized resistance, which can be adjusted to accommodate the needs of each patient. Patients can work their arms, legs and torso through supervised exercises designed just for them.

Physical therapist Patrick Mooney, PT, explains, “We use the Infinity Trainer to accommodate our patients’ physical weaknesses until they are strong enough to do the exercises on their own. The Infinity Trainer is convenient and efficient because we can use one machine to help people do many different kinds of exercises. ”

Shore Rehabilitation at Cambridge located at 15 Sunburst Center in Cambridge offers physical, occupational and speech therapy for children and adults. For more information, call 410-221-0029 or visitwww.shorehealth.org/services/rehabilitation/index.shtml.

In photo: Vera Block, president of the Dorchester General Hospital Auxiliary, learns first hand how physical therapist Patrick Mooney and his colleagues at Shore Rehabilitation Services at Cambridge use the Keiser Infinity Trainer during a physical therapy session. The DGH Auxiliary funded the purchase of this equipment.