News Releases

Gwinn Derricott, an 18-year member of the Chester River Hospital Center Auxiliary, was honored with her 10th Gold Star Award at the auxiliary’s recent annual meeting and luncheon. Gold stars are awarded for every 500 hours volunteered for the benefit of University of Maryland Shore Medical Center (UM SMC) at Chestertown.

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Department of Surgery Chair Christine Lau, MD, MBA, along with UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today the appointment of Bartley P. Griffith, MD, as the Department of Surgery's first Vice Chair for Innovation. In this role, Dr. Griffith will nurture a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration in the Department, and expand the integration of related sciences into surgical practice.

The UM Chester River Hospital Center Auxiliary held its annual meeting and luncheon at Uncle Charlie's Bistro in Chestertown on January 15 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and in celebration of volunteerism. The event marked the Auxiliary's 89th year of service in support of UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. The hospital is part of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), which is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Mary Alice Vanhoy, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, NRP, FAEN, Nurse Manager, University of Maryland Shore Emergency Center (UM SEC) at Queenstown, has been elected to the board of directors of the Academy of Emergency Nursing (AEN) for a two-year term. UM SEC at Queenstown is part of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), which is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Healthgrades ranks UM St. Joseph Medical Center #1 in Maryland for Orthopedic Surgery and Spine Surgery, and the top five in the state for Cardiology and Critical Care.

University of Maryland Chester River Health Foundation (UM CRHF) recently elected new officers for a three-year term to its board of directors. The Foundation raises funds for patient care services and equipment at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown; the hospital is part of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), which is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Michael Carlson, MD, an Emergency Department physician at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center (UM SMC) at Chestertown, was recently honored as an “Everyday Hero.” The award was presented by former UM Chester River Health Foundation board member Sue Speakman, who nominated Dr. Carlson due to the exceptional care he provided to her husband during a recent visit to the Emergency Department.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) recently accepted the 2023 Partnership award from the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). William Huffner, MD, MBA, FACEP, FACHE, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs, UM SRH, accepted the award on behalf of the health system on October 12, 2023, at a ceremony in New Orleans, Louisiana.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, received approval yesterday from the Maryland Health Care Commission to construct a new Regional Medical Center in Easton. Once completed, the UM Shore Regional Medical Center in Easton will replace the existing hospital in downtown Easton, which is outdated and obsolete, with the majority of the hospital constructed between 1955 and 1975. Additionally, its location in a residential neighborhood bordering the town's Historic District prevents expansion and creates access issues for patients and staff.

During his Fiscal Year 2025 budget announcement yesterday, Maryland Governor Wes Moore introduced a State budget that includes a significant funding commitment of $100 million in capital funds for the construction of the new Regional Medical Center in Easton. The hospital will be operated by University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.