University of Maryland Medical Center

The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) is a teaching hospital with 705 beds [ [http://mhcc.maryland.gov/consumerinfo/hospitalguide/hospital_guide/reports/find_a_hospital/facility_info.asp?hospital_nm=210002 Maryland Health Care Commission Hospital Guide] ] based in Baltimore, Maryland, that provides the full range of health care to people throughout Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region. It gets more than 35,000 inpatient admissions and 165,000 outpatient visits each year. UMMC has approximately 6,500 employees as well as 1,000 attending physicians, and provides training for about half of Maryland's physicians and other health care professionals. All members of the medical staff are on the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The University of Maryland Medical Center was named one of the nation's best acute-care hospitals in patient safety and quality of care in 2006 [ [http://www.leapfroggroup.org/media/file/Leapfrog_Top_Hospitals_2006_list.pdf The Leapfrog Group Top Hospitals, 2006] ] and 2007 [ [http://www.leapfroggroup.org/media/file/Release_2007_Leapfrog_Survey_and_Top_Hospitals_9-18.pdf Leapfrog Survey and Top Hospitals, 2007] ] by the Leapfrog Group. It is part of the University of Maryland Medical System, a private, not-for-profit health system that includes nine acute care, specialty and rehabilitation hospitals as well as outpatient facilities throughout Maryland.

History

The University of Maryland Medical Center is one of the nation’s oldest teaching hospitals. It was created in 1823 as the Baltimore Infirmary [ [http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/health/hospitals-clinics/university-of-maryland-medical-center-PLCUL000226.topic Baltimore Sun UMMC Overview] ] , which was located on the same site as today’s medical center, on the West side of downtown Baltimore.

Overview

The University of Maryland Medical Center is a referral center for trauma, cancer care, neurocare, cardiac care and heart surgery, women's and children's health and organ transplants. It has one of the nation's largest kidney transplant programs and is known for developing and performing minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Major Centers/Programs

The major components of the University of Maryland Medical Center include:

R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center

The R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (also known as Shock Trauma) is the world's first center dedicated to saving lives of people with severe, life-threatening injuries sustained in auto crashes, violent crimes and other traumatic incidents.

Shock Trauma has more than 100 inpatient beds dedicated to emergency surgery, resuscitation, intensive care, and acute surgical care. The trauma staff treat more than 7,500 critically injured patients each year who arrive by helicopter or ambulance.

It is named after its founder,R Adams Cowley, M.D., who came up with the concept of the "golden hour" — that lives can be saved when trauma patients receive appropriate care within one hour of their injury. Shock Trauma trains physicians and medical personnel from locations overseas and throughout the United States

University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center

The University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center (UMGCC) is designated by the National Cancer Institute as one of the top cancer centers in the country [ [http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/cancer-centers-list.html#MD National Cancer Institute's Cancer Center's List] ] UMGCC is known for providing coordinated care from teams of specialists -- medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, pathologists, nurses and other team members who have expertise in particular types of cancer -- who consult on each patient's case and develop a joint treatment plan.

UMGCC also is known as a center with expertise in laboratory and clinical research. UMGCC researchers actively particate in new drug development, and the center offers more than 100 clinical trials.

University of Maryland Hospital for Children

The University of Maryland Hospital for Children (UMHC) provides care for serious and complex health problems in patients ranging from newborns to young adults. UMHC has its own pediatric pharmacy and emergency room, and is also very active in children's health care research.

Special programs and services include a headache clinic, asthma program, AIDS program, pediatric surgery and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Infants born prematurely are transported from around the region to be cared for in the 40-bed NICU — one of the largest in the state.

University of Maryland Heart Center

The University of Maryland Heart Center was recognized as one of the 100 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Thomson Healthcare for 2007. [ [http://www.100tophospitals.com/winners/Cardiowinners.aspx Thomson Reuters 100 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals, 2007] ]

The Heart Center is recognized for its expertise in robotic heart surgery, minimally invasive heart bypass and valve surgery, heart transplants and heart pumps.

The Heart Center's cardiologists and cardiac surgeons treat a full range of heart problems, including heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart rhythm abnormalities, aortic and mitral valve disorders and cardiomyopathy.

The Heart Center also emphasizes heart disease prevention by educating patients about lifestyle factors, including proper nutrition and exercise.

University of Maryland Division of Transplantation

The University of Maryland Division of Transplantation is one of the nation's largest kidney and pancreas transplant programs with a reputation for its expertise in treating patients who need kidney, pancreas or liver transplants. It is also known for its laboratory and clinical research, and offers a wide selection of clinical trials.

The Division of Transplantation is known for such programs as its living kidney and living liver donor programs, a steroid-free protocol, which reduces medication side effects following a transplant, as well as combined heart an liver transplants, simultaneous bilateral kidney transplant for polycystic kidney disease and domino liver transplants.

Medical Milestones

* First in Maryland to perform combined heart and liver transplant: 2007
* First in Maryland to offer a newly approved artificial cervical disc to patients with degenerative disc disease in the neck: 2007
* First in the Mid-Atlantic region to perform minimally invasive, beating heart, multiple-vessel coronary artery bypass surgery with the assistance of a surgical robot: 2006
* First in U.S. to have performed 1,000 minimally invasive kidney removals from living kidney donors: 2005
* First in Maryland to offer SIR-Spheres, microscopic beads infused with radiation to treat cancerous tumors in the liver: 2004
* Maryland's first accredited Primary Stroke Center: 2004
* First in the U.S. to use Statscan, a low-dose X-ray scanner that provides full body images for trauma patients in 13 seconds: 2003
* First in Mid-Atlantic region to perform cryosurgery for prostate cancer: 1993
* Maryland's first single-lung transplant: 1992
* First in Mid-Atlantic region to use a Gamma Knife to destroy brain tumors and vascular malformations without surgery: 1992
* First laparoscopic gall bladder removal in the Northeastern U.S.: 1989
* First in Maryland to use supported angioplasty to open blocked arteries: 1987
* First to develop a microwave scalpel which inhibits bleeding during operations: 1983
* The world's first Shock Trauma Center: 1968

References

External links

* [http://www.umm.edu University of Maryland Medical Center]
* [http://www.umm.edu/shocktrauma R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center]
* [http://www.umgcc.org University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center]
* [http://www.umm.edu/pediatrics University of Maryland Hospital for Children]
* [http://www.umm.edu/heart University of Maryland Heart Center]
* [http://www.umm.edu/transplant University of Maryland Division of Transplantation]