Here are this week’s top five most-clicked stories from MHA’s News Roundup newsletter.
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Opening 29-Bed Observation Unit in December
WMAR, by Blair Sabol
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center is expanding with a new 29-bed observation unit set to open on December 1. The change is expected to immediately reduce the long wait times recorded in the emergency department. This story was also covered in the Baltimore Business Journal.
UMMC Doctor Says Most MS Referrals Aren’t Multiple Sclerosis, Cites Christina Applegate Case
WBAL-TV
Dr. Sarah Fredrich, a neurologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center, discusses why multiple sclerosis is frequently misdiagnosed, saying that one in five patients referred to specialty centers with a confirmed MS diagnosis actually have another condition. With no single definitive test for MS, diagnosis can be challenging, though recently updated criteria may help physicians more accurately identify the disease.
Southern Maryland Providers Win $2M in Rural Health Grants
The Southern Maryland Chronicle, by David M. Higgins II
Southern Maryland hospitals and healthcare providers will receive more than $2 million in federal rural health workforce grants to recruit physicians, train nurses, and expand dental assistant programs. The five awards, serving Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties, are part of Maryland’s $16.4 million Rural Health Transformation Program workforce initiative aimed at addressing critical staffing shortages in rural communities.
Taking Multiple Meds May Be Worsening—Not Fixing—Your Health, Scientists Say
Prevention, by Kayla Branton
New research suggests that taking multiple medications can increase the risk of side effects among adults 65 and older, sometimes leading to additional prescriptions in what’s known as a “prescribing cascade.” Maryann Amirshahi, Pharm.D., M.D., a toxicologist and emergency medicine doctor with MedStar Health, adds that older adults are more sensitive to medication effects in general.
Maryland Launches New Tool to Help Residents Prepare for Medicaid Work Requirements
The BayNet, by John Collins
Maryland has launched a searchable database connecting residents with more than 900 job training, education, and career development programs. The tool aims to help residents prepare for new federal Medicaid work requirements beginning Jan. 1, 2027, which will require certain recipients to complete at least 80 hours of qualifying activities per month to maintain coverage.