With the $51-million expansion project
nearing completion, CalvertHealth
Medical Center (CHMC) is moving
forward with plans to expand its
surgical services – investing in new
technology like the SAVI SCOUT®
surgical guidance system and
recruiting additional specialists – to
provide local residents with enhanced
access to a growing range of surgical
options.
A key step was the recruitment of renowned
breast surgical oncologist Dr. Theodore
Tsangaris, who is serving as chief medical
officer and cancer program director at Calvert.
Dr. Tsangaris has extensive experience at the
region’s top tertiary hospitals and is bringing
that expertise to the development of the
surgical service line at CalvertHealth.
“I want all local residents to choose
CalvertHealth with confidence for their
surgical care,” said Dr. Tsangaris. “If the
procedure is highly complex and should be
performed in a tertiary facility, we will help
connect that patient with the right physician
for their needs.”
He went on to add, “We do a great job with
what we do here. I’m very impressed with the
quality of care we provide. I’ve been at centers
where the acuity is higher but the care isn’t
any better than what we offer.”
Developing Essential Resources
At the top of the list is recruiting
more specialists, said Dr. Tsangaris.
“We know what we need and we’ve
ramped up our efforts in that area.”
CalvertHealth completes a physician
needs assessment every three years
to identify where more clinicians are
needed. This helps in recruitment
efforts and planning.
Recruitment is definitely a
major part of the medical center’s
multifaceted strategy to grow its
surgical services. For his part,
Dr. Tsangaris is confident about the
appeal of CalvertHealth to surgical
candidates. “To start with, this is
a great hospital and it’s well run.
Number two, surgeons want to operate
in a place where the technology allows
them to practice their craft.”
He went on to add, “And this is
a growing area. So, they are going
to be busy and they will have the
opportunity for some academic
affiliations. I think that would be very
attractive to someone coming out
of training. It was very attractive to
someone who had been practicing for
a while (referring to himself).”
Reputation was certainly a factor
in the decision by Dr. Ervind Bhogte
to come here. After completing his
residency in general surgery and
fellowship in surgical critical care
at MedStar Washington Hospital
Center, he joined the active staff at
CalvertHealth in 2012.
“I appreciate working at
CalvertHealth because quality and
safety are the top priority here,” said
Dr. Bhogte. “The staff and providers
are all very caring and concerned for
every patient.”
The newest addition to the surgical
team at CalvertHealth is boardcertified
vascular surgeon Dr. Joseph
C. Wuamett, who came on board in
May. He brings broad-based experience
in diagnosing and treating a wide
variety of vascular issues including
aortic aneurysms, varicose veins,
peripheral vascular disease, dialysis
access and chronic wounds.
Dr. Wuamett said he found
CalvertHealth’s commitment to serving
community needs very appealing.
“There is a clear effort to increase
access to reliable, high quality health
care close to home,” he said. “I am
excited to join a growing team of
surgeons at CalvertHealth that is only
going to make Calvert County an even
better place to live.”
At present, CalvertHealth has
26 surgeons on its active medical
staff encompassing many different
specialties. For a complete listing, go to
CalvertHealth Medicine.org. They are
assisted by a special team of nurses
and technicians who are experienced,
highly trained professionals with
extensive knowledge in surgical care.
Strong Reputation for Safety
Plastic surgeon Dr. Wilfred
Ehrmantraut, Jr. said he believes
the medical center’s record for
quality and safety inspires trust and
confidence in its surgical services.
“CalvertHealth is consistently
recognized by the state of Maryland
and ranks in the upper percentile in
quality care and safety metrics,” said
Dr. Ehrmantraut, who is chief of the
medical staff.
Of particular note, said
CalvertHealth Vice President for
Clinical Services Diane Couchman,
MBA, BSN, RN is its extremely low
surgical infection rate. In 2019, there
were six infections reported out of
3,708 surgeries.
Couchman went on to add,
“Many surgical procedures have
been improved through new
technology, new approaches and new
medications.”
According to Couchman, the
majority of minimally invasive spine
surgery at CHMC is performed
using a microscope, which results
in incisions the size of a dime and a
more comfortable recovery. “We’re
also using TruMatch™technology for
more total knee replacement cases.
This process contributes to better
alignment of the knee and reduces
surgical time,” she said.
Additionally, CalvertHealth
has installed 4K video monitors
in its operating rooms, allowing
the surgeons to see blood vessels,
tissue and organs better than ever
before. “We also have brand new
digital ureteroscopes, which provide
better visualization for cystoscopy procedures,” she said. “This enables the urologist to be
more efficient because they can see better.
“Another advance is the MyoSure® device, which
allows a gynecologist to remove uterine fibroids and
polyps without having to remove the uterus,” said
Couchman. “Newer medications are helping us provide
much better pain control after surgery and reduce blood
loss during surgery.”
Advances on the Horizon
More recently, CHMC has implemented the SAVI
SCOUT® surgical guidance system, which uses radar
technology to mark a tumor’s location inside of the
breast instead of inserting a wire. This innovative
technology guides the surgeon to precisely target the
cancerous tissue for removal – saving healthy breast
tissue and leading to excellent cosmetic results.
Funding support for this exciting new technology
was provided by the Chaney Foundation along with
proceeds from the 10th Annual Pink and Blue Memorial
Cancer Tournament held at The Cannon Club in Lothian.
“We’re proud to be the first hospital in Southern
Maryland to offer this major advancement to breast
cancer care,” said Dr. Tsangaris. “The SAVI SCOUT®
system offers many advantages – primarily a better
patient experience, which results in less stress and
anxiety on the day of surgery.”
He said it also improves workflow and reduces
OR delays by alleviating the need for a patient to visit
radiology on the morning of surgery to have a wire
inserted. The system is designed for use during a
lumpectomy or a surgical biopsy procedure.
Equally important to Dr. Tsangaris is the increased
emphasis on staff education. “This is a big push for us,”
he said. “We’re devoting time every week like every other
major medical center to train our surgical services team
on the latest best practices and cutting-edge techniques
to continually improve our surgical outcomes.”
He went on to add, “This is a critical step if we want
to expand surgical options for patients and perform
increasingly complex procedures.
“We have an excellent team caring for the surgical
patients we routinely see here,” said Dr. Tsangaris. “But
as we add more services and increase complexity, our
team needs to be well trained and ready for those new
types of patients.”
To increase accessibility, CalvertHealth has also
opened an office for its multidisciplinary surgical group
in Solomons to make pre-op and post-op consults more
convenient for people who live in southern Calvert and
St. Mary’s counties.