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Summer 2007 AAMC, Hopkins AllianceWhat It Means for Our PatientsIf you raised your eyebrows at the news this spring that Anne Arundel Medical Center and Johns Hopkins Medicine had formed a “strategic alliance,” you may have wondered just what that means to you as a resident of the region. The regional health system you have come to trust is aligned with a world-class leader in health care. In fact, the new alliance means people living within the broad reach of AAMC will have access to an even wider range of experts and clinical programs to keep them and their families healthy at the AAMC Medical Park campus. STAY IN THE KNOW
In addition to AAMC magazine, AAMC's Web site is updated regularly to give you updated information about upcoming programs with Johns Hopkins and other campus news. Be sure to bookmark www.aahs.org and visit often. Since AAMC opened its doors 105 years ago as a small emergency hospital in the heart of downtown Annapolis, it always has set its sights on the future, continually offering the people it serves the best, most advanced treatments for the times. That philosophy has not changed in more than one hundred years. In the 21st century, the options and opportunities have become more sophisticated, more cutting-edge, and more creative, resulting in optimum care for our patients. The agreement brings together the resources of one of Maryland’s fastest growing regional health care systems in Anne Arundel Health System Inc., and one of the world’s most highly recognized and respected academic medical centers and research institutions in Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Although our organizations are different, we have much in common, including setting the bar high for delivering exceptional health care to our patients,“ said Martin L. Doordan, president and CEO of Anne Arundel Health System. “This innovative alliance allows us both to make the best use of our resources and expand our respective clinical and organizational strengths, while retaining each organization’s independence.“ First Up: The cancer affiliation between AAMC’s Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute and The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center is the first affiliation between the two institutions. This cancer research affiliation provides patients with access to 230 therapeutic trials being conducted at Hopkins, in addition to the approximately 35 imaging, treatment, prevention, and surgical devices clinical trials at AAMC. Twenty-nine AAMC medical staff members specializing in cancer care are participating in the program, and physicians affiliated with both institutions already are participating in joint tumor conferences. That means more brain power to review patients’ cases every single day. SITUATION: A middle-aged man has abdominal pain and undergoes diagnostic tests at AAMC’s Anne Arundel Diagnostics. He is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and begins treatment under the care of an AAMC oncologist, who recommends the gold-standard treatment for pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, the patient does not respond well to that treatment. OPTIONS:Because of AAMC’s new affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine, this patient now has the option of participating in clinical trials of the newest cancer treatments being conducted at Hopkins. Moreover, the patient’s AAMC oncologist has direct access to information on those clinical trials and can consult seamlessly with a physician at Hopkins, enroll the patient in the appropriate trial and, in many cases, deliver the requisite care at AAMC’s Infusion Center at the Medical Park campus in Annapolis. RESULT:The patient has world-class treatment options at his disposal without the stress of researching treatment options on his own, trying to evaluate where to get treatment and how to get treatment, and tracking down test results. More to Come The cancer collaboration is just the first of several planned projects between the two institutions. Under discussion are satellite health care centers, which will bring health care options closer to communities. Hopkins physicians and physicians affiliated with AAMC will work at the centers, thus giving patients access to the finest physicians and systems in the region. AAMC Health Services—Eastern Shore at Kent Island, a new, 55,000- square-foot facility scheduled to be completed in early 2008, will be home to a Johns Hopkins Community Physicians practice offering primary care and urgent care services to the residents of the Eastern Shore. In addition, many of the trusted AAMC specialists also will be providing care at the new facility. Other program affiliations being discussed are neurosciences and cardiovascular services. Specifics currently are being worked out. The locations of additional satellite health centers also are being discussed. Stay tuned to AAMC magazine and the AAMC Web site (www.aahs.org)for more information. The Players About Anne Arundel Health System Anne Arundel Health System was founded in 1902 as a not-for-profit community hospital to serve the state capital of Annapolis. It has evolved into a regional health care system serving a population of nearly one million in Maryland. Anne Arundel Health System was recently honored with five patient satisfaction excellence awards for exceeding health care industry standards by The Jackson Organization, a prestigious health care market research firm. No other health care organization has ever earned five excellence awards in one year from this organization.  About Johns Hopkins Medicine Johns Hopkins Medicine consists of the Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Johns Hopkins Medicine brings together Johns Hopkins’ biomedicalresearch, clinical,teaching and business enterprises, including The School of Medicine faculty and the facilities and programs of the Health System. The Health System, which has its origins in the founding of the world-famous The Johns Hopkins Hospital, now comprises three hospitals, as well as other elements of an integrated system, from a community physicians group to home care. Its components consistently are named at the top of national rankings for best hospital and best school of medicine, and its faculty consistently wins the largest share of NIH research funds. Results of this research continue to advance efforts to diagnose, treat and prevent many diseases. |
