Stroke Center Earns Title
BERLIN – Atlantic General Hospital’s Stroke Center received official designation this week from the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) as a Primary Stroke Center. This designation means that Atlantic General has met the requirements put forth by the American Stroke Association (ASA), MIEMSS and the Joint Commission to optimize the quality of care to stroke patients.
Stroke is a significant cause of death and long-term disability in the United States. According to the ASA, roughly 700,000 Americans have a new or recurrent stroke each year. It is the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and cancer, and is the leading cause of long-term disability in this country. These overwhelming statistics led to recommendations for the development of primary stroke centers to care for acute stroke patients.
Treatment during the first three hours of stroke onset is critical to halt its effects on the body. Atlantic General Hospital has created a stroke team, composed of physicians and nursing staff specially trained in stroke care, and integrated the stroke protocols in its emergency department with the hospital’s diagnostic and inpatient clinical services to further streamline treatment. They are also continuing efforts to educate the community. Too often, stroke victims ignore or are unaware of the significance of their symptoms and don’t seek the care they need.
Through generous support from the community during the Foundation’s 2005-2006 annual campaign, Atlantic General Hospital was able to purchase the state-of-the-art Philips Cardiopulmonary Monitoring System, which provides continuous heart and respiratory monitoring in the acute phase of stroke to ensure the best outcomes.
Eventually, ambulance companies transferring stroke patients may be required to bypass hospitals that have not achieved Primary Stroke Center designation in favor of hospitals that do maintain this status.
“It’s important that stroke victims are able to rely on the care of the hospital that is in their community. Timely, effective care is crucial, and our Primary Stroke Care designation simply reinforces the fact that we can provide that here at Atlantic General Hospital,” said Dr. Nicholas Borodulia, Medical Director for the Stroke Center.
SU Ranks High
SALISBURY – Salisbury University students returning to campus this week had something to celebrate.
The university once again ranks as one of the Top Public Universities-Master’s category (North) in U.S. News & World Report’s 2008 America’s Best Colleges guide. This year, U.S. News ranked the top 15 public schools in each category. SU was ranked No. 7 in the north, maintaining its status as the highest-placing public Master’s-level university in Maryland.
"We are proud that Salisbury University has consistently ranked one of the top institutions of its kind in U.S. News for more than a decade,” said Provost Tom Jones. “This is external validation of the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff. It is because of their commitment to our students that SU has become a Maryland university of national distinction.”
The 574 universities in the Master’s category are split among four geographic areas – north, south, midwest and west. In the northern region, SU ranked 38 among 174 publics and privates.
This is the 11th consecutive year SU has appeared in the listing for Top Public Universities-Master’s (North). U.S. News uses several criteria to measure academic quality including academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, financial resources, faculty resources, student selectivity, and alumni giving.
Hilton Featured In Print
BERLIN – The Architectural/Engineering firm of Becker Morgan Group, Inc. announced this week the Hilton Suites, in Ocean City, was featured in the 2007 Real Estate & Construction Review: Eastern Seaboard Edition.
The publication recognizes the region’s “most innovative and unique new construction projects.” The owner of Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront is the Harrison Group of Ocean City.
Opened in May 2006, the Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront includes 225 suites in 12 stories.
“The design challenge for this project was to combine 225 all-oceanfront hotel suites, a full-service restaurant and pool bar, meeting rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and a fitness center into a building footprint that complied with strict parking, landscaping, and shadow requirements. To address the shadow restrictions the building’s mass was staggered to absorb its own shadow as it ascends to its highest point at the southern property line,” said Jack Mumford III, AIA, Senior Associate and project architect.
OPA Hires Director
OCEAN PINES – After several weeks of recruiting, the Ocean Pines Association has found a new face to fill the shoes of former Public Relations and Marketing Director Kristi Connell.
General Manager Tom Olson announced Tuesday that Deserie Lawrence will be taking over the reigns in the pivotal role on the association’s management team.
“We are thrilled that Deserie has decided to join us and is poised to hit the ground running with her experience and education behind her,” said Olson.
Lawrence brings several key elements to the association with experience in sales, marketing and public relations as well as a B.S. from University of Maryland Baltimore County. Lawrence has cultivated her sales skills with past experience in real estate, media and publication sales as well as serving as former executive director of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce.
“I have been somewhat preparing myself for this position for several years, seasoning my experience in different areas of sales and marketing. Public relations is a passion of mine and it is rare that in this area you can find the opportunity to combine all three skill sets. When I discovered that this position had re-opened, I immediately responded,” said Lawrence. “I have lived in the Pines for 8 years and I look forward to marketing my community. I truly believe that Ocean Pines is an exceptional place to live with my family”.
The Public Relations and Marketing Director wears many hats in the Ocean Pines Association. Marketing key amenities of the Pines as well as serving as public relations liaison between the media, residents and association. Maintaining a consistent presence in the public with monthly publications, expanding web site and daily media presence is essential with the growing number of residents coming into the Pines.
“Residents here were fortunate to have Kristi introduce so many great marketing tools and I am confident that I can serve them with the same energy and continue to build on the foundation that so many people help cultivate” said Lawrence.
CBRB Office Leaders
OCEAN PINES – Peter Copenhaver, branch vice president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s Ocean Pines office, has announced that Edie Brennan was named the top listor and Marianne Leizure was named both the top sales agent and top producer for the month of July.
New Shamrock Addition
BERLIN – Shamrock Realty Group recently welcomed Mari Bohall to its office in the Gray’s Corner Professional Center.
Bohall brings with her 15 years of real estate experience both in sales and rentals. Bohall, who resides in Snow Hill, has extensive knowledge of the tri-county market and specializes in first time home buyers, residential sales, and investment opportunities.
Top Producers
BERLIN — Ben Dawson, a sales associate with Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc.’s Ocean City office, has been recognized as the top producer for the month of July. Tim Meadowcroft was tops in sales and Imad Elali was the agent with the most new listings.
Licensed in Maryland and Delaware, Dawson has been a full service Realtor for 31 years. Dawson is a member of Long and Foster’s Founders Club, Lifetime member of the Presidents Club, 30 Year member of the Million Dollar Club, GRI and has been associated with the Ocean City office of Long and Foster for 18 years.
L&F Office Leaders
BERLIN – Bob Allen has been named the individual top producer for the month of July for the West Ocean City office of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. In addition, Linda Moran and the Moran Team were named team top producers and Judy Froman was the top lister.
Allen has been a full time Realtor for the last 16 years, and he’s been a consistent multi-million dollar top producer. He is a member of the Chairman’s Club, and a Gold Team member with Long & Foster.
Moran is licensed in Maryland and Delaware. She has received the National Sales Award in recognition for being in the top 5 percent of all Real Estate Sales Professionals in America. She holds the CRS, RRS, SRES and GRI designations.
Re/Max Launches Website
BERLIN – Re/Max Premier Properties, with offices in Ocean City, Ocean Pines and West Ocean City, recently brought their new website (www.tobeinoc.com) online. The new user-friendly website is attractively appointed and contains numerous links for the interested buyer or seller.
In other news, the company is also pleased to announce that, for the month of July 2007, the company paid out an additional $100,000 in commissions over commissions paid in July of 2006. This was accomplished with the same number of transactions as in July of last year.
New Coordinator Named
SALISBURY – Pamela Silvia, BSN, RN, CDE has been named the new coordinator for the Diabetes Outpatient Education Program at Peninsula Regional Medical Center.
Silvia graduated from Salisbury University in 1983 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing. She earned her Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) certification in May of 2004, and has worked as a medical/surgical nurse for two years, a hemodialysis nurse for 16 years and as a diabetes nurse educator at Peninsula Regional Medical Center for the past five years.
A certified diabetes educator specializes in helping people with diabetes learn the skills to self-manage the daily challenges and prevent the complications associated with the disease. Anyone interested in obtaining information on Peninsula Regional’s Diabetes Outpatient Education Program may call 410-543-7061.