Page 1 - Executive Summary BC II - final

Wednesday January 23 Summary

1. Calvert and parts of St. Mary's Counties are designated as medically underserved areas.

• It is hard to see our counties as rural, but newly graduated medical personnel seeking employment see us
as rural - in the boondocks if you will.
• We have shortages of doctors - but not across the board, ob/gyn and family practice physicians are two
where there is a shortage.

2. How is Maryland preparing for the Affordable Care Act?

• Maryland is moving ahead! Setting up exchanges. Question of whether we are doing our own exchange
(we understand that we are). John Frank is leading the effort - an expert in small business and health
insurance. He has very good experience.
• An exchange is a place where information is available under the new system.

3. What are the Southern Maryland health challenges?

• Lack of physicians, especially specialists.
• Lack of mental health services.
• Higher incidence of breast and lung cancer.
• Pancreatic cancer on the rise.
• Diabetes occurs at a higher incidence.
• Obesity
• Smoking

• Problems in getting everyone vaccinated
• Substance abuse

4. Problems with access to health care.

• Many people have transportation challenges.
• Follow up problems - there is inconsistent follow through with prescribed medical care

• Hard to get a primary care physician
• Long wait to access mental health services

5. The emergency room phenomena

• Everybody has access, but there is no effective follow up of prescribed medical care
• Often people leave with discharge instructions and prescriptions, but no means to access them
• Can't return for same (or other??) problems within 30 days for hospital to be reimbursed

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