In 2019, we will commemorate the 100th

anniversary of the death of the revered Sir

William Osler, MD. So much of what MedChi is

today reflects the vision that Osler had while

he lived in Baltimore.

He envisioned a headquarters

building which would be used

for meetings and offices. He

created one of the earliest and

best medical libraries in the

country, made more significant

by the fact it was not associated

with a university or medical

school.

Osler’s ideas on conviviality

between members continues to

this day with MedChi’s House of

Delegates meetings and various

social and professional events

throughout the year.

Osler’s most enduring vision was the legacy

which he left to MedChi: a bequest from which

we still derive an annual income.

Osler instituted a building fund to help pay off

the loan for what is now our headquarters

building. He supported the Faculty, as it was

then called, although he was living in Oxford

when the building was completed in 1909, and

he fully expected each and every other

member to do the same.

Vision:

We envision a society in

which physicians and

stakeholders partner to

promote the physical,

mental and social well-

being of all the citizens of

Maryland.

The Center for a Healthy Maryland

is the non-profit 501(c)(3)

foundation of MedChi, The

Maryland State Medical Society.

The Center works to advance the

practice of medicine, enhance the

quality of medical care, and

promote the health of the citizens

of Maryland.

Mission:

The Center’s mission is to

enhance the quality of

medical care, and improve

the health of the citizens of

the State of Maryland.

Inside this issue:

Committees &

Grants Reviews and

2

Physician Health

Program

3

History of Maryland

Medicine

4

Fundraising 4

WINT ER

2019

A b o u t t h e C e n t e r f o r a H e a l t h y M a r y l a n dA b o u t t h e C e n t e r f o r a H e a l t h y M a r y l a n d

The Center for a

Healthy Maryland

1211 Cathedral Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

410.539.0872

Our two main buildings, the combined age of

which exceeds 230 years, continually need

upgrades, maintenance and repairs, all of

which cost vast amounts of money.

Recent projects include the installation of

cameras in the front and rear

of the buildings to ensure the

safety of our staff and

members, and uncovering the

historic sky-light over the main

staircase.

During 2019, MedChi and the

Center for a Healthy Maryland

will be celebrating Osler’s life

here at MedChi and in

Maryland with a series of

events.

Some of the events will be

fundraisers to support the

Osler Building Renovation

Fund, and others will be educational and

artistic.

The centerpiece of the commemoration will

be the reinstatement of the Osler Testimonial

Fund, originally established after his death in

1919. Donations will go towards the Osler

Renovation Fund. Donors over $500 will

receive a giclée print of Osler’s bookplate,

designed by Max Brödel.

Look for more information in your mailbox!

The Osler Legacy Continues

Committees & Grants Reviews and Updates

In September 2017, The Physicians Foundation

awarded the Center for a Healthy Maryland a two

-year grant in the amount of $150,000 for the

continuing improvement, implementation, and

expansion of the Certificate Program in

Physician Leadership.

This Program was developed and implemented

by the Center’s Maryland Physician Leadership

Institute under two grants previously received

from The Physicians Foundation in 2013-2014

and in 2015-2017. The Certificate Program in

Physician Leadership is a unique, online course to

reach physicians in diverse Maryland practice

settings and geographic areas.

The Maryland Maternal Mortality Review

Program was established in 2000 and funded

through the Maryland Department of Health

(MDH), to identify and review all maternal death

cases in Maryland, to determine preventability,

develop recommendations, and disseminate the

findings and recommendations to policy makers,

healthcare providers and the community.

In September 2018, the Maternal Mortality

Review Committee will begin reviewing all

maternal associated deaths that occurred in

2017. Forty-six cases have been identified.

The MDH data and recommendations for

maternal deaths occurring in 2015 can be found

in the annual report, available at

healthymaryland.org.

The Maryland Health Care Coalition Against

Domestic Violence was formed in 1998 to

provide leadership within the health care

community to promote a proactive and effective

response to domestic violence through screening,

identification, education, intervention and

treatment of domestic violence victims.

The Coalition created a series of

educational brochures, for

health care providers focused

on responding to patients, as

well as brochures to provide patients. Along with

educational materials, Coalition members

provide training around the state in various

health care agencies, seminars on domestic

violence-related topics, and technical assistance

to health care agencies looking to improve their

policies, screening and intervention.

Since its inception, the number of hospital-based

domestic violence programs has increased from

three to ten, which are all involved with the

Coalition. Over the past year, the Coalition

conducted 24 trainings to 558 participants,

updated its brochures and created new

Professional Guidance Sheets on relevant topics

such as substance abuse and intimate partner

violence, pregnancy, TBI’s, strangulation and

more.

The Center staff oversees the MedChi Addictions

Committee and also continues to partner with

the many bureaus of Maryland Department of

Health, Motherland Co., Mommy-Up, and

Physicians for Social Responsibility to promote

community events and CME programs for

physicians.

Center for a Healthy Maryland Page 2

We are pleased to announce that Laura Berg has been named Director of the MPHP, the Maryland

HealthCare Professionals Program and the Maryland Professional Rehabilitation Program. Laura has been

with the programs for eight years. She is extremely passionate, enthusiastic, and committed to the work we

do, and to all those we serve by helping and assisting physicians and other healthcare professionals remain

in or return to the practice of medicine. Laura is extremely capable of carrying on the continued growth and

success of the programs, and we look forward to her leadership.

Maryland Physician Health Program

MedChi, The Maryland State Medical

Society, established the Maryland

Physician Health Program (MPHP) in

1978, beginning with a volunteer

committee of physicians dedicated

to assisting their colleagues

with issues that may interfere with

their personal and/or professional

lives.

The MPHP helps all physicians,

residents, medical students and

physician assistants with problems

or issues that could negatively

impact their lives, not just their

medical practice. MPHP assesses

and refers participants to

appropriate treatments, supports

and monitors their recovery, and

advocates on their behalf.

While alcoholism and substance

use comprise a majority of cases

seen at the MPHP, we assist

overview to one-hour

presentations on the

range of issues dealt with

by the MPHP. These offer

an opportunity for

hospitals and others to

learn about the issues

faced by physicians, as

well as the effectiveness

of the MPHP.

Presentations may be scheduled

by calling Michael Llufrio,

Director of Operations,

410.962.5580, ext 3, or by e-mail

at mllufrio@medchi.org.

The MPHP

addresses issues

with a multi-

faceted process:

Consultation

Monitoring

Support and

Advocacy.

This approach

leads to a higher than average rate

of success for participants.

More than 90% of hospitals in

Maryland support the MPHP. The

MPHP helps those hospitals meet

Joint Commission requirements by

providing a non-disciplinary process

for assisting physicians and other

medical professionals and by

providing information on

physician impairment at medical

staff meeting and Grand Rounds.

A variety of presentations are

available, from a brief program

Page 3 Center for a Healthy Maryland

physicians with a wide range of

issues that often have a direct

impact on their lives, both

personally and professionally.

Other concerns, including

mental and emotional health,

physical, legal, and behavior

issues, cognitive impairment,

misconduct and stress, and

issues associated with burnout

are addressed by MPHP.

Center for a Healthy Mary land Staff

Debra C. Sciabarrasi - Executive Director

Arnold Levine, CPA - Accountant

Josette Fullard - Administrative Coordinator

Development & History

Meg Fairfax Fielding - Director of Development &

The History of Maryland Medicine

MPHP & MPRP Administration

Laura Berg, LCSW-C - Director

Arthur Hildreth, M.D. - Medical Director, MPHPMartin Rusinowitz, M.D. - Medical Director, MPRP

Astrid Richardson-Ashley, LMSW- Senior Clinical Manager

Syeria Anthony, LMSW - Clinical Manager

Mike Llufrio - Director of Operations

Domenica Stone - Program Assistant

Public Health Programs

Shayna Banfield, M.S., CHES - Director of Programs

Audrey Bergin, M.P.H., M.A. - Domestic Violence Project Coordinator

Clara Richards, M.P.H - Project Assistant

See the LIGHT!

In late November, a huge crane

pulled into our parking lot and

raised a big dome onto our roof. It

was a cover for the leaded glass

skylight that we were uncovering.

The skylight had originally been

covered just before WWII, when lights shining from

buildings were forbidden. It was briefly opened in

the 1980’s, but covered again at the [misguided]

suggestion of a roofing contractor.

We opened the skylight again, and after some

plastering and painting, added some portraits from

our collection to the stairway wall.

Please stop by and take a look up the master stairs

to see the newly opened skylight.

Are you reading the MedChi Archives blog? If not, you’re missing out on

all sorts of goodies! Recent posts include the ground-breaking for

MedChi’s 1909 building, re-publishing “Early Medicine in Maryland,” by

Thomas S. Cullen, M.D., a survey of the bronze plaques at MedChi, a

summary of the American Osler Society Lecture and much more.

Since the blog was started in

2013, it has had more than

81,000 page-views, with

visitors coming from as far

away as Thailand.

To view the blog, Google “MedChi Archives Blog” and while you’re there,

you can subscribe to receive posts. We know that you’ll learn something

new about MedChi’s and its history!

General support of the Center will help us continue with the work

that the staff is carrying out on a daily basis. This includes

maintaining our social media platforms, writing proposals for

privately-funded public health, physicians health, and leadership

and supporting the Center’s overall work .

You may direct your donation so that it goes to your particular

area of interest, such as the History and Archives, or the

McDougal Fund. Please contact Meg Fairfax Fielding at

mfielding@medchi.org or call 410.539.0872, ext. 3336, if you

would like to make a tax-deductible gift to support the Center’s

programs.

Have you seen the new plaque on the front of the

building? It celebrates the history of School #49, one

of Baltimore’s public schools. From 1909 to 1960,

elementary school students were selected by their

teachers and principals to attend School #49, an

accelerated junior high school. Instead of three

years, students at School #49 completed junior high

in two years.

Students from all over Baltimore City attended this

school, the original version of a magnet school.

Many of the alumni from the school went on to excel

in law, business, politics, medicine, music,

philanthropy and more.

In mid-September, a mini-reunion was held to

celebrate the placement of a bronze plaque on the

Cathedral Street side of our building.

Special thanks go to Celeste Pushkin, mother of

MedChi President, Gary Pushkin, MD, for

spearheading the effort to raise money for the

plaque, now ensuring that School #49’s history will

never be forgotten.