Latest news with #FrederickHealth
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What's Going Around: Biden's prostate diagnosis should be wake up call for men to get tested
WASHINGTON () — Former President Joe Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis has sparked an important discussion on screenings. It is a warning for men to get tested annually for the disease. According to the American Cancer Society, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. National Donate Life Month highlights need for organ donations Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in American men, behind only lung cancer. 'I hope that all men will pay attention to prostate cancer screening. We talked about there is different guidelines,' Dr. Heather Chalfin, a urologist at Frederick Health, said. 'We have a newer early detection of prostate cancer guideline, and in fact they have lowered the age to initiate screening from before. Chalfin said men at average risk of developing prostate cancer would start around age 45. 'If there are men at elevated risk to develop prostate cancer, the age is 4,0 and things that elevate the risk to develop prostate cancer would be black ancestry, having a germ line genetic mutation, or really strong relevant family cancer history,' Chalfin said. Prostate cancer is highly treatable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said prostate cancers grow slowly, and most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die of it. However, the survival rate varies depending on the stage of the cancer and other factors. 'Prostate cancer when it is localized and has not spread outside of the prostate is extremely treatable and I tell my patients it is almost always curable with treatment and I also encourage them, even if it has spread outside the prostate, there are many excellent treatments and it is a favorable type of cancer to have,' Chalfin said. More younger people diagnosed with colorectal cancer According to the CDC, the most common risk factors for prostate cancer include age, genetics, family history, and race and ethnicity. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent panel of experts that makes recommendations on services like screenings, noted that African American men have an increased lifetime risk of developing or dying from the cancer, at 4.2%. Hispanic men face a 2.9% lifetime risk, white men face a 2.3% lifetime risk, and Asian and Pacific Islander men face a 2.1% lifetime risk. The American Cancer Society noted that prostate cancer grows slowly, so screenings for men with no symptoms who have less than a 10-year life expectancy are not recommended because 'they aren't likely to benefit from it.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Frederick Health Hospital names new CEO
Frederick Health Hospital will have a new president and CEO beginning in July. Cheryl Cioffi, the hospital's current executive vice president and chief administrative officer, will take over the top job from current CEO Tom Kleinhanzl, Frederick Health spokesman Josh Faust said Tuesday. Cioffi has risen through the hospital system's ranks for nearly three decades, including serving as chief nursing officer, chief operating officer, and, most recently, chief administrative officer, Faust wrote in a text message Tuesday evening. 'Her healthcare journey began in direct patient care, bringing a unique depth of perspective to her executive leadership,' Faust wrote. Daryl Boffman, vice chairman of the hospital's board of directors and chair of the executive transition committee, said in a statement, 'After a thorough national review, the search affirmed what we long recognized; Cheryl is the right leader to guide Frederick Health into the future.' Kleinhanzl announced in December that he would be leaving the hospital system after 20 years. He came to Frederick Health Hospital, then known as Frederick Memorial Hospital, in December 2004, after previously working at hospitals in New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Massachusetts. Under his leadership, the hospital system has added facilities that include a stroke center, a dental clinic, a prenatal center, the Frederick Health Auxiliary, the James M. Stockman Cancer Institute, the Frederick Health Breast Center, and the Center for Precision Medicine and Genetics.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Updated: Lawsuit alleges cybersecurity failures by hospital; Social Security numbers among compromised data
A lawsuit filed against Frederick Health alleges the company kept secret its "inadequate" cybersecurity measures prior to a ransomware attack in January resulting in compromised personal information for at least 100 people. The lawsuit, filed March 4, also alleges Frederick Health "deprived [people] of the chance to mitigate their injuries" by failing to notify them of the data breach until Feb. 6 — 10 days after the attack on Jan. 27. 'Frederick Health can confirm that it is the subject of a suit pertaining to the cyber event that occurred earlier this year. While we cannot comment on the specifics of the ongoing legal proceedings at this time, we want to assure our patients and the community that we take this matter seriously, and we are fully committed to resolving this issue responsibly and with integrity," a statement by FHH spokesperson Josh Faust said on Friday. "Frederick Health and our legal team are cooperating with officials to review the claim. Our priority remains to positively impact the well-being of every individual in the community and to continue to protect and safeguard the security of our systems and the information we maintain.' He declined to comment further. On Jan. 27, FHH identified a ransomware attack. Tom Kleinhanzl, the hospital's president and CEO, said an unauthorized person gained access to and copied documents from a shared drive, which he described as an electronic storage closet for important historical information. The documents contained information such as patients' names, Social Security numbers, birthdays and addresses. He said FHH's electronic medical records system, patient portal and emails were not accessed in the attack. The hospital still took the rest of its systems offline proactively as a precaution. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of two "customers" of Frederick Health, as well as any others affected by the ransomware attack, according to court documents. Frederick Health has been unable to determine the full extent of the data breach, the suit alleges. The stolen information is "one of the most valuable commodities on the criminal information black market," the suit says. The information's presence on the "dark web" could result in financial harm for Frederick Health customers, as well as their identities being stolen. Frederick Health's failure to implement "reasonable and appropriate" cybersecurity measures violated federal consumer protection laws, the suit alleges. The suit also alleges that Frederick Health "had notice and knew that its inadequate cybersecurity practices would cause injury" to the hospital's customers. Frederick Health deliberately omitted and suppressed the fact that it did not comply with regulations regarding consumer protection, the suit further alleges. Frederick Health "would have been unable to continue in business and it would have been forced to adopt reasonable data security measures and comply with the law" had it disclosed its vulnerabilities to its customers, the suit alleges. The suit calls for a jury trial and asks for unspecified monetary and other damages to be paid to those affected. FHH sends letters Frederick Health Hospital sent out letters Friday to patients and staff who have been or may be impacted by the ransomware attack. Kleinhanzl said the letters include instructions for what people should do if they've been impacted. He also said FHH is offering these people free identity theft protection and credit monitoring. Right after the attack happened, the hospital was diverting ambulances to take patients to other emergency departments. For several weeks, staff members were using "downtime procedures" and recorded everything on paper since they couldn't use electronic systems. FHH slowly brought its systems back online over several weeks, with its electronic medical records system being restored on Feb. 18. The hospital announced on March 4 that its patient portal was back up. Kleinhanzl said he could not comment further on the unauthorized person, the investigation into the attack and what law enforcement agency is working with FHH due to active litigation. The FBI told The Frederick News-Post on Feb. 4 that it can neither confirm nor deny it is investigating the ransomware attack at FHH. Kleinhanzl said a "substantial number" of notification letters are being sent out to current and former patients and staff, but he declined to comment on how many letters were being delivered. Due to the personal information that is in the shared drive, "that's why we felt compelled to be very broad in the distribution of this notification," he said. He also said the hospital will continually evaluate and modify its security and privacy practices to protect people's information and still has extensive security measures in place. "We take our role seriously, very seriously, in this community of doing everything we possibly can to protect information, and we want to make sure we're doing right by everyone we can to give an option of protection," Kleinhanzl said.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Asian American Center cancels annual health fair due to federal funding uncertainty
The Asian American Center of Frederick has announced it will not be hosting its annual community health fair this October due to uncertainty surrounding whether participating organizations will receive federal funding. 'Unfortunately, with the current landscape and uncertainty of funding from federal programs, it seems the prudent thing is to postpone the health fair this year,' Elizabeth Chung, the organization's executive director, wrote in an online announcement. 'We have given this careful consideration and weighed various options. We have hesitantly reached this decision after much discussion.' AACF spokesperson Mark Kraham said more than 1,200 people attended the 2024 health fair, and 725 people received some sort of health service. There were 73 vendors and 360 volunteers. The AACF is a nonprofit focused on helping immigrants and people from minority communities overcome obstacles to success. For the last 17 years, the organization, in partnership with Frederick Health, has hosted the Frederick Community Health Fair, bringing together medical service providers, resource agencies, community health workers and language interpreters. At the fair, people can receive services such as health screenings and exams at no cost. No insurance, proof of residence or appointment is required to attend. Some of the medical services offered at the fair were blood-pressure screenings, consultations with primary care providers, vaccinations, education on different types of cancers, glucose and cholesterol screenings, and other service referrals. In her online announcement of the cancellation, Chung said the services at the health fair 'would cost an individual an estimated $1,000 if they had to pay for them.' Chung said in an interview on March 14 that the health fair is something people look forward to. When they go, they can see how many service providers are there to care for their health. 'They know that we have people that look like them, speak like them, and help them to get this information,' she said. 'So it's not just a screening event. It's already something that they long for like, 'Oh, it's good. At least now, I got information.'' Chung said it's hard to articulate how much money is needed to host the fair, since it's a huge collective effort by the AACF and all of the vendors and agencies that participate. Each participating organization is putting in its own funds to be part of the event — and right now, many are impacted by interruptions and uncertainty regarding federal funds. The Trump administration has ordered the federal government to freeze spending, a decision that multiple federal judges have blocked and is shaking up organizations across the nation. Chung estimated that this year's health fair was going to have nearly 100 organizations participating. She said it'd be one thing if only some organizations were unsure if they could participate, but the fate of the fair was in flux because many organizations' funding is being affected. Because of that, the organizations don't know if they'll have the resources to provide services, workers and volunteers to be part of the fair. Chung said the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which had been participating in the fair for at least five years, was one of the first organizations that confirmed it couldn't be part of this year's health fair. It would set up a MASH unit — MASH stands for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital — at the fair, which included beds, a consultation area and a blood drawing station. The Commissioned Corps did not respond to requests for comment made between March 17 and 20 regarding its participation in the fair and why it pulled out of the event. The AACF might try to host other health events that are smaller but can still help people who would usually attend the health fair. Heather Kirby, Frederick Health's vice president of integrated care and chief population health officer, said in a statement Monday that the health fair being canceled 'will create a barrier to care for some individuals in our community.' 'Working with our trusted community partners to keep our community healthy remains a top priority of Frederick Health,' she said. 'We will continue to examine ways to collaborate and improve healthcare access to our community.' The majority of the AACF's funding, 94%, is federal and state grants. The nonprofit has about 40 staff members and has hundreds of volunteers. Chung said every one of the organization's programs — like family support services, language and financial literacy classes, and workforce development — could be reduced or eliminated depending on access to federal funds. But the AACF is taking each day as it comes and will continue striving to provide services and help people despite financial uncertainty, she said. She said right now is the time for lawmakers to look at how nonprofits can leverage each other's resources, stretch any funding they do have and collaborate to meet community needs. 'What makes us successful is because of years and years of, really, determination and lived experience and also listening to the community, helping the system to understand ... crossing over boundaries and dividers,' Chung said. 'Sometimes, I move three steps forward, I come back one step, and yet, at the end of the day, I see that we will be OK.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
County releases draft community health needs assessment for public feedback
Frederick County on Monday released a draft of its 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment — which illustrates the county's demographics and current picture of health — for public feedback to incorporate into the final version to be released in May. The draft can be accessed on the Frederick County Health Department's website at Community members can submit comments online at until April 4. The health department releases a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years, and each assessment focuses on different, updated priorities. The 2025 assessment's priorities are: * Lack of access to affordable healthy food * Inadequate affordable housing supply * Lack of awareness of accessibility of mental health resources * Stigma around mental health * Institutional and systemic racism The previous Community Health Needs Assessment, which came out in 2022, focused on mental health, adverse childhood experiences and type 2 diabetes. This assessment is part of the Local Health Improvement Process, a collaboration between the county health department, Frederick Health and the Coalition for a Healthier Frederick County. After the assessment comes out, a Local Health Improvement Plan outlining how to address these priorities and the county's health status through policies, programs and other initiatives is created. The assessment is more than 80 pages and includes a community profile of the county, takeaways from focus groups, and data on health factors and outcomes including quality of life, health behaviors, socio-economic factors, and clinical care. The draft said the picture of Frederick County's health 'is consistent with previous reports, as well as with other health assessments' and that the county's health is often better than the state's overall. However, chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease are still the leading causes of death and impact significantly more people compared to the other nine causes of death in the assessment. Social and environmental issues like trying to get affordable housing and food are also top concerns for residents. Rissah Watkins, the director for the county health department's Office of Planning, Assessment and Communication, writes the assessment. Frederick County is still one of the fastest growing counties in the state, and its population continues to diversify and age. Watkins said the ways the county has vastly changed in the last 25 years stood out to her, particularly how its diversity has increased. The population increased from about 271,000 in 2020 to about 293,000 in 2023. That trend continued from 2023 to 2024 — the county's population increased by over 5,000 people, to about 299,000. In 2023, 67.6% of the population was white, 12.1% was Black, 11.9% was Hispanic or Latino, and 6.3% was Asian. Between 2000 and 2023, all racial and ethnic populations have grown in the county — notably, the Hispanic or Latino population grew by 730%. Frederick County population changes, 2000-2023 The draft assessment said residents were more likely to experience barriers to accessing health care in 2024 compared to 2021, which was covered in the previous Community Health Needs Assessment. More than half of residents last year — 52% — experienced barriers, such as long appointment wait times, clinics not accepting new patients and inconvenient appointment times, according to a 2024 community survey sent out as part of creating the assessment. Last year, residents also were more likely to have experienced discrimination in a medical setting compared to 2021. As part of creating this assessment, a steering committee hosted several focus groups for: * LGBTQ+ residents * People who feel lonely or isolated and make less than $75,000 * Parents or guardians who are worried about having a steady place to live * Hispanic or Latino residents ages 30 or younger * Black or African American residents The draft assessment said 'there are concerns that Frederick has expanded beyond its capabilities.' Members of the focus group for parents and guardians said the cost of living and barriers to resources are significant stressors. One individual said they 'had been looking for free or affordable legal services, but then I got rejected because [of] a lot of restrictions that I didn't fall into.' LGBTQ+ residents also said overcrowding was an obstacle, as it limits access to health care, housing and community resources. Black and African American residents urged the county to promote anti-racism in schools. People also reported traveling outside of the county to find health care providers who share their identity. Young Hispanic residents said a lack of free and accessible translation services in health care and education settings is a major challenge for their community. Watkins said that the changes in the county's demographics 'really were echoed in our focus groups,' and while people appreciated the community's diversity, they felt the impact of the rapid growth. She also said the county saw indicators of the loneliness epidemic, something that's been covered by national news outlets, in the county's residents. Compared to the 2022 assessment, feelings of loneliness and isolation were more prevalent in this assessment. The assessment said that 12% of respondents in the 2024 community survey reported they often or always feel lonely. Additionally, 32% talk to people they feel close to less than three times a week. The 2021 community survey that helped create the 2022 assessment found that 11% of respondents often or always felt lonely. Additionally, 23% reported talking to people they care about less than three times a week. 'Many people in our community are feeling a need for more social connection, and the loneliness and isolation that some felt during the pandemic has not really gone away,' Watkins said. She also said residents expressed more concern in 2024 than in 2021 about affording basic necessities and food. This could possibly be caused by residents not having additional support, such as stimulus checks, to assist them, something that was in effect in 2021 as the world was still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. The county's life expectancy is higher and steadier than the state's, and white residents continue to have a higher life expectancy than Black residents. Out of white men and women and Black men and women, Black men had the lowest life expectancy in the county. Frederick County life expectancy by race and sex, 2016-2022
