LEONARDTOWN, Md. – May 28, 2024 – The Leadership Southern Maryland (LSM) Executive Program convened at the CalvertHealth Medical Center on May 16 for a day-long examination of the current state of healthcare in Southern Maryland.

Participants sat down with the CEOs, chief financial officers, and other senior leaders of CalvertHealth System, MedStar St. Mary’s, and University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, and with the health officers of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties, to discuss current challenges and opportunities of our healthcare system. Workforce development and financial sustainability continue to be among the top challenges faced by healthcare institutions in Southern Maryland and across the nation.

The LSM group went behind-the-scenes to witness first-hand some innovative initiatives at CalvertHealth to meet challenges, such as its new “split flow” emergency department (ED) process that has resulted in a 68% reduction in patient wait times. CalvertHealth received a 2024 Modern Healthcare Innovator Award for that initiative. The class also learned about CalvertHealth’s Mobile Unit for community health outreach and their new, cutting-edge capabilities in robotic surgery and cancer care.

Every year, the Executive Program places special focus on mental and behavioral health. A dementia exercise by Sagepoint Senior Living Services put participants into the shoes of people living with memory loss and sensory impairment. A presentation by Andrea McDonald-Fingland, Calvert County Local Behavioral Health Authority, introduced participants to innovative programming available to residents suffering from mental illness and addiction. 

“There is such a negative perception of the healthcare system in general in our area, and country as a whole,” Christina Good, contracts manager at Sabre Systems, observed. “It was so refreshing to encounter so many healthcare professionals whose care and compassion for people was so evident.”

Leadership Southern Maryland’s flagship Executive Program is an interactive and life-enriching nine-month, tuition-based “behind-the-scenes” experience designed to enhance the collaborative abilities of our region’s top senior professionals. LSM welcomes mid- to senior-level executives representing diverse geographic locations, industries, professions, ethnicities, genders, and other backgrounds who are committed to addressing the community needs of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties.