2018 was another year of growth and innovation for Mary Washington Healthcare.
We are always proud to partner with both national and local agencies to
improve the health of the people in our community.
Here are 10 of the ways we impacted the Fredericksburg region this year:
Mary Washington Healthcare was instrumental in bringing the Stop the Bleed
national initiative to Fredericksburg. We held the first “train
the trainer” class in our region, preparing first responders and
other law enforcement officials to handle massive bleeding from traumatic injuries.

MWHC is proud to sponsor Project SEARCH, a national program preparing young
people with disabilities for success in integrated, competitive employment.
We partner with Stafford County Schools’ five area high schools
to provide real-life job training for area students. In the spring, 8
students graduated from the program, and a new class of 10 students began
the program this fall. They rotate around many areas of the hospital,
to include the gift shop, environmental services, the pharmacy, and materials
management.

We further expanded our family of care to Caroline and King George counties
with the opening of two new Mary Washington Medical Group practices, MWMG
Family Medicine and Pediatrics in Caroline, and MWMG Primary Care in King
George. Providers at both practices have long cared for their communities;
by joining Mary Washington Medical Group, their commitment to caring for
their patients was reaffirmed. Visit
practices.mwhc.com to find a primary care or specialty physician near you.

Mary Washington Healthcare is on a journey to becoming a High Reliability
Organization. As part of that journey, our President and CEO, Dr. Michael
McDermott, wrote a parody of “Ten Duel Commandments” from
the Broadway show,
Hamilton. The 10 Safety Commandments video went on to win Press Ganey’s 2018
Safety Cinema Award for “Most Entertaining”.
Mary Washington Hospital expanded its services by opening a new Observation
Unit adjacent to the MWH ED. Patients in the observation unit receive
essential treatment while undergoing tests to determine if they can rest
at home and be treated by a primary care physician or a specialist or
if hospital admission is necessary.
Listen to the podcast where Dr. Eric Tosh and Eliese Bernard explain how
the Observation Unit is improving care at MWH.

MWHC Hospice Services held their inaugural Light up a Life event at the
Spotsylvania Towne Centre, raising more than $30,000 to benefit MWHC Hospice,
Palliative & Grief Support Services. Their services are available
at no charge to individuals and families in the community and are funded
through private donations, fundraising events and grants.
Read more about the event here.

Mary Washington Hospital continues to advance the care provided in our
stroke center,
earning The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check
mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers. When it comes to stroke, it’s a race against time, and time is
on your side at Mary Washington Hospital.

In June, MWHC launched Epic, our new electronic health record. Epic touches
all areas of a patient’s journey, from the time they walk through
our doors until they are home, viewing their prescriptions and test results
in MyChart. Communication among clinical staff is more efficient and patients
have a greater role in managing their healthcare. To mark the occasion,
President and CEO Dr. Mike McDermott wrote a parody to “Alexander
Hamilton,” celebrating “Goin’ Live with Epic Now”.
Read more about Epic.
Mary Washington Healthcare was the first in the Washington, D.C. metro
area to offer the Breast Microseed Treatment® for breast cancer radiation
at the MWHC Regional Cancer Center. The one-time procedure takes the place
of what could be 30 radiation treatments. Patients experience fewer side
effects and have more time to do what they love.
Read more about the Breast Microseed Treatment®.

In November, Mary Washington Hospital was named one of the 50 Top Cardiovascular
Hospitals by IBM Watson Health™. “This recognition represents
our Cardiovascular team’s hard work and tireless dedication in caring
for the communities we serve,” said Michael McDermott, MD, MBA,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Mary Washington Healthcare.
Read more here.
