Carroll County General

A national agency that monitors health care facilities has upgraded its ranking of Carroll County General Hospital, after the hospital's appeal of its evaluation last spring.In a decision issued Jan. 2, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) awarded Carroll County General its highest level of accreditation. Fewer than 4 percent of hospitals reviewed by the commission meet this standard, hospital officials said."That's really good news for us," said Pam Shafer, Carroll County General's assistant vice president for quality assurance and risk management.

A three-car accident on Route 140 during rush hour Monday sent two people to Carroll County General Hospital for treatment.Police said yesterday that Craig Eliot Kelley, 34, of Coon Club Road in Westminster was traveling west on Route 140 near Greens Mill Road in Sandymount when he failed to notice the traffic ahead of him stopping for the red light.Mr. Kelley's car, a 1988 Acura, hit the back of a 1981 Ford driven by 25-year-old Cody Wayne Dowden. Mr. Dowden's car then ran into a 1989 Toyota driven by Linda Roylien Miller of Old Manchester Road in Westminster.

A health claims arbitration panel has awarded a Westminster family $190,454 after finding Carroll County General Hospital and one of its psychiatrists liable in the death of a psychiatric patient.The patient, Thomas H. Jenkins, 41, killed himself with a shotgun in the garage of his Westminster home June 30, 1992, the same day he was discharged from Carroll County General, according to a complaint filed by the Jenkins family with the state Health Claims Arbitration Office.In a decision issued Nov. 3, the arbitration panel found Carroll County General and hospital psychiatrist Dr. James S. Choi liable for damages in the case.

Sinnott named to Deerfield advisory panelLaura Fique Sinnott has been named to the advisory committee of Deerfield Senior Services in Westminster.A graduate of Western Maryland College, she is one of six professionals who have been asked to serve one year on the organization's advisory board.A licensed social worker, Ms. Sinnott has worked for Carroll Lutheran Village for the past four years. Carroll County General Hospital (CCGH) recently announced two new staff appointments.Catherine Wayne is the new director of the hospital's laboratory division.

Women's health services are moving to the forefront at Carroll County General Hospital.By summer, the hospital will begin an 18-month renovation and expansion project on its obstetric unit, and plans call for the development of a resource center devoted to women's health concerns."

A 56-year-old Westminster woman remained in serious condition in the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore yesterday evening after she was stabbed and beaten at the Carroll Community College annex early yesterday.Police were looking for Charles Bernard "Slickduck" Thomas Jr., 48, who formerly lived at the same address as the woman, on Charles Street, in connection with the attack.City police Lt. Dean Brewer said the victim, a custodial worker at the college annex in the 300 block of S. Center St., was found at 6:50 a.m. Tuesday by Wallace Brown Jr., an employee at the college, when he entered the building and heard the victim's cries for help.

...TC A 5-year-old Carrollton boy remained in fair condition yesterday afternoon at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center after he was ejected from a relative's automobile on Route 140 at Reese Road Wednesday night.Five other people involved in the three-car crash were treated and released from Carroll County General Hospital.Police said Andrew Ashburn of the 2300 block of Carrollton Road was ejected from the 1990 Plymouth Acclaim driven by Nancy Baker Ashburn, 42.The boy was not restrained in a child safety seat or wearing a seat belt, police said.

Equipment and extra beds aren't the only additions to the new emergency room at Carroll County General Hospital.Susan R. Vittek joined the hospital staff in November as the clinical manager of the emergency department.Mrs. Vittek will play a major role in managing the daily operations of the department, as well as handling budget and staffing issues.For the past eight years, Mrs. Vittek has worked in the emergency department at Northwest Hospital Center in Randallstown.For the past 2 1/2 years, she was nurse manager of the department, which handles 35,000 patients annually.

Carroll County General Hospital is negotiating with four health care providers to operate a radiation oncology center in Westminster.Hospital officials say having a cancer treatment facility in the county would allow some local cancer patients to receive radiation treatments here instead of traveling to Baltimore or Pennsylvania centers."

One man was flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, and two other people were taken to Carroll County General Hospital Friday after a three-vehicle crash at Route 97 and Mary Avenue.State police said Edward Keith Debus, 25, 2300 block of Neudecker Road in Westminster was driving a 1993 Ford Tempo south on Route 97 about 9:35 a.m. when he hit the rear of a delivery van that had stopped to make a left turn.The 1986 GMC van was pushed into the path of a 1994 Honda Civic DX that was traveling in the northbound lane, police said.