Laurel Regional Hospital

The former Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital and Nursing Center, located for 43 years adjacent to Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, has moved to Laurel Regional Hospital and has a new name. The Gladys Spellman Specialty Care Unit, or GSSCU, on the fourth-floor of Laurel Regional Hospital received patients transferred from the old facility June 30. The new unit has 46 licensed specialty care beds and offers comprehensive care for adults whose health care needs require more than what can be provided in a home environment or a nursing home.

The Laurel Regional Hospital Auxiliary is holding its 13th annual Tree of Lights fundraiser to benefit capital improvements at the hospital. Participants can purchase lights for an outdoor tree at the hospital to honor or remember a family member, loved one or friend. Donations for white lights are $5 per name, and names are listed on a Scroll of Honor and displayed at the hospital during December. Gold Life Lights are $100 for each name, and red Eternal Lights are $500; both gold and red lights are lit annually and the names of those honored or remembered are permanently displayed on a Wall of Honor at the hospital.

The Laurel Regional Hospital Auxiliary is holding its 13th annual Tree of Lights fundraiser to benefit capital improvements at the hospital. Participants can purchase lights for an outdoor tree at the hospital to honor or remember a family member, loved one or friend. Donations for white lights are $5 per name, and names are listed on a Scroll of Honor and displayed at the hospital during December. Gold Life Lights are $100 for each name, and red Eternal Lights are $500; both gold and red lights are lit annually and the names of those honored or remembered are permanently displayed on a Wall of Honor at the hospital.

Adults of all ages are invited to attend the Laurel Senior Friendship Club's dance Friday, Oct. 7, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The club's new location is at the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center, 7120 Contee Road, near Laurel Regional Hospital. Dance to music by DJ Professor Jay. Donation is $2.99. Snacks and setups are free; sodas are 50 cents each. Adults, singles, couples and groups welcome. For information, call 301-937-2896.

The proposal to move Adventist Hospital from Takoma Park to Calverton/Silver Spring can only have a devastating impact upon Laurel Regional Hospital. The new hospital would be only 6.1 miles away from Laurel and would draw from the same neighborhoods. According to filings by Dimensions, Laurel's operator, a new hospital so close would cause Laurel Regional Hospital to lose: 11.8 percent of medical/surgical patients; 4.9 percent of obstetrics patients; 12.4 percent of psychiatric patients; $8.5 million in gross revenue; and the growth opportunities associated with the Konterra development, BRAC realignment and the opening of the ICC and interchanges at I-95 and Contee Road (now Van Dusen)

Linda M. Janzik has been hired as director of public affairs and development at Laurel Regional Hospital.In this senior-management position, Ms. Janzik will direct marketing communications, public relations, physician-support and community outreach programs for the hospital. She also will provide administrative support to the hospital's foundation, volunteer services department and auxiliary.Ms. Janzik has 18 years of experience in the health care marketing communications field. For eight years she headed the department of marketing communications and public relations at Montgomery General Hospital in Olney.

At first thought, a hospital coming so close to Laurel Regional Hospital does sound unfair, and could be a risk to Laurel Regional Hospital's actual existence ("Hospital's proposed move could hurt Laurel Regional Hospital," Letters, Aug. 18). I speak from experience both as a past patient and having had a parent there, by ambulance, two weekends in a row with heart concerns. On the second visit, I spoke to someone in cardiology who said, "If this was my father, I would get him out of here; we can't help him. " I did, and he went to Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park.

Washington Adventist Hospital was very disappointed to see the Aug. 17 letter to the editor that contained serious inaccurate information regarding our proposed relocation and our plan to expand access to health care in the region ("Hospital's proposed move could hurt Laurel Regional Hospital"). Washington Adventist Hospital has never stated that our move would have a devastating impact on Laurel Regional Hospital. In fact, language about the future of Laurel as an in-patient facility that came up during hearings before the Maryland Health Care Commission came directly from the May 21, 2010, "Final Report and Recommendations" from the Prince George's County Hospital Authority.

A Silver Spring man died of internal injuries Saturday evening after he drove his car into the path of another car in Laurel, county police said.Louis Emile Murray, 77, of the 9300 block of Greyrock Road died about 8: 45 p.m. Saturday at Maryland Shock Trauma Center of internal bleeding, police said. Police said Anthony Steven Harris, 32, of the 9600 block of Canterbury Riding in Laurel, driver of the other vehicle, was treated for bruises at Laurel Regional Hospital and released.Police said Murray was trying to enter Whiskey Bottom Road from Laurel Race Course in a 1996 Cadillac Seville about 5: 15 p.m. Saturday and drove into the path of Harris' eastbound 1991 Honda Accord.

Maryland Del. Marilyn R. Goldwater, a Montgomery County Democrat, and Del. Barbara Frush, a Prince George's Democrat, JTC will talk about recent legislative developments pertaining to the prevention of osteoporosis, education about the disease and reimbursement of bone-density testing for the disease from 10 a.m. to noon tomorrow at a meeting of the Osteoporosis Awareness Group at Laurel Regional Hospital, 7300 Van Duesen Road, Laurel.The group meets quarterly. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served.

Share your good news and events with the community. Contact Laurel Leader editorial assistant Pat Farmer, paf1@patuxent.com , or phone and fax 410-332-6653. Blood drive - Sponsored by Laurel Lions Club, American Legion Post 60 and Medstar Health Blood Donor Services, Tue., Oct. 4, 2:30-7 p.m., American Legion Post 60, 2 Main St. For appointments, call Donald Danneman, 1-888-757-7040. Walk-ins welcome. National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association - Chapter 422 luncheon meeting, Wed., Oct. 5, 11:30 a.m., upstairs, Main Street Sports Grill, 531 Main St. Rebecca Miller, of Maryland Relay, explains telecommunications access of the Maryland Department of Information Technology and shows latest in audio aids for those with hearing disabilities.

At first thought, a hospital coming so close to Laurel Regional Hospital does sound unfair, and could be a risk to Laurel Regional Hospital's actual existence ("Hospital's proposed move could hurt Laurel Regional Hospital," Letters, Aug. 18). I speak from experience both as a past patient and having had a parent there, by ambulance, two weekends in a row with heart concerns. On the second visit, I spoke to someone in cardiology who said, "If this was my father, I would get him out of here; we can't help him. " I did, and he went to Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park.

Washington Adventist Hospital was very disappointed to see the Aug. 17 letter to the editor that contained serious inaccurate information regarding our proposed relocation and our plan to expand access to health care in the region ("Hospital's proposed move could hurt Laurel Regional Hospital"). Washington Adventist Hospital has never stated that our move would have a devastating impact on Laurel Regional Hospital. In fact, language about the future of Laurel as an in-patient facility that came up during hearings before the Maryland Health Care Commission came directly from the May 21, 2010, "Final Report and Recommendations" from the Prince George's County Hospital Authority.

The proposal to move Adventist Hospital from Takoma Park to Calverton/Silver Spring can only have a devastating impact upon Laurel Regional Hospital. The new hospital would be only 6.1 miles away from Laurel and would draw from the same neighborhoods. According to filings by Dimensions, Laurel's operator, a new hospital so close would cause Laurel Regional Hospital to lose: 11.8 percent of medical/surgical patients; 4.9 percent of obstetrics patients; 12.4 percent of psychiatric patients; $8.5 million in gross revenue; and the growth opportunities associated with the Konterra development, BRAC realignment and the opening of the ICC and interchanges at I-95 and Contee Road (now Van Dusen)

Mathilde B. "Mimi" Lee, who as the wife of Lt. Gov. Blair Lee III eschewed the political pomp and circumstance of Annapolis for the fields and woods where she could hike, canoe and swim, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at Laurel Regional Hospital. The Silver Spring resident was 91. Mathilde Boal was named for her paternal grandmother, who was related to Christopher Columbus. Her father, Pierre de Lagarde Boal, was an American diplomat who had served as ambassador to Nicaragua and Bolivia.

The former Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital and Nursing Center, located for 43 years adjacent to Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, has moved to Laurel Regional Hospital and has a new name. The Gladys Spellman Specialty Care Unit, or GSSCU, on the fourth-floor of Laurel Regional Hospital received patients transferred from the old facility June 30. The new unit has 46 licensed specialty care beds and offers comprehensive care for adults whose health care needs require more than what can be provided in a home environment or a nursing home.

A motorcyclist was killed yesterday evening in Laurel when he struck a sport utility vehicle that turned in front of him, Howard County police said. Police said the driver of a Toyota RAV4 traveling north on Whiskey Bottom Road about 6 p.m. attempted to make a left turn into a store parking lot. The motorcyclist, who was not identified, was traveling south on Whiskey Bottom and struck the SUV. He was thrown from his motorcycle. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at Laurel Regional Hospital.

Dr. Thomas H. Burguieres of Bethesda has been appointed chairman of Laurel Regional Hospital's department of emergency medicine.Dr. Burguieres is an assistant clinical professor in the department of emergency medicine at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington. He previously was clinical administrator in the emergency department at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring.POLICE LOG* Jessup: 8700 block of Clemente Court: A burglar pried open a rear sliding glass door and took jewelry, silverware and stereo equipment from a home Thursday, police said.

Laurel Regional Hospital's Sleep Wellness Center will hold an open house June 23, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The center is located on the fifth floor of the hospital, 7300 Van Dusen Road. Tour the new center and speak with board-certified medical directors, Natesa Shanmugam, M.D., and Mulai Yohannes, M.D. Learn about services offered through the center's sleep wellness program that can help achieve healthy sleep. Light refreshments will be served. For information, call the hospital's Public Relations Office, 301-497-7914.