Maryland’s Health Matters - St. Joseph - Fall 2016 - 14

STRONGER TOGETHER Two wise sayings that have always served me well in both my personal and professional lives have been to "trust your instincts" and to "put your faith in God." The latter FOCUS ON PHILANTHROPY IT'S TIME axiom held especially true when I advocated so passionately for the Sen. Francis X. Kelly Jr. University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) to acquire St. Joseph's in 2012. Despite the difficult times the hospital was facing, I knew in my heart that God had other plans for St. Joseph Medical Center. Nearly four years later, we are well on our way to profitability, have received numerous awards for excellence and, most importantly, our patients have returned, drawn by the loving care they experience. "Trusting your instincts" also proved to be wonderfully valuable in choosing leadership for the newly acquired hospital. Time and again, I had watched Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, a University of Maryland radiation oncologist and professor in the School of Medicine, interact with patients, colleagues and partners. I absolutely knew he was the leader that UM St. Joseph's needed in 2012. And I now congratulate him on becoming the president and CEO of University of Maryland Medical Center, where his remarkable talent will continue to be of tremendous benefit to our community. My instincts are just as strong about his successor, Thomas B. Smyth, MD, who took the helm on Sept. 7. Dr. Smyth, a urologist, is highly respected among the physicians, nurses and staff at UM St. Joseph, and we could not be more pleased that he will be guiding the hospital as we move forward. Both Dr. Smyth and I deeply appreciate the critical impact philanthropy has on the quality of programs and services that our hospital can offer, and we are most grateful for your kind generosity. I am delighted to thank Dr. Suntha for his outstanding service at UM St. Joseph and welcome Dr. Smyth as a most worthy successor. The Honorable Francis X. Kelly Jr. Chairman, Operating Board University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center 14 MARYLAND'S HEALTH MATTERS Thank you to our generous friends, community members, clinicians and patients, who contributed more than $2 million to renovate the medical center's Mother/Baby wing! When completed, the unit will include a new welcome center, a renovated private triage unit, a bereavement room and additional postpartum rooms. Phase I of the project, the Jim and Bette O'Conor Nursery, which included an expansion and renovation, was completed in December 2015. Yes, we are Building for Our Future!

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