Healthcare

Finding a new health CARE provider is always a high priority. Be sure to start your search when you arrive rather than wait until you or a family member becomes ill. Besides, trust in your doctor builds slowly over time so start the relationship as soon as possible.

Begin your search in the local phone book, with referrals from friends or other doctors, on the Internet or in the Buyer's Guide of this publication. Consider the following tips before you decide:

Ask health insurance plans and medical offices for information on their doctors' training and experience.
Look up basic information at the local library about doctors in the Directory of Medical Specialists. This reference has up-to-date professional and biographic information on about 400,000 practicing physicians.

Use AMA Physician Select, the American Medical Association's free physicians' information service at http://www.ama-assn.org.
Has the doctor completed several years of training in a specialty and passed an exam? Visit the American Board of Medical Specialties at http://www.abms.org, or call (800) 776-2378.

Has anyone registered a complaint or taken disciplinary action against the doctor? To find out, call your State Medical Licensing Board. Are there any complaints registered with your state department of insurance?
Call the doctor's office and ask for an appointment. Most doctors will take the time to meet potential patients, but remember that a doctor's time is valuable so expect a nominal fee.

When you are meeting the doctor and his staff for the first time, consider the following:
When scheduling the appointment, was the receptionist friendly, prompt and professional? Did he/she take the time to answer your questions? Were you left on hold for too long? Did he/she seem knowledgeable about the workings of the office?
When arriving for your appointment, were you greeted promptly? Was the reception area clean and comfortable? Was the staff friendly and willing to answer your questions?
Did you have to wait long in the exam room before the doctor arrived? Was the exam room orderly and clean with a chair for a family member to sit in?
When the doctor arrived, did he/she introduce him/herself with a smile? Did he/she seem rushed or tired? Did you get a good first impression? Did you feel comfortable revealing personal information?
During the consultation, did nurses pop in and out? Did the doctor leave the room during your conversation? Did the doctor seem caring, compassionate and sympathetic to your concerns? Did the doctor rush through the meeting? Did the doctor seem relaxed? Did you feel as though you were the only patient he/she had to see that day?
Treat finding a doctor as seriously as looking for a new job or a new home. Depending on the length of time you will be in the area, this relationship is a long-term commitment and you want to be comfortable with the person that will see you while you are most vulnerable.

HARFORD COUNTY
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
120 S. Hays St.
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 838-1500
http://www.harfordcountyhealth.com
The local operating arm of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene delivers a wide range of preventive health care, clinical services and environmental health services in eight major divisions: Addictions, Administration, Environmental Health, Health Education, Health Services, Health Promotion and Disease Control, Care Coordination, and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children). The Health Department provides services at locations throughout the county, with Community Health Centers in Aberdeen, Bel Air, Edgewood and Havre de Grace.

HOSPITALS
Emergencies can happen at any time and knowing the location of local hospitals can save valuable time during these crises. Remember that for any life threatening situation, dial 911 immediately.

The Upper Chesapeake Health System operates a pair of hospitals in the county. Harford Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace opened in 1912 in a 21-room remodeled frame mansion. With expansion throughout the years, the hospital now cares for more than 35,000 patients each year and offers such specialized, one-of-a-kind services as a 17-bed Transitional Care Unit, a Joint Center, a Sleep Disorder Center and outpatient Behavioral Health Services.

Harford Memorial Hospital
501 S. Union Ave.
Havre de Grace, MD 21078 (443) 939-2400
http://www.uchs.org
The new Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air features 143-bed acute care, an Ambulatory Care Center for outpatient services and a profes-sional/medical office building. Other amenities include private rooms and state-of-the-art emergency department with pediatric capabilities, surgical suites and a convenient parking garage.

Upper Chesapeake Medical Center
500 Upper Chesapeake Drive
Bel Air, MD 21014 (443) 643-1000
http://www.uchs.org  

REGIONAL HOSPITALS
The Baltimore region, which includes Harford County, boasts the second highest concentration of physicians in the nation—490:100,000.

Baltimore VA Medical Center
10 N. Greene St.
Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 605-7000
http://www.maryland.va.gov/Baltimore_VA_Medical_Center.asp 

Franklin Square Hospital Center
9000 Franklin Square Drive
Baltimore, MD 21237 (410) 682-7000
http://www.franklinsquare.org

Greater Baltimore Medical Center
6701 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21204 (410) 849-2000
http://www.gbmc.org

Johns Hopkins Hospital
600 N. Wolfe St.
Baltimore, MD 21287 (410) 955-5000
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/the_johns_hopkins_hospital/index.html
 
Maryland General Hospital
827 Linden Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 225-8000
http://www.marylandgeneral.org 

St. Joseph Medical Center
7601 Osler Drive
Towson, MD 21204 (410) 337-1000
http://www.sjmcmd.org

Sheppard & Enoch Pratt Hospital
6501 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21285 (410) 938-3000
http://www.sheppardpratt.org

Union Memorial Hospital
201 E. University Pkwy.
Baltimore, MD 21218 (410) 554-2000
http://www.unionmemorial.org

University of Maryland Medical Center
22 S. Greene St.
Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 328-8667
http://www.umm.edu
 
CLINICS
Edgewood Area Health Clinic
2719 Pulaski Highway (410) 612-0374
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic
2501 Oakington St.
Aberdeen Proving Ground,
MD 21005 (410) 278-5475
For prescriptions: https://consult.wramc.amedd.army.mil/refills
Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed weekends and federal holidays
The primary care center provides routine and urgent medical care, and on-site physical therapy.

MEDICAL/HEALTH SERVICES
Aberdeen Family Chiropractic Center
37 N. Philadelphia Road
Aberdeen, MD 21001 (410) 273-5900
http://www.aberdeenfamilychiropractic.com

AMC Harford County Chapter
P.O. Box 933
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 561-1066
http://www.amc.org  

American Red Cross
122 S. Main St.
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 838-4568
http://www.redcross-cmd.org

Family Implant & Reconstructive Surgery
203 S. Washington St.
Havre de Grace, MD 21078 (410) 939-5800
http://www.drgrubb.com

Hospice of Baltimore Harford County
4C North Ave., Suite 422
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 638-5103
http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/services/aging/hospice.cfm

Lorien-Bel Air
1909 Emmorton Road
Bel Air, MD 21015 (410) 803-1400
http://www.lorienhealth.com

Susquehanna AIDS Fund for Emergencies
P.O. Box 575
Havre de Grace, MD 21078 (410) 939-7440
http://www.aidsemergencyfund.org

Harford County Family YMCA
309 Thomas Run Road
Bel Air, MD 21015 (410) 836-5075
http://www.wellness.com/dir/3071767/health.../harford-county-ymca

SENIORS
Harford County Office on Aging
145 N. Hickory Ave.
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 638-3025
http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/services/aging
This office and its senior centers serve seniors, their families and caregivers through a variety of programs, activities, services to help them remain healthy, active and independent members of the community. Classes, workshops and services include:
Financial Assistance
Assisted Living Facilities
Nursing Home and Hospice Care
Power of Attorney and Living Wills
Meal Programs
Senior Center Activities and Calendar of Events
Health Insurance Information
TRICARE
http://www.tricareonline.com
This plan provides health care services for all Military Health System beneficiaries by bringing together the health care resources of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard and supplementing them with civilian health care professionals.  read more...