Mercy Medical Center has announced that “The Doctor Fix: A New Era of Modern Medicine,” an hour-long documentary in which Mercy physicians and administrators are featured, will be airing via public television stations across the U.S., including Maryland Public Television. MPT will air the film on Sunday, Sept. 17th, 8-9 a.m.
Producer Kate McMahon notes that “The Doctor Fix” explores America’s evolving healthcare system through interviews with patients, doctors, healthcare experts and stakeholders, including staff of Mercy Medical Center. Revealing a profession in transition that impacts the lives of patients everywhere, “The Doctor Fix” is being distributed by the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) to public television stations nationwide.
According to Mercy Health Services, Mercy Medical Center President and CEO Thomas R. Mullen, Mercy’s strategy continues to focus on bringing the 143-year-old tradition of Mercy “patient-centered care” throughout the state of Maryland, a strategy explored in the film.
“In addition to revitalizing the neighborhood surrounding Mercy’s downtown campus, we have developed a growing network of primary and specialty care sites throughout the Baltimore metropolitan area and beyond, bringing Mercy quality care to more people while simultaneously controlling costs and creating an environment where our medical staff can thrive,” Mr. Mullen said.
Dr. George Lowe, a practicing internist for more than 40 years (retired), and currently Medical Director for Maryland Family Care, Mercy Personal Physicians at Lutherville, participating in the film was an opportunity to “explore the Mercy strategy of bringing quality health care to an increasing number of patients in Maryland,” he said.
“Starting in 2004 with the opening of Drs. Kathryn Boling, Gary Kerkvliet, Marc Leavey, and Mark Stromberg, all primary care physicians at Mercy Personal Physicians at Lutherville, discussed how they benefit from the growing Mercy network of care sites, which includes locations in downtown Baltimore, in Reisterstown, MD, and the most recently, in Glen Burnie, which opened in 2016.
An $8.5 million project totally 26,000 square feet, Mercy Personal Physicians at Glen Burnie features 16 physician pods, 25 exam rooms, ancillary services including a blood draw laboratory, X-ray, ultrasound, bone density (DEXA) scan, stress testing, a vascular laboratory and echocardiography.
“It’s a credit to the visionary leadership team at Mercy Health Services who saw a way to improve patient care, and enhance accessibility to care, reduce costs, and help retain and attract physicians; I’m honored to have played a part in making the network a reality and to continue to work within it, to help it grow. And myself and my colleagues are very pleased to have had the chance to share Mercy’s story through this documentary,” Dr. Lowe said.
In addition to the teams of primary care providers, Mercy specialty physicians in such disciplines as cardiology, cosmetic medicine and surgery, endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynecology, medical oncology and hematology, minimally invasive surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, shoulder/elbow/wrist/hand, surgical oncology, urology and vascular surgery.
“This model allows specialists to see patients in areas beyond the limits of the main hospital in Baltimore City, while at the same time, drives patient volume to Mercy Medical Center for surgeries, everything from the latest orthopedic procedures to robotic cancer surgeries. Physicians, surgeons, the hospital, the network and above all, the patients, all benefit,” Dr. Lowe said.
Currently nearly 40 public television stations in markets ranging from Los Angeles to Philadelphia have signed on to air “The Doctor Fix.” To learn more about participating stations, visit http://www.pbs.org/about/
Mercy physicians and staff featured in “The Doctor’s Fix” received no pay or remuneration of any kind for their participation in the documentary.
Mercy Medical Center is a 143-year-old, university-affiliated medical facility with a national reputation for women’s health. Mercy is home to the acclaimed Weinberg Center for Women’s Health & Medicine and The Mary Catherine Bunting Center. For more information, visit Mercy at www.mdmercy.com or MDMercyMedia on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.
