Page 46 - Garrett County 2024/2025 Visitors Guide

TAKING GOOD CARE
PHOTO BY KRISTEN FISCHETTI – HIGHER FOCUS STUDIOS
Amid a nationwide shortage of rural health care, Garrett County stands out as a beacon of easily accessible, comprehensive and state-of-the-art care. Two medical centers, several urgent care facilities and excellent coverage of primary and specialty care providers ensure your health care needs will be met within just a few miles from your front door.
The Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC, wvumedicine.org/garrett-regional- medical-center), part of the WVU Medicine system, was recognized in 2023 as a Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, an honor that puts GRMC in the top 1% of rural hospitals in the country.
The medical center is considered “high- performing” in its treatment of hip fractures, according to U.S. News & World Report, which also named GRMC’s subacute unit
on its 2022-23 list of Best Nursing Homes. Furthermore, The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has recognized WVU Medicine for its excellent results in using analytics and data to improve care and patient outcomes.
GRMC continually expands its service offerings. For example, in October of 2022, GRMC announced a new partnership with
Hospice of Garrett County (hospiceofgc. org) to provide comprehensive end-of-life care and support for local residents with terminal conditions.
The main campus of GRMC has 55 inpatient beds, a four-bed intensive care unit, a 10-bed subacute rehabilitation
unit, a family-centered maternity suite,
a 13-bed outpatient surgical unit with a four-bed surgical suite and around-the- clock emergency services. The hospital’s laboratory, radiology and cardiopulmonary departments are equipped with the latest technology.
Beyond its hospital facility, GRMC treats patients in the community at various offsite locations, such as the Regional Behavioral Health Center in Oakland (wvumedicine.org/ garrett-regional-medical-center/services/ regional-behavioral-health-center) and a variety of primary and specialty care sites listed at wvumedicine.org/wvum-services/primary- care/maryland. They include:
• Garrett Family Medicine in Oakland • Grantsville Medical Center in
Grantsville
• WVU Medicine Garrett Medical Group (locations in Friendsville, Oakland and McHenry)
Mountain Laurel Medical Center
(mtnlaurel.org), with locations in Oakland and Grantsville, provides patients with access to a comprehensive suite of coordinated services, including primary care, behavioral health services, health insurance enrollment and lab services.
In 2022, Mountain Laurel received several awards from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration recognizing its quality of care, improvements in access to care, role in reducing health disparities and pioneering use of health information technology.
The Garrett County Health Department (garretthealth.org) is nationally renowned for its use of data to measure and improve health in the community.
Its data hub (garretthealth.org/data- hub) and the mygarrettcounty.com site both invite residents to stay informed
and get involved in improving critical measures of community health such as obesity, smoking and vaccination rates. The website’s digital resource guide is
an at-a-glance directory of providers that offer services tailored to a comprehensive list of needs, ranging from abuse and addiction to transportation and veteran support.
44 The Deep Creek Experience