One Medical to open first Rockville location

One Medical will open its first Rockville location soon at 915 Meeting Street, at the Pike & Rose development. "Coming soon" signage has been posted in the future clinic's windows. One Medical is a primary care clinic offering same-day appointments, and 24/7 telehealth services. It covers everything from basic health checkups to management of chronic illnesses. 

Construction of the clinic is underway. One Medical has existing locations in downtown Bethesda and at Chevy Chase Lake. Its partners include Amazon, where Prime members get special pricing, and MedStar Health.

Allcare primary and immediate care clinic opening in Rockville

Allcare, a primary and immediate care clinic, is opening a new Rockville location. It will be at 16260 Frederick Road, in the new Rock Grove shopping center. Allcare will be in the space next to Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken. Services will include urgent care, annual physicals, telehealth, weight management and STD testing.

Rockville goes purple again for opioid addiction awareness (Photos)

Rockville's Mayor and Council have proclaimed September as National Recovery Month, to bring attention to the nationwide epidemic of opioid addiction. The theme for this year's effort is “Opioids: Let’s Talk About It,” with the goal of encouraging dialogue and openness about opioid addiction, and awareness of the need to avoid stigmatizing addiction. Residents and visitors will see the most visible representation of the month-long campaign in the purple hue being projected onto City Hall, the Rockville City Police Department, and other city buildings, as well as purple light posts around Rockville Town Square.

The Rockville City Police Department will host the Rockville Goes Purple Drug Takeback, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, September 23 at the department’s headquarters parking lot at 2 W. Montgomery Ave. You can also join RCPD officers at the Rockville Senior Center from 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, September 27 to learn about opioids and drug problems in our community, and how you can help.

Rockville biotech clinical advisor receives highest honor from American Society of Clinical Oncology

Dr. Hagop M. Kantarjian, a member of the Clinical Advisory Board of Rockville biotech firm Ascentage Pharma, has received the highest honor bestowed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The organization presented Kantarjian the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award "for his lifelong contributions to leukemia clinical research and his dedication to improving the lives of patients" at its annual meeting, which is taking place through tomorrow in Chicago. Those who have received the Karnofsky award since its inception in 1970 have been oncologists who made outstanding contributions to cancer research, diagnosis, or treatment.

"Dr. Kantarjian has dedicated his life to saving and enhancing the lives of patients with leukemia, renewing hope to millions of patients with unmet medical needs," Ascentage Pharma Chairman Dajun Yang, MD, PhD said in a statement this morning. "For decades, he has been at the forefront of the oncology community's efforts to end cancer. We are privileged that Dr. Kantarjian has chosen to share his wise counsel with our organization while serving with honor and distinction on the Ascentage Pharma Clinical Advisory Board."

Ascentage Pharma was founded in 2009 in Suzhou, China. Its American office is in Three Irvington Centre, at 700 King Farm Boulevard in Rockville. 

Montgomery County now collecting durable medical equipment at Shady Grove Transfer Station

Do you have medical equipment you no longer need, and is just taking up space in your home? Now it can be put to use for less-fortunate residents in need of it. Montgomery County is now collecting durable medical equipment at the Shady Grove Transfer Station at 16101 Frederick Road (MD 355) in Derwood. "Gently-used" wheelchairs, canes, shower chairs, and other commonly-used medical equipment will be accepted, and will be refurbished and donated to residents who need it. The new initiative has been made possible by the Montgomery County Department of the Environment's entry into the Maryland Department of Aging’s Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Re-Use program.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich

“There is an ongoing need for medical equipment in our County,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement. “Many of us have medical equipment in our basements, garages or attics that is no longer used, but is too good to throw away. This program helps our County’s efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle, while providing critical assistance to those in need. I encourage everyone to donate if they have any equipment that can still be used. This program isn’t just helping our planet—it is also helping our neighbors.”

Technicians from Maryland DME Re-Use take the donated equipment to a 56,000-square-foot facility located in Cheltenham in Prince George's County. There, it is sanitized, repaired and stored for future distribution. Equipment that is beyond repair will be broken down for parts that are saved and later used, rather than going into the trash.

To find out more about Maryland DME Re-Use, including collection site locations, acceptable donations or how to apply to receive durable medical equipment, go to dme.maryland.gov, call 240-230-8000 or email dme.mdoa@maryland.gov.

Rockville biotech firm to expand with new lab space in Gaithersburg

Rockville-based Shuttle Pharmaceuticals will expand its footprint within Montgomery County this summer. The company announced yesterday that it is leasing additional laboratory and office space at an unspecified property in Gaithersburg. Shuttle Pharmaceuticals was founded by faculty members of Georgetown University Medical Center in 2012, and specializes in improving radiation therapy treatments for cancer, while attempting to reduce their side effects. Among the therapies in development at Shuttle is Ropidoxuridine, its lead clinical sensitizer drug candidate.

Achieve Veterinary Urgent Care opening in Rockville

Achieve Veterinary Urgent Care will open a Rockville clinic in the Derwood area of MD 355. The clinic will be located at 15811 Frederick Road, in the small strip center next to Atlantic Guns. It will coincidentally be just down the street from the Playful Pack doggie daycare and boarding facility. Achieve will open this spring, the company says, but the sign is already installed and lit.

The B-12 Store opening Saturday at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The B-12 Store will open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda tomorrow, Saturday, October 1, 2022. Special grand opening promotions will run for the next week at the store, which sells and administers injectable and intravenous vitamins. The store is overseen by a physician who can write prescriptions for the vitamins, and all injections and IVs are adminstered by certified nurses. 

All supplements are manufactured by Legere Pharmaceuticals and Vox Nutrition in an FDA registered outsourcing facility. Look for the B-12 Store on Level 1, next to Haagen-Dazs.

The B12 Store "coming soon" at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

 

"Coming soon" signage has appeared at the future location of The B12 Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. A variation on the new fad of IV bars, at The B12 Store you can buy or be injected with a variety of vitamins and minerals. All doctors, nurses and other staff are licensed and certified to administer the injections, the chain advises. 

The B12 Store is rapidly expanding at malls across the continental U.S., as well as in Puerto Rico. Here at Montgomery Mall, look for The B12 Store on Level 1, next to Haagen Dazs.

Rockville cannabis dispensary hosting all-day 4/20 event

Ethos Dispensary at 4007-A Norbeck Road in Rockville is hosting an all-day event celebrating the unofficial marijuana holiday of April 20, 2022, with special 4/20 sale offers, including 20%-off the entire store. The Maui Wowie Smoothie Cart is on-site, along with a Jefferson University pop-up. There will also be a prize wheel, raffles and free swag. Garcia Brothers Mobile Detailing is there, as well, and they are giving away a $50 gift certificate for their detailing services. Ethos is open until 8:00 PM.

Photo courtesy Ethos

Zbounce moving, B-12 Store opening at Montgomery Mall

Moon bounce play center Zbounce is getting bounced to a new spot inside Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda this coming week. It will stay on Level 2, but move into a space across from Forever 21. 

In other mall news, The B-12 Store will be opening soon downtstairs on Level 1. A variation on the new fad of IV bars, at The B-12 Store you can buy or be injected with a variety of vitamins and minerals. All doctors, nurses and other staff are licensed and certified to administer the injections, the chain advises. The B-12 Store is rapidly expanding at malls across the continental U.S., as well as in Puerto Rico.

Tend to open Rockville dental office

Tend is opening an office at 11580 Old Georgetown Road at Pike & Rose. The 2876 square foot office will offer a full range of dental services, including exams, fillings, crowns, root canals, whitening and cosmetic redesign, and preventative care such as oral cancer screenings. In other words, a one-stop shop that includes options some traditional dental offices don't offer under one roof. 

Property owner Federal Realty announced the lease Friday, touting Tend as the first dentist's office "people actually look forward to." Inside Tend's calm and inviting office, patient happiness is the stated goal. "Coming soon" signage was already up at the future location on Thursday. Tend is expected to open at Pike & Rose in the 2nd quarter of 2022.

Rockville Pike Animal Hospital to open at Towne Plaza

Rockville Pike Animal Hospital is coming soon to 12248 Rockville Pike in the Towne Plaza shopping center. This is the former Navy Federal Credit Union space, which still has a Navy Federal ATM embedded in the storefront. There are at least three other animal hospitals on the Pike currently: Caring Hands at Wintergreen Plaza, Dr. Boyd's Veterinary Resort, and the 24-hour Metropolitan Animal Emergency and Specialty Center.

Rockville biotech receives patent for tech that can identify patients at-risk of opioid addiction

HSR.health CEO Ajay Gupta

Rockville-based HSR.health announced this morning that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a patent for the firm's novel use of geospatial tech, advanced AI models, and sets of social determinants of health data to identify patients at risk of opioid addiction. The technology also can identify patients at risk of having an overdose in the next 12 months. Overall, the purpose is to mitigate these negative outcomes before they happen, the company said.

HSR.health CEO Ajay Gupta said this morning that the issuing of the patent "is an acknowledgement of the uniqueness of our health-focused spatial data infrastructure." The now-patented tech can also be applied to pre-diabetic patients. Other areas of focus for the firm are reducing hospital readmissions, and assisting countries with pandemic response efforts.

Six additional HSR.health patent applications are now before the USPTO, related to geospatial tech, data and AI models. Montgomery County's biotech sector continues to be the bright spot amid an otherwise-moribund county economy.

BioTec USA opening Montgomery Mall location

BioTec USA, a skin care clinic offering a range of products and spa services, is expanding to Montgomery County. A new location will be in Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Founded by Science Director Tanya Gospodinova, BioTec has an existing location in the Foxhall area of Northwest Washington, D.C. Look for BioTec soon on Level 2 next to Avalon, right outside of Nordstrom.

MoCo's first privately-operated residential addiction treatment center opens in Rockville

A new type of residential addiction treatment center has arrived in Rockville. The Valley is the first privately-operated residential addiction treatment center in Montgomery County. It is located on a five-acre campus at 19120 Muncaster Road. 

The Valley accepts private and commercial insurance plans. It features 3 residential houses, an outdoor swimming pool, fitness and recreation facilities, and a horse sanctuary. The homes include common areas, private bathrooms, fully-stocked kitchens, patios, decks, and furnished bedrooms with flatscreen televisions and game systems. Dual diagnosis patients who have underlying mental illness can also be treated on-site. 

Patients are now being accepted. For more information, visit The Valley's website or call 301-355-7455.

Rockville approves mandatory vaccine policy for City employees

Rockville's Mayor and Council unanimously approved a resolution mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for all City employees at their meeting last night. Exceptions for documented religious or medical reasons will be allowed; those receiving approved exemptions will have to be tested weekly for the virus. Those not fully vaccinated or exempted by November 15, 2021 will face disciplinary action, or termination.

Hogan orders all Maryland restaurants, bars to close at 10 PM, new restrictions on retail, hospital visits, sporting events, places of worship

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced additional restrictions on businesses and activities this afternoon, as the coronavirus pandemic worsens in the state and around the world. Effective Friday at 5:00 PM, Hogan has ordered all restaurants and bars statewide to close at 10:00 PM nightly. None will be allowed to open between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. 

Hogan also ordered most hospital visits to be suspended with some exceptions, and nursing home visitors will be limited to compassionate care visitors, who have to be tested 72 hours before visiting. The governor also banned all attendance at professional and collegiate sporting events, just weeks after fans were allowed to return to stadiums in the state.

Under the new restrictions, all retail stores and places of worship must reduce capacity to 50%. Hogan urged any students returning from college, or who plan to be around elderly relatives for Thanksgiving, to get tested for Covid-19 first. 

The governor asked hospitals to postpone any elective procedures or treatments where possible. He said hospitalizations are up 100% since November 1. The number of patients in ICU beds is the highest since June 2020. Maryland's Health Department is issuing an order to allow hospitals that are full, or nearing capacity, to transfer patients to other hospitals.

"We are in a war right now, and the virus is winning," Hogan said. "Now more than ever, I am pleading with the people of our state to stand together a while longer to help us battle this surging virus.”

Rockville to join Great American Smokeout November 19

Rockville City Council member
David Myles

The City of Rockville will officially join the American Cancer Society's annual Great American Smokeout nationwide event on November 19, 2020, to discourage smoking and usage of vaping products. Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton and the City Council will issue a proclamation to this effect, and residents are being directed to ACS smoking cessation advice and resources.

Rockville has already banned smoking in bars and restaurants, and in recent years on outdoor dining patios and on all City-owned property, including city parks. “While there is so much that is out of our control in this unprecedented moment, we can make individual decisions to improve our lives and the lives of those around us,” Rockville City Councilmember David Myles - who is also a physician - said in a statement Tuesday morning. “In addition to wearing a facial covering, stopping smoking has been shown to improve one's health and the health of those around you. Be a good neighbor and be good to yourself.”

Photo courtesy City of Rockville

Maryland releases draft Covid-19 vaccination plan

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) released a draft of the state's Covid-19 vaccination plan this morning. Like all states, Maryland must submit a plan like this to the federal government for how it will store, distribute and administer any future approved vaccines for the coronavirus.

The Maryland vaccination plan is split into three phases: the initial period when vaccine supply may be minimal and who should have priority to receive it must be determined, a second phase when large amounts become available and there is a more general rush to administer it to a large number of people, and a third, ongoing phase when one or more Covid-19 vaccines continue to be distributed like a flu shot in the future.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R)

The Maryland Department of Health Center for Immunization (CFI) will orchestrate the operational side of implementing the plan. MDH's Office of Preparedness and Response (OP&R) will focus on planning, coordination and logistical matters. And other MDH programs and agencies such as the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and Maryland State Police will take on other roles "as the operational needs evolve," the plan draft states.

Will you, the average Montgomery County citizen, be one of the first to receive a Covid-19 vaccine? No, according to the plan. In phase one, only high-risk members of the population and workers at hospitals, long term care (LTC) and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are anticipated to be vaccinated. 

The plan states that two doses of the potential vaccine(s) will likely be required, with a period of three or more weeks between shots. Maryland plans to use its PrepMod and Maryland MyIR online portals to send recipients a reminder that it is time to come in for the second dose. PrepMod will also initially be the main vaccine management system, 

PrepMod is an online clinic management and appointment scheduling system. It is used by Maryland local health departments to conduct mass vaccination drives and vaccinations at school-located clinics. Maryland's ImmuNet will play a central role as the one-stop shop for health care providers to register as an official Covid-19 vaccine provider, order their vaccine supplies, track vaccine deliveries, report doses administered, and to determine scheduling of second doses.

Maryland's first priority in public messaging when a vaccine becomes available will be assuring the public that it is a safe and effective vaccine. Public communication will then emphasize vaccination of the most-vulnerable first, and then the general population.

One of the other key points covered in the report is the necessary training of providers in the handling, storage and administration of this new vaccine or vaccines. This training will have to be rapid. Among the required training efforts, Maryland plans to utilize state, federal and CDC materials and webinars to get providers up to speed quickly.