University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health Opens Cancer Survivorship Clinic

University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health has opened a dedicated cancer survivorship clinic in Bel Air, addressing a gap in care that hospital officials say often leaves patients without clear guidance once active treatment ends and they transition back to routine primary care.

The clinic provides patients with a personalized survivorship care plan detailing what long-term side effects to watch for, recommended follow-up screening schedules, and referrals to services such as physical therapy or mental health counseling for patients dealing with the psychological aftermath of a cancer diagnosis.

"Patients go through months of very intensive, closely monitored treatment, and then suddenly that ends and they're kind of on their own figuring out what comes next," said the clinic's lead oncology nurse practitioner. "This clinic exists to make sure nobody falls through that gap between active treatment and normal life."

The clinic is staffed by a nurse practitioner with specialized oncology training who works alongside patients' original treatment teams, providing a consistent point of contact for survivorship-related questions that might otherwise get lost between a patient's oncologist, primary care doctor, and any specialists managing treatment side effects.

Harford County has seen its cancer patient population grow alongside the county's broader population increases, and Upper Chesapeake Health officials said the survivorship clinic reflects a broader trend among community cancer programs recognizing that surviving cancer often comes with its own distinct set of long-term medical and emotional needs.