Published: July 02, 2009 09:18 pm      

Washington County Hospital promotes Queen City native

HAGERSTOWN — Cumberland native Allen Twigg was selected as the new director for health management at Washington County Hospital.

A hospital employee since 1994, Twigg was the clinical manager of Behavioral Health Services before assuming his new role June 1.

“We had a very talented applicant pool with a number of strong candidates. Allen's vision for the future, history of success, numerous accomplishments, education and background propelled him to the top of our list,” said Deborah Addo Samuels, vice president of patient care services. “It is my pleasure to promote one of our high performers into this important and prestigious position.”

Twigg will oversee several areas including the Weight Loss Clinic, Robinwood Endocrinology, the Center for Clinical Research, cardiac rehabilitation, and the clinical care specialists in oncology, pain, palliative care, respiratory care, stroke care, the Total Joint Center and vascular care.

“These programs have been very successful. My goal is to continue to build on that success,” said Twigg. “The staff has an exceptional reputation. While I’ve known several of them for years I’m looking forward to getting to know them better in the context of their clinical work.”

Twigg said he was interested in the health management directorship because it was an internal opportunity for advancement that fit with his career goals and areas of interest. “Improving the quality of life for people with chronic illness is my focus,” he said. Twigg has worked with individuals with mental illness for many years and points out that mental illness is a chronic disease process. “In health management we are working with chronic disease processes and treating the whole individual, so this is a natural fit for me.”

Twigg worked for the Mental Health Center providing individual and group therapy to adults prior to joining Washington County Hospital. At the hospital, he provided substance abuse counseling, crisis assessments and individual and group therapy before becoming clinical manager of the Behavioral Health Services inpatient unit in 2003. A member of the Maryland State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists, he serves on the board’s credentialing subcommittee. He has a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, a master of arts degree in counseling psychology, and a master of business administration degree.

Chartered in 1904 and opened in 1905, Washington County Hospital is accredited as an acute care facility by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. It includes not only inpatient and outpatient services but also the John R. Marsh Cancer Center, Total Rehab Care at Robinwood, the Center for Bariatric Surgery, the Wound Center, and the Center for Clinical Research.