Shore Behavioral Health Welcomes New Provider

University of Maryland Shore Medical Group (UM SMG) - Behavioral Health has added Heather Koontz, MSN, CRNP, PMHNP, to its provider team. UM SMG is part of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, Koontz serves on the inpatient behavioral health unit located at the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton. Koontz earned her Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing as well as her Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate from Chamberlain University in Chicago, Illinois. As part of her PMHNP certification, she acquired extensive experience through clinical rotations at Shore Behavioral Health, including psychiatric assessment, medication management, psychotherapy principles and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Before joining the UM SMG - Behavioral Health provider team, Koontz served seven years as a nurse with UM SRH, working in medical surgical care, utilization management and acute rehabilitation. Her prior nursing experience also includes caring for patients in the telemetry unit at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center and on-call nursing care with Hospice of the Chesapeake.

"For 21 years, I've had the privilege of caring for others as a nurse. I'm excited to begin a new chapter - not forgetting where I started, but carrying every lesson, every patient and every experience with me. I am truly honored to serve with the behavioral health team," Koontz said.

For information regarding inpatient care offered by Shore Behavioral Health, call 410-822-1000, ext. 8701, or visit https://www.umms.org/shore/health-services/behavioral-health.