For Laurie Porter, DO, the first Wednesday in December was her first clinic day seeing Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) patients in Chestertown.
“What I look forward to with my work in Chestertown is serving a population that needs these services right here,” says Dr. Porter. “There has been a need to have a practitioner in Kent County to serve patients who otherwise would have to travel some distance to see an ENT doctor, and I am glad that I will be able to do that.”
With Timothy Schneider, MD and Morris Effron, MD, Dr. Porter is a practitioner with University of Maryland Community Group – ENT, Sinus & Hearing. Beginning in January, 2017, she will see patients by appointment at UM Shore Medical Pavilion at Chestertown and will perform scheduled surgeries at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. Because she treats all types of ENT problems, her patients range in from newborns to centenarians.
“I see a wide range of ENT issues – hearing problems, allergies and many throat problems,” Dr. Porter says. “To avoid hearing problems people need to understand how important it is to have their ear health checked every year along with their other health checkups.”
Kent County and the surrounding region are home to many allergens and wide seasonal variability, notes Dr. Porter. For patients with allergies, determining the source and developing a treatment plan that provides relief from symptoms and makes them comfortable are her primary concerns.
Regarding throat problems, Dr. Porter says, “People who smoke or drink alcohol heavily have a 1,000 times greater risk of developing head and neck cancer.” She advises reducing smoking and drinking habits to lower that risk. For patients wishing to lower their risk of throat problems associated with gastrointestinal issues, she advises developing a healthy diet.
Prior to joining UM Shore Regional Health in 2011, Dr. Porter practiced at The New England Center for Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgery in Nashua, New Hampshire. She earned her doctoral degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed internships at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and Temple East, Northeastern Hospital in Philadelphia, as well as her residency in otolaryngology, surgery and facial plastic surgery at UMDNJ.
Fishing is one of the activities Dr. Porter and her husband especially enjoy about living on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
“I grew up in western Pennsylvania where I fished for bass on the Allegheny River. I have fished on the Bay, and I love catching rockfish,” she says. “I am now looking forward to doing some rockfish tournaments. All I need to know is where the good fishing hot spots are!”
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