Dr. Jerry Hantman, the first cardiologist in Howard County and longtime leader in the county’s medical community, died March 28 at the age of 80 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. Hantman served as chair of medicine at Howard County General Hospital for 18 years and cardiology section chief for 30 years.
“Reflecting upon the life of my friend and mentor, what resonates most is Jerry’s passion for the highest quality of patient care delivered with empathy and a touch of dry humor. He taught me and countless others about intellectual curiosity, altruism, commitment to mentorship, perseverance and collaboration,” said Dr. Michael Silverman, managing physician for Cardiovascular Specialists of Central Maryland.
During his career at Howard County General Hospital, Hantman served as president of the professional staff, director of the coronary care unit and director of utilization management. He oversaw the opening of the hospital’s first intensive care and stepdown units in 1980 and helped open the cardiac catheterization lab in 1996.
For most of his 39-year medical career, Hantman was managing partner of Cardiovascular Specialists of Central Maryland, which has grown to be the largest cardiology practice in Howard County and offers all cardiac diagnostic modalities. Under Hantman’s leadership, Cardiovascular Specialists of Central Maryland joined Johns Hopkins Medicine in 2010.
“Jerry’s vision sowed the seeds for exceptional cardiac care in Howard County to include ongoing cardiac research, a vibrant cardiac interventional and cardiac device implantation program and affiliation with Johns Hopkins,” Silverman said.
Hantman retired from health care in 2014. He attended Brandeis University and graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1966. He earned a master’s degree in medical management from Carnegie-Mellon University and served his medical residency in Boston. Hantman was born on Jan. 18, 1942, in Neptune, New Jersey.
Hantman’s family suggests a charitable donation in his honor to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Jewish Federation of Howard County or Howard Hospital Foundation, which provides philanthropic support to Howard County General Hospital.
About Howard County General Hospital
Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine is a not-for-profit health care provider with 225 licensed beds located in Columbia, Maryland. A comprehensive, acute-care medical center, Howard County General offers a full range of services, from neonatal care and oncology to outpatient treatment and critical care.
The hospital has a professional staff of more than 1,000 physicians and allied health professionals, representing 118 specialties and subspecialties and a workforce of nearly 1,800 employees.
