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Hospital Rounds
News from Local Hospitals
PUBLISHED: September/October 2011
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Ochsner Offers eICU
Ochsner Health System has signed an agreement
with Philips VISICU to implement its stateof-
the-art eICU Program to enhance critical
care. Ochsner states it is the only provider in
Louisiana to offer the program, which has been
proven to reduce complications, shorten hospital
length of stay and save lives. Ochsner will
serve as a statewide resource to community and
rural hospitals which can benefit from expanded
critical care staffing and technology.
Studies have shown improved outcomes and
decreased lengths of stay for patients in ICUs
managed by intensivists (physicians trained as
specialists in critical care). However, as there is
a severe shortage of these specialized doctors
in the U.S., many hospitals are unable to have
critical care physicians on-site 24 hours a day.
The eICU Program solves this problem.
The eICU Program will connect Ochsner’s
bedside care teams with off-site critical care
physicians and nurses using advanced software
and continuous remote monitoring technology
from Philips VISICU. The software detects
and advises clinicians of important trends and
changes in a patient’s condition, enabling more
proactive care with fewer complications. Use
of the 2-way audio-video capability also allows
the off-site intensivist to interact and collaborate
with the bedside medical team and the patient’s
family to make important, time-sensitive
patient care decisions.
The installations began in July at Ochsner
Baptist Medical Center, Ochsner Medical Center-
Kenner and Ochsner Medical Center-Baton
Rouge with plans to go live in the first quarter of
2012. The rollout to remaining Ochsner hospitals
will continue through 2012.
Volunteers Help NICU
Infants Heal
For the past decade, babies in Woman’s Hospital’s
NICU and Special Care nursery have enjoyed
the warmth, tenderness, and TLC of volunteer
“Cuddlers.” While these volunteers are
strangers to the infants, they are well known and
valued by the Woman’s staff. Celebrating its 10th
year of service, the Cuddler Program currently
has 29 active volunteers from around the region.
The role of the Cuddler is three-fold: to calm
and interact with premature babies, offer support
to families of NICU infants who can’t be
at the hospital with the babies, and to offer
assistance to the nursing staff in providing additional
human touch. Studies show that tactile
stimulation such as massage, human touch,
and cuddling can help improve weight gain in
newborns, especially premature babies. The
calming effects allow the infant to relax and
focus its energies on growing and hopefully go
home sooner.
The Woman’s Cuddlers don’t give medications,
feed babies or walk around with them.
They just hold them, rock them, read, or sing
songs to them, providing whatever stimulation
the baby responds to best. Sometimes, when
all the babies are at rest, Cuddlers help replenish
supplies in the unit and run errands around
the hospital to support the staff. Each volunteer
chosen to participate in the program must complete
a detailed screening and training process
to learn special techniques required to handle
the babies. Over the last ten years, there has
almost always been a waiting list of volunteers.
Rideau and Ragsdale
Appointed to Lane Board
of Commissioners
Mayor Harold Rideau and Frank Ragsdale were
both recently appointed by the Metropolitan
Council of East Baton Rouge Parish to a four-year
term on the Board of Commissioners at Lane Regional
Medical Center. Rideau is replacing James
“Goose” Carroll who left the board after 8 years
of service. Ragsdale replaces Robert Williams
who served on the board for 22 years.
Rideau has served as Mayor of Baker since
July 1, 2004. He retired from Exxon Chemical
in 2004 after more than 36 years of service.
Rideau also served as an Assistant Professor at
Southern University College of Engineering.
Ragsdale, a Certified Registered Nurse
Anesthetist, retired from Lane in 2009 after 17
years of service, where he served as director of
Anesthesia.
Lane Regional Medical Center is governed by
a nine member board of commissioners who are
appointed by the Metropolitan Council. Current
members are Dell Guerra (Board Chair),
Dr. Keith Elbourne, Pat Gauthier, Jimmy Johnson,
Joan Lansing, Judy Myles, Frank Ragsdale,
Mayor Harold Rideau and Mark Thompson.
Woman’s Receives
Accreditation with
Commendation
The Woman’s Hospital Cancer Program has
been awarded a full Three-Year Accreditation
with Commendation from the Commission on
Cancer (CoC). Accreditation is given to those facilities
that voluntarily commit to providing the
highest level of quality cancer care and undergo
a rigorous on-site evaluation. Accreditation reinforces
that Woman’s cancer patients have access
to a quality, comprehensive program with
a multidisciplinary approach to treatment; from
prevention and early diagnosis, through treatment,
rehabilitation, surveillance for recurrent
disease, and end-of-life care, including a breast
health navigator, who guides breast cancer patients
along their journey.
A cross the United States, approximately 80
percent of all newly diagnosed cancer patients
are treated in CoC-accredited cancer programs.
The American College of Surgeons Commission
on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations
dedicated to improving survival rates
and quality of life for cancer patients through
standard-setting, prevention, research, education,
and the monitoring of comprehensive,
quality care.
Manson Selected for CHA
Tomorrow’s Leaders Program
Stephanie Manson, MSHA, MBA, Vice President
of Operations for Our Lady of the Lake was honored
by the Catholic Health Association (CHA)
at the 2011 Catholic Health Assembly, where
she was named a participant in the Tomorrow’s
Leaders Program. The program recognizes
those young leaders who have already demonstrated
commitment to advancing the mission
of Catholic healthcare. Manson was selected
because of her strong leadership and passionate
commitment to the healing mission of the
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady.
Ross Joins Baton Rouge
General Surgical Associates
Sidney Ross, Jr., MD, FAC S, has joined Baton
Rouge General Surgical Associates, part of
Baton Rouge General Physicians. Dr. Ross is
Board Certified in general surgery. He is a member
of several professional organizations including
the Louisiana State Medical Association,
American Medical Association, and the American
College of Surgeons. Dr. Ross is a graduate
of Louisiana State University School of Medicine
in New Orleans. He completed his internship at
University of Mississippi in Jackson, Miss., and
his residency in general surgery at Charity Hospital
of Louisiana in New Orleans.
EKL Closes Labor and
Delivery Services
Earl K. Long Medical Center (EKLMC) began
closure of its inpatient labor and delivery services
in July. This closure includes the Well Newborn
Nursery, Intermediate Care Nursery, and
Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery. EKLMC will
move its labor and delivery services to Woman’s
Hospital. “Our plan is to ensure the best
services possible for our patients while allowing
the LSU Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)
residency program to maintain its high level of
training,” said Dr. Kathy Viator, CEO of EKLMC.
he LSU OB/GYN program will continue its
prenatal and woman’s services and fetal stress
testing at the outpatient clinic at the LSU North
Baton Rouge Clinic on Airline Highway. Staff
members currently assigned to labor and delivery
and supporting care areas will be provided
positions within EKLMC and LSU clinics in
Baton Rouge. A reduction in employees is not
anticipated.
All FMOLHS Hospitals
Recognized for Quality
All four Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady
Health System (FMOL HS) hospitals were recently
recognized for quality by the Louisiana
Quality Foundation. The Louisiana Quality
Foundation gives Performance Excellence
Awards based on the National Malcolm Baldrige
criteria. “The Louisiana Performance Excellence
Award recognition for all four of our hospitals
is a first for any Louisiana Health System,” said
John Finan, CEO, FMOLHS.
• Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
in Baton Rouge received the Level III Performance
Excellence Award
• St. Elizabeth Hospital in Gonzales received the
Level III Performance Excellence Award
• Our Lady of Lourdes in Lafayette received the
Level II Performance Excellence Award
• St. Francis in Monroe received the Level II Performance
Excellence Award
The Louisiana Performance Excellence Award
is a statewide award recognizing quality leadership
in education, government, manufacturing,
service industries, healthcare, and non-profit
organizations. The purpose of the award is to
promote quality and performance excellence
awareness and practices in Louisiana and recognize
the quality achievements of Louisiana
organizations. Organizations that are recognized
are evaluated based on their proven effectiveness,
sustainability, innovation, integrated
processes and tracked results.
OLOL Physician Group
Welcomes New Dermatologist
Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group has welcomed
Laci Theunissen, MD to Dermatology at
Bocage. Theunissen earned her degree in medicine
from the Louisiana State University School
of Medicine and completed her internship at the
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center,
both in New Orleans. She performed her residency
in dermatology at the University of Oklahoma
Health Science Center in Oklahoma City.
Theunissen is a Board Certified dermatologist.
Lane RMC Receives
Quality Award
Lane Regional Medical Center has received the
2010 Louisiana Hospital Quality Award, presented
by eQHealth Solutions, the Medicare Quality
Improvement Organization for Louisiana. With
this award, Lane Regional is recognized as one
of only 38 hospitals in the state for achieving
continued improvement of care in the areas
of Acute Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack),
Heart Failure, Pneumonia, and Surgical Care.
T he clinical areas measured for the award
have been designated as national health care
priorities by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services. Staff members from Lane Regional’s
Quality Resources Department have been working
with quality improvement specialists from
eQHealth Solutions to use proven, evidencebased
practices to improve care for patients.
T eam members Rachelle Noland, Dana Bellefontaine,
Kasey Cooke, and Kathy Peairs accepted
the Louisiana Hospital Quality Award on behalf
of the Quality Resources Department.
Woman’s Study Tackles
Diabetes
Woman’s Hospital announced a new study focused
on preventing the onset of diabetes in
overweight women with a history of gestational
diabetes who delivered less than a year ago. In
a double-blind placebo trial, for the next two
years, Woman’s will monitor 150 women in order
to determine the effectiveness of two drug
combinations in stabilizing sugar and insulin
levels and promoting weight loss.
C ombined Liraglutide and Metformin Therapy
in Women with Previous Gestational Diabetes
Mellitus will study overweight women who were
diagnosed with GDM in their last pregnancy,
have not returned to normal metabolic function,
and remain overweight with diagnosed insulin
problems. Metformin decreases the amount of
glucose (sugar) absorbed from food and the
amount of glucose made by the liver. Metformin
also increases the body’s response to insulin.
Liraglutide is a synthetic replica of a naturally
occurring, long-acting glucagon-like peptide 1
(GLP-1) that stimulates insulin production only
when glucose is ingested orally. It also stimulates
satiety, thereby decreasing appetite. In its natural
form, this peptide is short lived; however, through
a daily injection, the synthetic Liraglutide works
all day to stabilize blood sugar levels.
In the double-blind study, neither the participants
nor Woman’s researchers will know which
medications are distributed. While all patients
will receive Metformin, only half of the patients
will receive Liraglutide and the others a second
placebo medication. Participants must have
delivered infants at Woman’s Hospital and had
GDM within the past year, be 18-45 years old,
and meet all additional study requirements. Participants
will be compensated for their time in
addition to receiving free medication, clinic visits
with the physician, and testing.
For more information, contact Woman’s
Health Resources at 225-231-5275.
Cancer Program Accredited
with Commendation
The Commission on Cancer (CoC) has granted
Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation
to The Cancer Program of Our Lady of the Lake
and Mary Bird Perkins, marking the 19th year
of the program’s consecutive Accreditation by
CoC. Additionally, the Cancer Program received
commendations in all eight major categories
surveyed.
The eight major categories surveyed include:
• Institutional and Programmatic Resources
• Cancer Committee Leadership
• Cancer Data Management and Cancer
Registry Operations
• Clinical Management
• Research
• Community Outreach
• Professional Education and Staff Support
• Quality Improvement
T he Commission on Cancer, a multidisciplinary
program of the American College of
Surgeons, conducts regular accreditation surveys
to ensure that cancer facilities offer a
wide-range of medical services and a multidisciplinary
approach to patient care. A facility
receives a Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation
following the onsite evaluation by
a physician surveyor during which the facility
demonstrates its ability to provide quality care
close to home, clinical trials and new treatment
options, a cancer registry, ongoing monitoring
and enhancement of care and comprehensive
care with a multispecialty, team approach.
Woman’s Pathology Lab
Receives Re-Accreditation
Woman’s Hospital Pathology Lab has been
awarded a full two-year re-accreditation by the
College of American Pathologists (CAP), marking
the lab’s 30+ years of continuous recognition
by CAP. The CAP Laboratory Accreditation
Program is designed to help laboratories
achieve the highest standards of excellence to
positively impact patient care. The CAP Laboratory
Accreditation Program, begun in the early
1960s, is recognized by the federal government
as being equal to or more stringent than the
government’s own inspection program.
CAP Accreditation checklists are based on
rigorous accreditation standards that are used
by the inspection teams as a guide to assess the
overall management and operation of a laboratory.
Recipients of CAP Accreditation ensure
those labs incorporate the development and
support of board-certified pathologists and
continually evolve to reflect current technology,
providing a solid foundation for ensuring
excellence in patient safety and compliance. All
laboratories in the United States are required to
be inspected every two years.
Yorek Joins Baton Rouge
Family Medical Center
Michael Yorek, MD, has joined Baton Rouge
Family Medical Center, part of Baton Rouge
General Physicians. He previously practiced at
Oak Grove Family Practice in Prairieville, which
is also a part of Baton Rouge General Physicians.
Dr. Yorek is a graduate of the University of
Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where he
also completed his residency in family medicine.
During his final year of residency Dr. Yorek
served as Chief Resident. He also spent eight
years as a staff physician in the United States
Air Force. Dr. Yorek is Board Certified in family
medicine and a member of several professional
organizations including the American Academy
of Family Physicians, Louisiana Academy of
Family Physicians, and Louisiana State Medical
Society.
OLOL Welcomes New
Pediatric Specialists
Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group recently
announced the addition of three new pediatric
specialists: James Gardner, MD, Pediatric Endocrinologist;
Patrice Tyson, MD, Pediatric Gastroenterology;
and Michael Bolton, MD, Pediatric
Infectious Disease.
Dr. Gardner earned his degree in medicine
from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences
Center in New Orleans, where he also
completed his internship and residency in pediatrics.
He completed his Fellowship training in
endocrinology at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham. He is Board Certified in pediatrics.
Dr. Tyson earned her degree in medicine
from the University of Nebraska Medical Center
in Omaha. She completed both her internship
and residency in pediatrics at the Louisiana
State University Health Sciences Center in New
Orleans, where she also trained for her Fellowship
in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition.
She is Board Certified in both pediatrics and pediatric
gastroenterology.
Dr. Bolton earned his degree in medicine from
the Louisiana State University Health Sciences
Center in Shreveport, where he also completed
his internship and residency in internal medicine/
pediatrics. Dr. Bolton completed his Fellowship
training in pediatric infectious disease
at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus,
Ohio. He is Board Certified in pediatrics.
OLOL Physician Group
Adds Plastic Surgeon
Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group has welcomed
Taylor Theunissen, MD to the Center
for Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery. Dr.
Theunissen’s surgical interests are in pediatric
cleft and craniofacial surgery as well as cosmetic,
reconstructive, orthognathic (corrections of
the jaw and face) and sleep surgery.
Dr. Theunissen earned his degree in medicine
from the Louisiana State University School
of Medicine in New Orleans and completed his
residency in orthopaedic surgery at Louisiana
State University Health Sciences Center in New
Orleans. He completed his residency in plastic
and reconstructive surgery at the University of
Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska
and later completed his Fellowship in craniofacial
plastic surgery at Stanford University
Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. He is a
member of the American Society of Craniofacial
Surgery; American Society of Plastic Surgeons;
and American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Lane Launches Behavioral
Health Services
Lane Regional Medical Center announced the
opening of its newest program, Lane Behavioral
Health Services, which is an intensive outpatient
program designed to help individuals
through times of stress, fear, depression, anxiety,
and behavioral or emotional crises. It is a
medically-directed, active treatment program
that teaches practical ways to take charge and
develop the long-term skills needed for personal
success.
A nyone may contact Lane Behavioral Health
Services directly, including individuals needing
help, family members, friends, clergy, assisted
living/group home facilities, retirement
communities, physicians, and behavioral health
professionals. Physician referrals are not required.
L ane Behavioral Health Services is located at
6180 Main Street, Suite A, in Zachary.
Breast Center Accredited
by NAPBC
The Breast Center at Woman’s Hospital has
been granted three-year/full accreditation designation
by the National Accreditation Program
for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered
by the American College of Surgeons.
NAPBC Accreditation is awarded to centers that
provide the highest level of quality breast care
and undergo a rigorous evaluation process and
review of their performance. Opened in 1985,
the Breast Center at Woman’s is also designated
a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the
American College of Radiology (ACR ). Woman’s
Hospital reports it is currently the only Louisiana
hospital with accreditations by both the
NAPBC and ACR for excellence in breast care.
T o achieve NA PBC full accreditation, Woman’s
demonstrated full compliance of NAPBC
standards for treating women who are diagnosed
with the full spectrum of breast disease.
These standards included proficiency in the
areas of center leadership, clinical management,
research, community outreach, professional education,
and quality improvement.
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