HJBR May/Jun 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  MAY / JUN 2020 35 Stephen R. Russo Louisiana Department of Health Interim Secretary cle was determining how to best utilize the department’s workforce to respond to a unique and rapidly-evolving situa- tion. Unlike a hurricane or weather event, where you have a good idea of what to expect and which roles are critical to the response, you are on a completely differ- ent playing field when responding to a highly-contagious infectious illness. Like many other businesses and organizations, the department moved extremely fast to leverage its capabilities, allowing employ- ees to telework where possible. Simultane- ously, our executive team, along with the support of the governor and the Louisiana National Guard, worked quickly to create a new playbook. There were guides in place such as the state’s Pandemic Flu Plan, but COVID-19 is not the same as the flu. We watched what was happening in other parts in the world, and our concerns mounted regarding the possibility of run- ning out of critical health care resources. Without the decisive action of our gov- ernor to issue a stay at home order, I am confident we would not have had enough hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to provide care for each person who would have needed it. Even with the stay at home or- der there was concern. The Department of Health worked with hospitals across the state to surge beds. We ordered as much PPE and as many ventilators as possible, and distributed these supplies throughout the state. Our Office of Public Health, led byAssis- tant Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux, guided our teamof laboratory professionals, ID epide- miologists and others who worked togeth- er to enhance testing across the state, per- form contact tracing to ensure those with, or exposed to this virus knew what actions to follow to minimize its spread. There are many other critical steps that remain im- portant, as we believe we will continue to see COVID-19 in our communities for the remainder of the year, perhaps longer. Our public health workers are stepping out there every day of this pandemic, and putting themselves in harm’s way, poten- tially exposing themselves to coronavirus. They have a part to play in tracking the spread of the virus, running samples at our state lab around the clock, and work- ing with local emergency leaders to make sure communities across Louisiana are as prepared as possible to respond to this pandemic. It is a time of high stress, high emotion, and little rest. The same applies for those serving patients at our state fa- cilities. Each day, the department remains com- mitted to taking critical steps to ensure public health and safety to prevent the spread of COVID-19. One way we are able to share information is through our dash- board, which was created by Andrew Ber- ens and Lee Mendoza. This dashboard was one of the first available, and is one of the more robust dashboards in the country. As a state, we have responded to and recovered from hurricanes, floods, and heartache. As we continue to do all we can to minimize the spread of COVID-19, I believe we will adjust to the new normal brought on by this virus. We will continue to find ways to be social while practicing social distancing. We will continue to be good friends and good neighbors. With the resilience that has come to define Louisi- ana, we will rise above this challenge. n Stephen R. Russo was the interim secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the state’s largest agency, with a budget of $14 billion. His oversight responsibilities include public health and other direct service programs for citizens in need, such as behavioral health, developmental disabilities, aging and adult services, emergency preparedness, and the Medicaid program. Russo joined the Louisiana Department of Health 24 years ago, and has served as the executive coun- sel since 2008. He has handled a wide variety of legal matters for the department, including litiga- tion of high profile cases in various courts. Russo also conducted many speaking engagements, Medicaid presentations, and CLE presentations during his tenure as general and executive coun- sel. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Louisiana State University, and juris doctor- ate from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Loui- siana State University. “We have made it possible for nearly 12,000 people to apply for Medicaid, ensuring released prisoners will have access to mental health services, medications, and primary care.”

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