HJBR Jul/Aug 2025

70 JUL / AUG 2025  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Hospital Rounds our commitment to making FMOLHS the best place to work.” In addition to the pay increase, FMOLHS intro- duced several initiatives aimed at further enhanc- ing team member engagement and satisfaction. These include: Enhanced Employee Communication: In addition to creating a CEO inbox to facilitate employee feedback and dialogue, FMOLHS has started Employee Elevation Exchanges, a town hall experience held twice a year designed to facilitate open and transparent dialogue between team members and leadership, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued. Leadership Development Investments: FMOLHS implemented twice-yearly Leader- ship Assemblies and quarterly Leadership Sum- mits, and partnered with Gallup to implement a strengths-based leadership development program. Employee Recognition Programs: Leaders within the organization are now allotted Awardco points to acknowledge team members through- out the year for going “above and beyond,” professional milestones, birthdays, or any other way they would like to celebrate them through the FMOLHS PRAISE program, a personalized redemption program for those recognized. Ten FMOLHS Nurses Named to LSNA’s ‘40 Under 40’ List Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health Sys- tem announced the selection of 10 nursing pro- fessionals to the Louisiana State Nurses Associa- tion (LSNA) 2025 “40 Under 40” list. “Each of these team members represents the very best of what it means to be a nurse,” said Nicole Telhiard, DNP, CPN, NE-BC, interim chief nursing officer at FMOLHS. Honorees from FMOLHS and Our Lady of the Lake Health in Baton Rouge were: • Amy Booth, MSN, RN, CEN, SCRN, stroke program manager. • Ashlynn Capace, BSN, RN, physician prac- tice manager. • Callie Dorn, DNP-A, CRNA, APRN, assistant program director. • Amanda Gassie, BSN, RN, manager of utili- zation review/case management. • Alyssa Hicks, MSN, RN, SCRN, nursing Woman’s Hospital Celebrates NewMobile Coach Woman’s Hospital held a celebration for its new- est mobile coach that will continue making mam- mograms more accessible to women in commu- nities statewide, offering the latest 3D technology. Woman’s President and CEO Rene Ragas was joined by Louisiana Department of Health Secre- tary Bruce Greenstein, hospital team members, cancer survivors, and community leaders. Fund- ing for the new coach, which replaced an older model, was made possible by the Foundation for Woman’s. With approximately one in eight women in the United States expected to develop breast can- cer during her lifetime, early detection is critical. According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is detected early and is in a localized stage, the five-year survival rate is 99%. “Each year our coaches make hundreds of trips providing thousands of mammograms to women who otherwise might not receive one,” said Ragas. “We are thankful to Foundation for Wom- an’s for making this new coach possible, giving more women the opportunity to become proac- tive about their health. The research is clear that preventive care can help patients live longer and healthier lives.” Last year, the two mobile coaches provided 4,997 mammogram screenings during 398 trips across 37 Louisiana parishes and two Mississippi counties. “The mobile mammography coach effectively serves as a force multiplier, allowing us to break down barriers to care and provide testing for thou- sands of women we may otherwise not reach. We, at LDH, are grateful to the Foundation for Wom- an’s for providing this gift, and to Woman’s Hos- pital for their partnership, continuously fighting for women’s health,” said Bruce D. Greenstein, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health. The Foundation for Woman’s is an extension of Woman’s Hospital that provides philanthropic sup- port. “Foundation for Woman’s is deeply grate- ful to our generous donors whose support made this new mobile mammography coach possible,” said Ali Landry, president and chief philanthropy officer. “Together, this $1 million investment will help eliminate barriers and ensure every woman receives the care she deserves.” Woman’s mobile mammography coaches travel the state each week, Monday through Friday, visiting schools, churches, community centers, and other locations. Women are encouraged to make an appointment before arriving, but walk- ins are welcome. Organizations can request a visit at www.womans.org/services/imaging- radiology/mammogram/locations or by calling (225) 231-5658. Ochsner Transplant Institute’s Kidney Program Achieves ELITE Status Ochsner Health shared that its kidney transplant program, part of the Ochsner Transplant Institute, has been awarded ELITE Status within the creden- tialed Programs of Excellence transplant network by INTERLINK COE Networks & Programs. “Reaching ELITE Status is only possible because of the dedication of each member of our care team. The kidney transplant program and the Ochsner Transplant Institute only succeed in such a complex field as transplant when an entire team works in unison to deliver high-quality care. We are honored to receive this recognition and to be trusted to care for our patients during the most vulnerable time of their lives,” said Ari Cohen, MD, MBA, FRCSC, FACS, director of the Och- sner Transplant Institute. FMOLHS Announces Initiatives in Employee Engagement, Recognition Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health Sys- tem (FMOLHS) announced it is implementing a 4% increase to the base rate of pay for all team members. This action was announced along with several other strategic initiatives. “Over the past year, FMOLHS team members have demonstrated exceptional dedication and performance, contributing significantly to the suc- cess of our healthcare system,” said E.J. Kuiper, FMOLHS president and CEO. “This pay increase, along with our comprehensive Total Rewards package and new initiatives like Employee Eleva- tion Exchanges, leadership development invest- ments, and enhanced recognition programs, is a testament to their efforts. These improvements are an integral part of our strategy to invest in our teammembers, foster engagement and reinforce