Biz Magazine November 2014

The ‘Sitting Disease’

Good health habits at the office

‘Tis the season for fun Tools for holiday events

November 2014

Healthcare update Advice & news from experts: - insurance - technology - partnerships - fitness tips

& more

quarterly Newsletter Bossier Chamber Inside

On a mission

Doctors’ business aims to improve the health and lives of locals

DELIVERED TO BUSINESS LEADERS THROUGHOUT SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER

OPEN

ENROLLMENT

BEGINS

NOVEMBER

15,

2014

We’re leading the way to better healthcare in Louisiana

Louisiana Health Cooperative is making health insurance accessible for individuals and employers in Louisiana.

We are a non-profit, member-governed health insurance company that provides health insurance to the people of Louisiana.

We are endorsed by a coalition of Louisiana health care providers and business leaders who believe that providing better access to high quality care at an affordable price will improve patient outcomes.

LAHC AT A GLANCE: » non-profit

Louisiana Health cooperative

FOR MORE INFORMATION consult your insurance agent, visit http://www.myLAHC.org or call toll free:

1-800-421-3074 Open Enrollment Hours 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Monday – Saturday

» member-focused » very competitive health plans » comprehensive network of hospitals and physicians

To learn about the options and the health plans available to you, please contact the Health Insurance Marketplace at: https://www.healthcare.gov/ or call 1-800-318-2596.

2

Biz. Magazine • November 2014

Exchange POS/HMO Commercial POS/HMO

The First Word

A

Good health starts with good habits at the office

few weeks ago, I was racking my brain figuring out what I, a member of the general public with no experience in medicine, could discuss in this space that relates to Shreveport-Bossier’s healthcare. Then, serendipitously, I came across some facts discussing “sitting disease.”

If you’re like me, you probably spend most of your workday in front of a computer screen, driving, or talking on the phone in an office chair. While it’s certainly more relaxing than being up on your feet, there were some disturbing facts that made me take note.

F Families amilies vvisit isit m many any d doctors octors aand nd have h ve many prescriptions many p rescripti H How ow D Do o You Yo You Tr T Track rack This This Information?

Information?

The average American office worker spends 9.3 hours per day sitting. The problem is that sitting six hours or more per day reportedly makes you 40% more likely to die within 15 years of someone who only sits three hours.

Moreover, studies have shown that exercising and eating well still can’t offset sitting most of the day.

Basically, sitting causes your body to go into shutdown mode — electrical activity shuts off in your legs, calories burn at 1 per minute, fat burning enzymes drop by 90%, and good cholesterol drops by 20%. All of which increase your chances of diabetes and heart disease. In fact, the Mayo Clinic says sitting for most of the day increases your risk of heart attack just as much as smoking.

I know that everyone is different and you could sit at your desk all day every day, never exercise, eat fried chicken for lunch every day, and still live to be a relatively healthy 80-year-old.

But there are many others out there who have office jobs and are killing themselves as they read this.

So what can we office workers do to prevent sitting disease and improve our overall health?

One method gaining popularity is to get a standing desk. BBC News reported a 2013 study that found using a standing desk caused the heart to beat an average of 10 beats faster per minute than when sitting, equating to burning an additional 50 calories per hour. If you think you could handle it, here’s some advice on where to find a good standing desk: http://lifehacker.com/five-best-standing-desks-1528244287.

A simpler option is to take a brake every couple of hours to walk around the office/outside the building, go get a water or (healthy) snack, pace in your office if you’re on the phone, even fidget — a recent inactivity study found that although no one was exercising, the leaner subjects moved a lot more during the day.

But I don’t want you to think this month’s BIZ. is about fitness in business, no, in this edition of BIZ., you’ll find out what is going on with our local health care industry and across the state, how one local entrepreneur is building a personal wellness industry from the ground up, and a certified personal trainer will give business leaders tips on staying healthy.

However, healthcare is more than hospitals, Obamacare, and insurance. It all starts with us and taking care of ourselves to keep a strain off our healthcare industry by staying fit, eating well, seeking out help and guidance…Even standing when we should be sitting.

Sean Green

M Medical edical R Records ecords aare re tthe he kkey ey to to your your hhealth ealth ccare are eexperience xperience Tired Tired of F Filling illing O Out ut These These F Forms? orms?

An electronic A n el ectronic health health record, r e c o r d, or or EHR, EHR, ensures ensures that that your your medical medical information information is is quickly quickly and and securely securely accessible accessible tto o you doctors. you and and your your d octors.

WO R K I N G TO G E TH E R FO R A H E A LTH I E R S TATE

The ‘Sitting Disease’

T o learn learn more m o re a To about bout E HRs, talk talk to EHRs, to your your health care care pr health providers orr oviders o vvisit isit lhcqf.org lhcqf.org for for an

EHR EHR patient patient guide. guide.

Sean is vice president/publisher of BIZ. You can reach him by emailing sean@thebiztools.com.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

3

Contents 14

A mission of change

Doctors’ business aims to change not only the health of local residents, but their lives, for the better.

The ‘Sitting Disease’

Good health habits at the office

‘Tis the season for fun Tools for holiday events

November 2014

Healthcare update Advice & news from experts: - insurance - technology - partnerships - fitness tips

& more

quarterly Newsletter Bossier Chamber Inside

On a mission

Doctors’ business aims to improve the health and lives of locals

DELIVERED TO BUSINESS LEADERS THROUGHOUT SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER

16

How healthy is your business?

Do what nurses do: assess, diagnose, plan, implement & evaluate

20

Think you don’t have time to workout? Well, there are ways around that when your health is too imporant to ignore.

1= N +

The BIZ. website at www.nwlabusiness.com is Shreveport-Bossier’s home for business news, updated as it happens. In addition, users can sign up for a free BIZ. Daily Report to keep up with BIZ. news from the comfort of their Inbox.

Contact Us: sean@thebiztools.com Volume 5, Number 11 | ©Copyright 2014 by Specht Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. BIZ. is published each month by Specht Newspapers, Inc. at 4250 Viking Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111. Telephone (318) 747-7900. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

Biz. Magazine • November 2014

Find out what is going on with our local health care industry and across the state, how local entrepreneurs are building a personal wellness business from the ground up, and tips

Too busy to assess, diagnose, plan, implement & evaluateworkout?

BIZ. News Online

4

On the Cover

for business leaders to stay healthy.

Regulars 3

The ‘Sitting Disease’

6

Use your passion to grow

11

Updates from the industry

12

Next level care

15

Alternative Family Rx

25

‘Tis the season for fun

Good health starts with good habits at the office.

How your fervor can help your business.

Good news from the world of healthcare.

CHRISTUS Health announces new Palliative Care Program.

Bossier City physicians offer alternative to traditional family medicine experience.

Shreveport-Bossier Tourist and Convention Bureau offers three useful toos for planning holiday fun.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

5

Marketing B-S (Bossier-Shreveport)

Use your passion to grow

R

How your fervor can help your business

ecently, I attended a church conference in Dallas, Texas. During the conference, much was said about answering your calling and fulfilling your passion from a religious perspective. After I returned home from the conference, I started thinking about this and realized how this concept can also apply to our business lives.

Randy Brown

Advertising/Marketing Guru He is the Advertising Director for Bossier Newspaper Publishing Company, Inc., publishers of the Bossier Press-Tribune and BIZ. Magazine, as well as Publisher of the BPT. Randy may be reached at rbrown@bossierpress.com

6

Biz. Magazine • November 2014

So, let me ask now, are you doing what you were meant to do? In terms of your business, do your tasks and areas of responsibility reflect your strengths?

For some of us, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

For others, the answer may not be quite so clear.

Personally for me, throughout my career I have been blessed to work with some great people and and have also been privileged to serve some

great customers. Furthermore, I have also been placed in environments that promote my talents and abilities. As a result, I have always said that I have never worked a day in my life and I pray that I never do! I am very passionate about what I do - I always have been and I always will be. The very day that I no longer have that passion is the day that I am done. In many years of leading a sales team and now leading a newspaper staff, I feel that both my calling and my passion are serving me well.

To be more specific, what do the statements above mean for both you and also for your business? Again, are you doing what you are meant to do? Is your passion for your business and your calling evident to your team and also to all who observe your actions? If not, please realize there is a solution. Though good people are sometimes hard to find, you can most times find people al-

ready on your team to do the things that need to be done in the areas where you do not excel. In short, the areas where you do not have the passion for what needs to be done. Furthermore, we all have favorite areas of our business in which we prefer to work. There is nothing wrong with this. You just need to find other people to do what needs to be done in the areas where your passion does not reside. If you have no passion for an area of your business and can not do it with excellence, then you do not need to be doing it!

In the end, just realize how much fun you can have and what you can accomplish if you are working day in and day out using your personal talents, abilities and passion in the areas where you excel. The book “Strengths Finder” by Tom Rath is an excellent tool for identifying the strengths and areas of interest for both you and your team members.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

7

Biz Tools

Do Something The speed of business is ever increasing. The successful business leader stays on top of the tools and information to help his company grow.

T

Book of the Month

he old saying is wrong—winners do quit, and quitters do win. Every new project (or job, or hobby, or company) starts out exciting and fun. Then it gets harder and less fun, until it hits a low point. And then you find yourself asking if the goal is even worth the hassle. Maybe you’re in a Dip — a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it’s really a Cul-de-Sac, which will never get better, no matter how hard you try. Winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt—until they commit to beating the right Dip for the right reasons. In fact, winners seek out the Dip. They realize that the bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it.

Losers, on the other hand, fall into two basic traps. Either they fail to stick out the Dip or they never even find the right Dip to conquer.

Seth Godin doesn’t claim to have all the answers. But he will teach you how to ask the right questions.

— Amazon.com

On the BIZ. Tools Podcast This Month: Surviving ‘The Dip’ Avoiding Burn Out

Last Month Plan Prepare and Practice 10 Habits with Butch Bellah Listen to the BIZ. Tools Podcast at: boztoolspodcast.com

App of the Month Health (free with iOS 8) The new Health app gives you an easy-to-read dashboard of your health and fitness data. And we’ve created a new tool for developers called HealthKit, which allows all the incredible health and fitness apps to work together, and work harder, for you. It just might be the beginning of a health revolution. Heart rate, calories burned, blood sugar, cholesterol — your health and fitness apps are great at collecting all that data. The new Health app puts that data in one place, accessible with a tap, giving you a clear and current overview of your health. You can also create an emergency card with important health information — for example, your blood type or allergies — that’s available right from your Lock screen.

8

Biz. Magazine • November 2014

#WorthFollowing @davidaspecht @thebiztools @AcceleratedBE @Entreleadership

More Tools

This month: “The Dip & Your Business”

W

Friday, Nov. 14 9 a.m.

CoHab in Red River District Join us for coffee, breakfast & a lesson

hat do you do when times are tough? Do you stick it out or quit? At this month’s BIZ. Breakfast, we will look at Seth Godin’s book, “The Dip.” We will use it to explain the three basic types of buisness ventures that cause people to quit or fail and how to apply that to figure out what you should do.

Have you been through a dip? How did you get past it? Are you in a dip now? What are you planning to do about it?” Your advice could make all the difference for someone in the dip.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

9

Uncommon Sense Marketing

How healthy is your buisness?

A

Take the time to assess, diagnose, plan, implement & evaluate s we rush headlong towards the end of another year, it’s the right time to take a look back and assess how things have been going.

This issue of BIZ focuses on health care, so how is the health of your business? It’s time to do what nurses do: Assess, Diagnose, Plan, Implement and Evaluate!

Amy Kinnaird

Marketing Strategist Trainer and Speaker With over 35 years experience in marketing and training, Amy helps business owners put together the right plan. If you struggle with your marketing and don’t know where to start…

If what you used to do for marketing isn’t working anymore…If it’s time to get clear about your business and come up with a good plan…call Amy at 318-795-0520 or visit her website: www.UnCommonSenseMarketing.com

10 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

You’ve probably done a SWOT analysis or something similar to this over the years. If you want to close out 2014 with a bang and be ready to rock 2015, cast a critical eye over each player and every part of your business and put solid plans in place to ensure continued growth and success and minimize problem areas. Enlist others on your team from various departments when doing this. You might even invite some customers to share their insights.

Start by assessing all parts of the business including your employees, how you work as a team, the physical structures, your products and services, delivery, billing, your competition, your marketing, customer service, your location, and all of your financial numbers. Be completely honest in these discussions and listen openly to what everyone has to say.

Diagnose what you are doing well that puts you head and shoulders above the competition. And where are you dropping the ball and falling

behind? What really needs to be addressed, reworked, thrown out or restructured?

Then look at all of the outside influences in your industry and your market. What opportunities do you have and what are the potential threats?

What’s happening with your suppliers and pricing? What’s going on that you could benefit from? What challenges or market shifts could cause your product sales to decline, or maybe to rise?

Once you’ve answered all of these questions, create a plan of action to address the issues. Give each diagnosis a clear, measurable goal that you can begin to implement. Once you have implemented your plan, you need to go back and evaluate how you are doing against the goals. Then “rinse and repeat” periodically during the year.

You’ve probably heard, “What you can measure, you can improve.” Get clear on the numbers in each area of your business and constantly check your progress towards your goals. If you don’t know where you are, how will you get to where you want to be? It’s time to give your business that shot in the arm that it needs.

Business Development

Pancak Pancak ancakes es & P olitics Event Event A Pancakes Politics

H

Updates from the industry

Good news in healthcare forecasts

Pancakes & P olitics will featur verview This lunch edition of Pancakes Politics featuree an ooverview State budget str ucture fr om speaker B arry E rwin, of the Louisiana State structure from Barry Erwin, President.

CABL President.

LEARN MORE ABOUT: ABOUT:

Budget shortfalls Revenue sources B udget shor tfalls • R Rev evenue sour ces Use of state general general funds • Issues Issues affecting yyour Use our business & the quality of life in our communtiy. communtiy.

Tickets $25 • www.bossierchamber.com

ealthcare talk can be kind of sterile. To give you some industry updates that will give you warm fuzzies (which is not a professional diagnosis), here’s a roundup of healthcare forecasts that range from logical to almost magical:

n InformationWeek.com reports companies like GE Healthcare Services, Cisco Systems, and Intel sent leaders to a panel called “Internet of Things World Forum” in Chicago in October. The experts predict internet-connected sensors on hospital equipment and patients will optimize and personalize treatment, as well as handle administrative duties. They envision not only going paperless, but using big data to analyze complex diseases and offer predictive care. n Cancer technologist Jorge Soto spoke in an October TED Talk about his team of scientists working on a blood test that reacts with very small molecules (microRNAs) that circulate freely in our blood. The test detects cancer before symptoms appear. So far the team has successfully identified pancreatic, lung, breast, and hepatic cancers non-invasively. The developers are making the design of a 3D printed device used in the test ‘open source,’ so that the screenings will be affordable worldwide. n In September, BioNews.org.uk reported researchers at the Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute were able to turn adult cells into pluripotent stem cells. That means the stem cells could be induced by scientists to grow into any kind of tissue. It’s the first time researchers have been able to produce pluripotent stem cells without taking them from embryos. Tissue engineering researcher Nina Tandon said in an October interview on NPR’s TED Radio Hour we’ll be able to use that technology to grow replacement organs from a patient’s own cells. She also says we could soon be culturing cells from cancer patients to test multiple treatments simultaneously on cells externally, to see which drug actually affects the cancer before putting the patient through the treatment.

Jill Macchiaverna Jill is Publicity Chair, Business Development Connection for the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce.

The latest numbers available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show national health expenditures were, on average, $8,680 per person in 2011. Advancements like the ones above show humans will never stop trying to improve on health and longevity, meaning medicine will always be a huge part of the economy.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

11

From the Bossier Chamber

Thanksgiving Buffet Tha nksgiving Buf fet Thursday, November Thursday sday,, No vember 27 11am 1 1am – 9pm • $16.99 $16.99 Enjoy Enjoy complimentary complimentar y beer beer and and wine. w i ne .

For more more information information call call 318.746.0711 318.746.0711 For or visit visit B oomtownBossier.com or BoomtownBossier.com BoomtownBossier BoomtownBossier

@BoomtownBC @BoomtownBC

WELCOME WE LCOME TO

CASINO CASINO

HOTEL HO TEL

CIT Y, LA BO SSIER CITY, BOSSIER

BoomtownBC Boomto wnBC

Must M ust be be 21 21 or or older older to to enter enter casino. ca sino. ©2014 ©2014 Pinnacle Pinn acle Entertainment, E nter t ainme nt , Inc. Inc . All All rights right s reserved. re s e r ve d .

G A M B L I N G

P R O B L E M ?

8 0 0 . 5 2 2 . 47 0 0

Next level care CHRISTUS Health announces a new

T

Palliative Care Program

his month, CHRISTUS Health Shreveport-Bossier is launching a Palliative Care program led by Dr. Randy del Mundo. CHRISTUS saw a need in the Shreveport-Bossier community to help those patients and families who need the next level of care in complex, terminal illnesses. Dr. del Mundo is passionate about this program and put together a Palliative care team that will meet this need in the community.

So, what is palliative care, and how does it help both patients and hospitals?

Palliative care helps patients understand the nature of their serious illness and make timely, informed decisions about their care with their families. Patients who receive palliative care are those who are seriously ill. Just because a patient is seriously or terminally ill, does not mean that the life expectancy is short. These patients are living longer, and Palliative care provides continuity of care and a level of coordination that responds to the episodic and long-term nature of these illnesses. These types of patients typically have a complex medial history. The palliative care multidisciplinary team assists the patient and their family with navigating through the healthcare system as it can be difficult and confusing.

Through the Palliative Care program at CHRISTUS, the goals are to assist in the management of the complex distressing symptoms of the seriously-ill patient, control of pain, and coordinate care of medical comorbidities. The program also supports the patient’s and their family’s psychosocial and spiritual wellbeing through a multi-disciplinary support system.

The Palliative care program also focuses on supporting the primary physician and the nursing staff responsible for the care of these patients. It helps the patient and families identify recognize their needs sooner and overcome the barriers they may face. In return, patients are likely to have shorter lengths of stay, especially in the ICU, and an educated patient will also reduce readmissions. This program assists the primary care physicians by helping with the difficult conversations with patients and family about realistic goals and plan of care which can also result in reducing the amount of unnecessary tests performed on patients.

Dana Smelser

Director of Marketing and Business Development at CHRISTUS Health Shreveport-Bossier & Marketing Chair for the Bossier Chamber Board of Directors

12 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

Unlike hospice care, palliative care support is appropriate at any stage of a life-threatening illness in conjunction with lifesaving therapies. We aim to affirm life and regard dying as a normal process while we enhance the patient’s quality of life and positively influence the course of their illness.

Put us to work for you.

While LCI Workers’ Comp has never loosened a single lug nut, we have worked alongside local business owners for more than 25 years—providing expert guidance, exceptional service and free training programs like QuickBooksTM , online marketing, and safety education. :: lciwc.com :: 985-612-1230 November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

13

Healthcare Update

Story & Graphic By Sean Green

A mission of change

I

Doctors’ business aims to improve health, lives of locals f you weIf you drive around Shreveport-Bossier, you’ll see big hospitals and surgeons’ offices. It’s easy when looking at these healthcare industry mainstays to forget their are dedicated people on a mission to change the lives of locals who don’t work in those towering mounds of glass and metal. In fact, a pair of doctors have been steadily working for years to improve the health of Shreveport-Bossier residents. And, in the process, building an ancillary healthcare service from the ground up because of it.

Pair O' Docs Bio-Rejuvenis is a Shreveport-based lifestyle medical practice focusing on age-management and lifestyle medicine coaching. It strives to transform their clients with healthy eating, efficient training, and looking your best.

Or to fully understand their work, just check out their philosophy: "Your health is your most treasured asset and you need to treat it with care, concern and compassion. The hectic lives we live can seriously impact our well being. It is important to manage our lifestyle choices and Pair O’ Docs can help you make healthy decisions. The Lifestyle Physicians can coach you to …Be Healthy…Look Better…Perform Well."

Started by Dr. Jack Ward and Dr. Karen Pendleton, the pair — along with Tia Landrum, director of outreach and patient resources — is waging a war against obesity, unhealthy lifestyles, and a decline in overall health.

“There are a lot of ancillary medical people who do what we do, but our goal is to be an adjunct to all those groups because we have a broader understanding. We look at ourselves as physicians who have the unique advantage of being a person’s health coach,” said Dr. Jack.

“We work to provide current health information and resources, empowering residents of our area to make simple daily choices that build a healthy lifestyle,” explained Tia.

8

Dr. Jack Ward

Co-owner, Pari O’Docs Bio-Rejuvenis

Dr. Jack acknowledged that it’s not an easy fight. Most people want a simple fix instead of changing their lifestyles.

“So many people will turn to medicine first instead of making simple changes,” he explained.

Continued on Page 24

14 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

Spotlight

Alternative family Rx

I

Bossier City physicians offer alternative to traditional family medicine experience n Bossier City, a group of physicians are offering an alternative care method to long waits from big hospitals.

Louisiana Family Medicine Clinic is a full service primary care clinic that provides services for the entire family.

Dr. Dirk Rainwater established his first clinic in 2012 in Jonesboro, that has grown to include a 12,000 square foot clinic with onsite lab, X-ray, CT, allergy testing, IV therapy and Medical bracing.

His vision for the Bossier City clinic is to provide all primary care services in one location to make it more convenient for the patient.

“It has the quick care for everything from a sore throat or sprained ankle to the long term care,” said Dr. Rainwater. “We believe in taking care of the patient in regards to whatever they need at that time and still being quick and making it easy to get in and out.”

His 10 years of emergency medicine and hospitalist experience has prepared him to be able to “take care of anything

that walks in the door.”

The local native and Bossier High School graduate earned his degree from Centenary and then studied at LSU medical school. He currently resides in Benton and has lived there now for 10 years. He opened their local clinic with the goal of providing excellent medical care for the families in this area.

“I have a lot of family in Bossier and didn’t have the opportunity to offer health care for this community. There’s not a lot of variety and felt there was a market here for that,” said Dr. Rainwater.

Dr. Rainwater said he found the start up costs for a healthcare business can be very expensive and very challenging, especially when it comes to insurance deductibles and co insurances.

“It takes time to get your name out there and let people know what you do, the services you offer. But we take all insurances and try to give everyone the same level of care,” he said.

His method of care is to offer an alternative option to the traditional doctor’s office in a hospital setting.

“It’s worked well for us — it’s more convenient for the patients and more cost effective,” said Dr. Rainwater. “But at the same time, we’re very thorough and want to provide proper care.”

So well in fact that Dr. Rainwater is expanding the clinic to include services similar to the Jonesboro location. He said they are close to locking up a location in north Bossier off Airline Drive and expect to open in summer 2015.

He noted there is a vibrant economy in the Bossier area and advises that other businesses can take note of this and play a part in that growth.

“Bossier is a vibrant area and if you can offer something new or an additional service, then there’s a market for it,” Dr. Rainwater said.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

15

Healthcare Update

N

Connecting healthcare beyond I-20 Health information technology allows local providers to easily connect with each other

orth Louisiana has two medical hubs, and the Shreveport-Bossier area has the distinction of being one of them. Our area provides health care for residents of not only northwest Louisiana, but also Southwest Arkansas and East Texas. Our sister medical hub – metropolitan Monroe serves northeast Louisiana, Southeast Arkansas and West Mississippi.

Combined, the two areas are home to 59 hospitals, a medical school and a plethora of health care providers, specialists and professionals.

There was a time when these two health care hubs were connected by little more than I-20, and there was even less to connect our region with health care services in the central and southern parts of the state.

Fortunately, those days are virtually over, thanks to statewide advances in health information technology (IT).

Dr. Michael Fleming Chief Medical Officer Amedisys, Inc.

After Hurricane Katrina shed light on the weaknesses of Louisiana’s health care system nine years ago, our state has worked to improve health care quality and outcomes by implementing electronic health records (EHRs) and building a

16 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

statewide health information exchange (HIE) to ensure that patients and providers across the state are connected.

Today, as a result of these efforts, thousands of our health care providers and organizations have adopted EHRs, and here in our region, some of our medical assets – University Health System, CHRISTUS Health Shreveport-Bossier, Minden Medical Center and Medistar Home Health, for example – have connected to the Louisiana Health Information Exchange (LaHIE).

This connectivity has opened new doors for health care in our corner of the state. We now have the ability to connect and electronically share critical health information with providers and organizations along the I-20 corridor and beyond.

For a medical hub in the center of a largely rural corner of the state, health IT has added incredible value to the health care services available in our area. Not only does it enhance the scope and speed of the health care we can provide to patients, it’s also a benefit to our local economy. Health care is the largest employer in our region, and the expansion of our services through health IT creates a wealth of new opportunities for job growth and improved quality of life.

Please visit www.lhcqf.org to learn more about the benefits and value of health IT to our region and state.

Healthcare Update

Health insurace needs

B

Bossier City group helps guide employers through evolving world of insurance

y far, the greatest barrier to health insurance coverage in America today is cost. One of the greatest issues facing most employers is how to provide an attractive benefit package, while controlling costs that continue to rise.

As implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) progresses, there is much confusion among all the stakeholders.

Many employers, particularly smaller ones, cannot afford to maintain benefits and increase their degree of contribution to employee coverage. As employer responsibility requirements continue to grow, more emphasis is being placed on governmental compliance. Education is extremely important, as rules and regulations change daily. M No effort to promote health insurance access and choice in an affordable and financially sustainable way will be successful in

the long run if the nation doesn’t address the underlying problem with the existing system: the skyrocketing cost of medical care.

The establishment of health insurance exchanges is one of the most significant reforms contained in PPACA. Beginning January 1, 2014, health care reform required most individuals to have some form of health insurance through the individual mandate or pay a penalty. Exchanges are transforming the nation’s private healthcare marketplace for individuals and small businesses buying coverage. The State of Louisiana opted not to create its own exchange, therefore, the Federal Market Place opened for business last fall.

Bossier City’s Benefit Consulting Services (BCS) helps employers and individuals of all sizes purchase health insurance, use their coverage effectively and make sure they get the most out of the benefits they have purchased. BCS has contracted with a company called Enroll Louisiana to help people purchase individual or family coverage, while taking advantage of the po-

tential subsidies available to them. Purchasing healthcare coverage can be quite daunting and confusing if individuals decide to utilize the government’s website, Healthcare.Gov. The employees at Enroll Louisiana are trained to ask questions that will help find the policy that is best for the individual, while making every effort to help them obtain financial subsidies to offset the tremendous health insurance cost. Open enrollment for the Market Place begins on November 15 and runs through February 15, 2015. Medicare open enrollment is October 15 – December 7, 2014.

There are several mandates that employers need to be aware of as they plan for 2015. The employer mandate, better known as the “Pay-or-Play” provision requires applicable large employers to offer healthcare coverage to full time employees or pay penalties. Employers with 50-99 full time employees must comply by 2016. More than ever, employers need to make sure they keep copies of waivers and good records in the event they experience a Department of Labor audit.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

17

-LOO 0DFFKLDYHUQD MLOO#VRFLDOVWUXFWXUH EL]

%$6(' ,1 6+5(9(3257

&RQWHQW &UHDWLRQ 9LGHR 3URGXFWLRQ *UDSKLF 'HVLJQ &RQWHVW 0DQDJHPHQW 6SDP 5HPRYDO &RS\ :ULWLQJ 6RFLDO 0HGLD $G 0DQDJHPHQW

DUDE, MAKE GOOD DUDE, WE WE CAN’T CAN’T M AKE YYOU OU G OOD LLOOKING. OOKING.

at how we BBut ut yyou’ll ou’ll bbee amazed am ccan an ttotally otally rock rock yyour campaign promotional aand nd pr omotiona materials.

Â… CBOOFST Â… CSPDIVSFT Â… CVNQFS TUJDLFST Â… CVUUPOT Â… DBOEZ XSBQQFST Â… CBOOFST Â… CSPDIVSFT Â… CVNQFS TUJDL

… DBQT … DBS NBHOFUT … DVQT … EPPS IBOHFST … GBOT … GFBUIFS ¿BHT … DBQT … DBS NBHOFUT … DVQT … EPPS IB

… ¿ZFST … MPHP … NBJMFST … QFOT … QPTUDBSET … QPTUFST … QVTI DBSET … ¿ZFST … MPHP … NBJMFST … QFOT … QPTUD

Â… TUJDLFST Â… UTIJSUT Â… WFIJDMF XSBQT Â… XJOEPX QFSGT Â… ZBSE TJHOT Â… TUJDLFST Â… UTIJS UT Â… WFIJDMF XSBQT Â… X

BUSINE

JOBS

S Bumper R E L I A STICKERS M

NI TY

SS

1 J F S S F N P O U 3P B E Â… 4 I S F W F Q P S B M M F H S B N B S LF U J O H T C D P N Â…

CO M M

18 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

U

Healthcare Update

Partnerships are key

T

Healthcare’s future depends on providers working together for patients

he challenges we currently face as healthcare providers - and as patients - are unprecedented and the future of healthcare will be about partnerships. Healthcare is an industry where safety and high quality are expectations, not enhancements. When our patients entrust their lives to us, they do so expecting and deserving outstanding care.

Ochsner Health System has consistently earned awards and accolades from well-respected industry organizations, and we are one of only 36 hospitals in the country ranked in nine or more specialties by U.S. News & World Report.

Honors like this are a source of great pride and, more importantly, they come with great responsibility. Like other’s nationwide, Ochsner has a duty to serve as a strong partner so that healthcare in our region remains local and that families in Louisiana don’t feel a need to leave their community or our state when they need even the most complex care.

The partnership approach also ensures that care is coordi-

nated – everything from an appointment with a trusted physician in a patient’s hometown to an Ochsner visit for more complex care is part of one electronic medical record. And when you add the expertise of talented community physicians and physician partners alongside new technology like Telemedicine, the result is both increased access and capabilities that are life changing.

Through our Telestroke program, for example, we have served over 3,000 patients at 29 hospitals since 2009. Ochsner neurologists are able to consult with local physicians and their patients quickly through technology similar to video conferencing. Research shows that this more immediate intervention means significant reduction in long-term disability, and means that more than 70% of stroke patients treated this way can remain under the care of their local hospital, close to family and friends.

And it’s not just urgent situations that we need to consider. Today, more than 50% of Americans are dealing with a chronic health condition like COPD, Diabetes, Hypertension or Asthma. Collaborating rather than competing provides an opportunity for healthcare partners to develop programs to help patients learn how to better manage conditions so they can spend more time living life. That also translates into a dramatic reduction in the cost of healthcare in this country.

Warner Thomas

Partnerships are nothing new, but they are transformative. As strong healthcare providers connect, we’ll create a new landscape that has patients at the focal point.

President and CEO, Ochsner Health System

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

19

Healthcare Update

Are you too busy to work out?

Busy executives need to make time for exercise

R

egular exercise is one of the most important things you can do for health. By training your body you train your mind. When you push yourself outside of your comfort zone on a regular basis, your mind becomes strong and the boundaries of that comfort zone get much wider.

Mental and physical wellness are essential for great leadership in any setting. However, busy executives, entrepreneurs, and business owners often find it difficult to maintain a consistent fitness regimen. We tell ourselves we don’t have time or that other tasks and responsibilities take priority, and in most cases they often do. That is why it is imperative to get creative with your schedule and the ways in which you work out. Here are five ways to approach fitness when your schedule is busy: n Exercise in the morning. Productivity increases substantially when the day is started with 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise. You will increased energy throughout the day and don’t have to worry about exercise after a long, hectic day. That said, this often means a 5 A.M. or earlier wake-up call.

The temptation to hit snooze and tell yourself you will work out later in the day can be enticing, but that’s where discipline needs to kick in. Don’t overcommit and further stress yourself out by trying to accomplish this new task five days per week. n Exercise with a partner. A great way to hold yourself accountable is to schedule workouts with a friend or co-worker. Create a lunchtime or afternoon schedule you think you can stick to. Doing this provides a structure of accountability, gives you a boost of energy, and most important, breaks up the day. n Commit to a challenge. Setting goals and milestones is the best way to stay committed and make it fun. When co-workers are involved in friendly competition like a weight-loss contest or training for a local mud run or 5K, everyone stays more involved and excited.

Brianna Larson BS, ACSM-HFS, NASM-CES Corrective Exercise Specialist Fitness Lady Inc.

20 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

n Be disciplined. A commitment to fitness takes discipline, focus, consistency, and growth. Only you can truly determine how committed you are to your own personal wellness. Physical and mental toughness fuel one another, and the more you become habitual about fitness and overall health, the better off you will be personally and professionally.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

21

Business Etiquette

Where is your name badge?

Q

Lots of value in letting people know who you are uick! What is the purpose of an event name badge?

People can address you by your name.

It helps people remember your name.

People can tell you your name if you forget.

It indicates you are an authorized participant at the event.

Of course an event name badge validates your presence, yet other items could do that also.

The real value is for people to see and remember your name. That being the case, shouldn’t the badge be in a location where it can be easily seen?

So, where should your name badge be located?

In the middle of your chest The easiest place to clip it On your waist band On your right shoulder Keep in mind, name badges attract the eye. In business environments, name badges should be close to the face. When people meet you and shake your hand, their eye travels up your arm to your right shoulder. They quickly see your name, then your face, enabling a memory imprint. When conversing with people, we want good eye contact. Wearing your name badge in any place other than your right shoulder not only makes it difficult for them to see your name, it forces them to visually search in places they shouldn’t such as your chest, waist, or other areas.

Here’s a suggestion for event planners. I know the lanyard style name badges have a conference “feel,” but that is no reason for event attendees to have difficulty learning each other’s names. Stick-on labels fall off. Pin-on tags damage some fabrics. Use the clip-on style badges for a right shoulder location. It enables better visiting and networking.

Bonus question: Where to you place a security badge?

On your right shoulder In or on your pocket or purse On your waist Around your neck

Teri Haynes Owner of Business Interactions, LLC Employee trainer and business etiquette coach www.BusinessInteractions.Net

22 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

Often an identification badge and a security badge are combined. The main purpose is to provide authorized access. These badges are usually worn in a location providing easy access to card readers or other security devices.

Their specific use or the issuing authority determines the location in which they are worn.

Dave Says — On Business

Four ways to fight the fear of failure

R

unning a business can be scary. You put your heart and soul into your company and can’t imagine doing anything else. Then you realize that no matter how successful you are, you might be just a few bad decisions away from losing your dream and disappointing your team. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be this way. As best-selling author Dave Ramsey teaches in EntreLeadership Master Series, fear paralyzed his decision-making ability until he came up with a system. In fact, one of the core values of his company today is that decisions are never made based on fear.

So how can you conquer your fear of failing?

1. Face Your Fear What’s the easiest way to get over your fear of failure? Own up to it. Realize that you’re likely to stumble many times before you achieve success. You’re going to mess up at some point, and that’s okay. Henry Ford, Bill Gates and even Thomas Edison all screwed up numerous times before they hit it big. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”

2. Consider the Awful Truth When considering new projects or options for your company, always take into account a worst case scenario. Will you be able to survive if your new idea falls apart? When the answer is yes, the decision is no longer so frightening. “Once I know I’m not going to die from making this call — even if I’m wrong — it releases me to make the call,” Ramsey says.

3. Talk It Up Remember when you faced something scary as a kid? It was always better to have a friend by your side. The same holds true for adults. Find a business mentor who has been through tough times, and discuss your biggest business fears with them. Once those concerns are out in the open, you’ll find they are much more manageable.

4. Make a Contingency Plan Having several options is one of the easiest ways to rid yourself of fear. Use a number of vendors, for example, so you are not relying on just one.

Then, if something goes wrong you already have a back-up plan. As Ramsey says, options give you power and remove fear.

Fear will always be part of owning your own business, whether it’s being scared of losing customers or revenue, or even being sued. They’re all legitimate concerns. But it’s how you handle them that makes the difference between success and failure. “It is wise to recognize that those fears may be well founded, and we should not ignore the potential consequences of our decision,” Ramsey says. “But we will not allow the spirit of fear to drive us.”

Dave Ramsey Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on business and money. He has authored five New York Times bestselling books, including EntreLeadership. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 8 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations.

Follow Dave on the web at www.entreleadership.com.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

23

N

Cover Story

Mission: Making a major effort to educate public Continued From Page 14

Tia goes further to explain, “The largest challenge we've had is a lack of awareness in our region; awareness of wellness-based and lifestyle-based medicine, awareness of alterna- John “Jack” Ward, M.D. tive healthcare options, and awareness of the destructive consequences of neglecting one's Coaching Qualifications: health.”

Bios

This lack of awareness has been their biggest obstacle in scaling here in Shreveport-Bossier.

Dr. Jack notes that their challenges are education and price point.

“The advantage we would have in another market is we wouldn’t have to put so much emphasis on education — you could do little bit of education and marketing and then it’s a matter of your location,” said Dr. Jack. “When we started doing this, we found insurance companies weren’t going to reimburse us we had to come up with a reasonably priced product that fits our economic market here.”

The group have combat this lack of education on the importance of lifestyle medicine by offering free education. Still, Jr. Jack notes it’s been a cycle of interest, disengagement and then finally buy-in from local clients.

- USAT Level 1 Certified Coach - USA Track and Field Coach - Board-certified orthopaedic surgeon - Licensed physician in Alabama, Louisiana, Nevada and West Virginia - Medical Degree, LSU Medical Center Shreveport Services: - Triathlon Coaching Disciplines: - Road Cycling, Triathlon, Running, Swimming Specialties: - All facets of multi-sport and triathlon, with an emphasis on endurance events

“We’ve done seminars and webinars and get people to tap into it but due to the expense reason they leave, and then three or four years Karen Pendleton, M.D. later they realize they need it and come back.”

- Graduate of Tulane Medical School in 1984 Resident Education: Ophthalmology with a Fellowship Training in Cornea and Refractive Surgery; performed at LSU Medical center New Orleans.

Practice Interests: “A lot of people in Shreveport-Bossier aren’t Age Management/Wellness Medigoing to buy into the vegan lifestyle, so where we’ve tempered it is the Mediterranean Diet in- cine, emphasizing Hormonal Health corporates some of the vegan lifestyle and (hormone balance); Healthy philosophies which can be more manageable Lifestyle and Nutritional Choices; for the average person,” he said. and Appropriate Exercise Tia notes it is difficult to precisely identify and Recommendations; Skin and approach a business climate, no matter where it Beauty Assessments

He also notes that while they try to solve what ails their clients, they are aware that wholesale changes can cause more harm than good in the long run. For example, Dr. Jack cited the vegan lifestyle as being an accessible lifestyle, but many residents are adverse to the change. So what do you do? Simple, you find a common ground.

is. The way to success is to constantly change and adapt.

“We are constantly adapting our practice to best serve our patients and community with the most appropriate lifestyle medicine available,” she said.

24 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

T

NWLA Tourism

STORY BY Chris Jay

‘Tis the season for fun

T

Photo Courtesy of SBCTB The Christmas on Caddo Fireworks Festival is set for Dec. 6.

copies may be picked up by visiting a Visitor Center, located at 629 Spring Street in Shreveport and 100 John Wesley Boulevard in Bossier City. Copies will also be available at the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at the Outlets at Louisiana Boardwalk in Bossier City, 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20, which serves as the official “kick off” for the holiday season in Shreveport-Bossier.

A digital version of the publication may be downloaded by visiting www.shreveport-bossier.org and searching for “Holly Jolly Handbook.”

years to promote and enhance holiday experiences for locals and visitors. Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights festivities generally begin in mid-November and run through the New Year.

Each year since 2011, the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau has produced a free brochure called The Holly Jolly Handbook. This pocket-sized publication lists all of the Christmas celebrations planned in Shreveport-Bossier, ranging from neighborhood parades and community festivals to shopping extravaganzas, live music and more. It also outlines key holiday shopping areas in Shreveport-Bossier, lists places where Christmas lights can be viewed and more. Since its introduction, The Holly Jolly Handbook has quickly become one of the tourist bureau’s most popular publications.

For families or groups looking to explore holiday celebrations throughout northern Louisiana, the Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights website provides a “one-stop shop” for event listings in Shreveport-Bossier, Minden, Monroe-West Monroe, Natchitoches and Alexandria-Pineville. Visit www.holidaytrailoflights.com to browse events, build a shareable travel itinerary, connect to social media accounts and more. The site is built in a way that allows users to sort events by admission cost, geographic location and other helpful categories. A user could, for example, search for free events that include fireworks and take place in December.

A few of the most popular events on Shreveport-Bossier’s calendar for November and December include: the 40th annual Les Boutiques de Noel, Nov. 20-22 at Bossier Civic Center; Christmas in Roseland, Nov. 28-Dec. 23 at the Gardens of the American Rose Center in Shreveport; the Christmas on Caddo Fireworks Festival, Saturday, Dec. 6 at Earl G. Williamson Park in Oil City and more. Dozens of other Christmas events are already listed on the trail’s website and more are being added regularly.

The Holly Jolly Handbook is printed in mid-November. Physical

The Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights has existed for nearly 30

Three useful tools for planning holiday fun he holiday season is just around the corner, which means that many locals are preparing for the arrival of out-of-town guests and family members. The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau produces several free tools that anyone who is entertaining guests during the holiday season should know about.

“The Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights is our main tourism draw during November and December, and it helps having the entire region to promote to group tour operators and leisure visitors,” said Stacy Brown, president of the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau.

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

25

Lunch Break

Tacontroversy

F

Photo by Chris Jay Guera’s drive-thru taco stand makes dynamite tacos at only $1.

Chris Jay reviews local food and previews events every week at www.20x49.com.

Drive-thru stand’s $1 tacos will divide the ‘Taco Tuesday’ crowd irst of all, I should come right out and admit that making this blog post was just an excuse to use the (made-up) term “tacontroversy.” I could not resist.

Chris Jay Public Relations and Social Media Manager, Shreveport Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. He is a monthly contributor to Biz. Magazine.

He may be reached via email at cjay@sbctb.org.

26 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

However, for local taco fanatics, the $1 tacos at Guera’s Tamales & Tacos are genuinely likely to be pretty divisive. Guera’s is a drive-thru taco stand located at 9002 Mansfield Road – an address that has previously been called home by such awesome local restaurants as Greek Corner and Real BBQ. Their tacos are unlike any others I’ve eaten locally, for the following reasons: 1. They’re smaller than the average tacqueriastyle taco. I believe they’re served on four-inch tortillas. Folded up, they can be eaten in two or three bites.

2. They combine elements of authentic, Mexicanstyle tacos (they’re served on steamed corn tortillas with cilantro, onion and wedges of lime) with one major “gringo” adaptation – the meat is covered in melted cheese.

3. They are $1.

There was time in my life, shortly after quality taquerias like Taqueria La Michoacana and Sin Fronteras #2 started popping up in ShreveportBossier, when I would have turned my nose up at any taco laden with cheese. I’ve always been told that, as a rule, good tacos don’t have cheese. The tasty little tacos at Guera’s seemed to defy that rule. When I opened the box, looking at my three tacos, I thought “Dang it, there’s cheese on these things.” When I closed the box, I thought “I should have ordered seven more of those tacos.”

I think we love tacos so much because they’re fun

to devour, unwieldy little bundles packed with sizzling, spicy meat and fragrant garnishes. My pet theory regarding the tacos from Guera’s is that I’ve been waiting for a chance to say “I’d like eight tacos, please,” without feeling too guilty about it. While the cheese kind of threw me for a loop, I ended up a fan of these little guys. If you’re really adverse to the idea of cheese on an otherwise authentic taco, I suppose you could always ask them to cut it.

Gueras Tamales & Tacos is located at 9002 Mansfield Road in Shreveport. It is a drive-thru only restaurant, there is no seating. At the time of this writing, Gueras is open, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday.

LIVE TELEPHONE ANSWERING SERVICE for OFFICE HOURS, AFTER HOURS, WEEKENDS, or HOLIDAYS

hhello ello Ca w!

Callll No Now!

222-9446 www.king stel.com www.kingstel.com November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

27

28 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

Special Section - Produced in Partnership with the Bossier Chamber of Commerce

Special Section - Produced in Partnership with the Bossier Chamber of Commerce

29

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

30 Biz. Magazine • November 2014

Special Section - Produced in Partnership with the Bossier Chamber of Commerce

1F 9 5?: 5 G H C87 5 G H 1@ C;

Special Section - Produced in Partnership with the Bossier Chamber of Commerce

CC@ G

D P HYHU\ QG )ULGD\ RI WKH

ZZZ WKHEL]WRROVSRGFDVW FRP

ZZZ WKHEL]WRROV FRP GDYLG D VSH

November 2014 • Biz. Magazine

31

BT

GIBSLAND BANK & TRUST

TEAM

MATTERS.

On the playing field or financial field team matters. That’s why when it came time for me to pick a bank, I chose GBT. The great team at GBT helped me pick the accounts and services that fit my needs. And they’ll continue to help as my needs grow and change.

From the friendly service to the wide range of products, this is one special team.

And I know a little something about special teams.

GBT. THAT’S MY BANK.

Jacob Hester

SHREVEPORT (318) 688-7005

ARCADIA (318) 263-8477

MINDEN (318) 371-9910

BOSSIER (318) 752-2727

ATHENS (318) 258-3123

MINDEN–Wal Mart (318) 382-1223

GIBSLAND (318) 843-6228

HOMER (318) 927-5075

SIBLEY (318) 371-9465

www.gibslandbank.com