SUMMER | 2018
UHC: Caring for Community UHC’s Diabetes Education Program Earns National Accreditation Jennifer Johnson | UHC Patient
LGMC Earns Baby-Friendly Designation Breaking Down Mental Health Stigmas How to Stay Safe in the Sun
F E AT U R E D C O N T E N T S U M M E R | 2 0 1 8
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LGMC : Baby-Friendly Designation
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Hospital Spotlight: St. Martin Hospital
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Cover Story
UHC: Caring for Community Jennifer Johnson, UHC Patient
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Eat Fit Comes to Acadiana
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Three Lafayette General Health Facilities Awarded 2018 Funds for Safety Grants Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital, Lafayette General Surgical Hospital and St. Martin Hospital received the 2018 Funds for Safety Grants. The Funds for Safety Grant Program was created in 2012 by the Louisiana Hospital Association Trust Fund to help fund its members’ initiatives to improve patient or visitor safety.
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How to Stay Safe in the Sun
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Dr. Hamilton | Your Child in the Wild West?
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Breaking Down Mental Health Stigmas
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Level I vs. Level II Trauma
CIS is the First in Acadiana to Perform MitraClip® Procedure at Lafayette General Medical Center On Thursday, May 3, the cardiology team at Cardiovascular Institute of
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Stroke : Think F.A.S.T.
the South was the first in Acadiana to
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Is Weight Loss Surgery for You?
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LGH Events
perform mitral valve repair using the innovative MitraClip® procedure in the Hybrid Operating Room at Lafayette General Medical Center. CIS cardiologists Drs. Peter Fail, Louis Salvaggio and Darrell Solet performed the procedure, which is a minimally-invasive treatment option for those with a severe leak in the mitral valve who are too high-risk for traditional
Health In General
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LGH SYSTEM DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
COMMUNITY RELATIONS STAFF
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open heart surgery. The condition, called mitral regurgitation (MR), is the most common heart valve disease.
Four Lafayette General Health Entities Recognized as Best Places to Work in Healthcare in 2018 Lafayette General Medical Doctors,
ON THE COVER:
Lafayette General Surgical Hospital,
Jennifer Johnson
St. Martin Hospital and University COVER PHOTO BY:
Hospital & Clinics have all been selected
Glen Clark
by Modern Healthcare as 2018 Best Places to Work in Healthcare. This award program identifies and recognizes outstanding employers in the healthcare industry nationwide. Modern Healthcare partners with the Best Companies Group on the assessment
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process, which includes an extensive employee survey.
Seizing the Golden Hour LGMC named first Baby-Friendly birth facility in Lafayette The first hour of a baby’s life is crucial in helping a newborn find the rhythm of life outside the womb.
“It’s called the golden hour,” said
Judy Robichaux, RN, director of Maternal, Newborn and Pediatric Services at Lafayette General Medical Center. “It’s proven that immediate skin-to-skin contact between Mom and baby helps regulate newborns’ blood sugar levels and breathing rates. That first hour is also critical for bonding time — so we encourage Mom and Dad to limit visitors during that time so that they can bond with baby.”
For the past three years, Lafayette
General has worked to implement best practices related to mom-baby bonding and breastfeeding. This educational effort is part of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative created by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund. In March, the hospital was rewarded for its hard work in the areas of employee and patient education with the “Baby-Friendly” designation from U.S. accrediting body, Baby-Friendly USA. Lafayette General Medical Center is the first hospital in Lafayette to receive this designation.
“We pride ourselves on providing the best quality of care to our patients, and Baby-Friendly has been proven to increase the quality of care for both Mom and baby.” Judy Robichaux, RN
“We pride ourselves on providing
the best quality of care to our patients, and Baby-Friendly has been proven to increase the quality of care for mothers and babies,” Robichaux said.
Previously, skin-to-skin contact
babies and, therefore, should increase
happened only after the baby’s weight
our success rates in this area,”
and measurements were charted; but
Robichaux said. Baby-Friendly USA
when medically possible, it is now the
reviews its designations every five years,
preferred practice to place the baby
and Lafayette General is committed to
immediately with its mother for that skin-
continuing its implementation, she added.
to-skin bonding, Robichaux said.
patients the best care,” Lavergne
“It helps the baby adjust to entering
the [out-of-the-uterus] environment
“This is an ongoing journey to provide
concluded.
much more quickly and smoothly,” Robichaux said.
Since instituting Baby-Friendly
initiatives, the hospital has seen breastfeeding rates improve, particularly
PRIME D IN IN G EX P ER I E NCE A UNIQUE & SPECIAL MEAL FOR TWO
among African American patients, said Karen Lavergne, registered nurse and internationally board-certified lactation consultant. As part of the initiative, the hospital boosted educational outreach to patients, who receive care at the hospital’s affiliated clinic located at University Hospital & Clinics.
Improved breastfeeding rates are
expected to continue through the hospital’s ongoing commitment to its Baby-Friendly designation, Robichaux said.
“Being a Baby-Friendly designated
hospital assists us in giving mothers the information, confidence and skills to initiate and continue breastfeeding their
Bedside bubbly (of the sparkling juice variety) and a fine dining experience are now part of the special attention given to new moms following the birth of their baby. Prime Dining is a special dining experience featuring effervescent juice, and selections such as steak, fish and hearty vegetarian dishes that set it apart from the typical cafeteria choices. “It’s been something special for us to offer our patients,” said Megan Daigle, RN, manager of Mother, Baby and Pediatric Services. “We want to offer them a unique, celebratory experience.” Meals are served on restaurant-quality dinnerware, including champagne flutes for a toast. “The patients have absolutely loved it,” Daigle said.
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S T . M A R T I N H O S P I TA L
Memorial to St. Martin Parish Hospital and became fully managed by Lafayette General Health.
“These days, despite our best efforts,
St. Martin Parish is still considered medically underserved. There are extreme barriers to getting healthcare to some who live in remote areas, especially in the southern end of the parish,” said Wyble. “Our goal is to remove any barriers to healthcare.” While many rural
St. Martin Parish’s support boosts local healthcare. Since the first vote of 853-9 in favor of building a hospital back in 1967, St. Martin Parish has supported its local hospital. That support continued in March, when St. Martin Parish voted in support of a $12.5 million hospital service bond, with an overwhelming margin of 794-429.
“In March, we were the only parish that passed a tax in the state,” said Karen Wyble,
CEO at St. Martin Hospital, a critical access hospital maintaining inpatient acute beds and a skilled nursing rehabilitation unit, as well as a staffed 24-hour ER. “I believe it’s because over the years, the community has seen the benefits of their investment.”
The parish’s commitment to healthcare is reaping great dividends. St. Martin
Hospital’s inpatient, outpatient and emergency services rank in the top one percent
hospitals struggle to attract top talent and specialists, Wyble says the community’s support has made that task easier at St. Martin Hospital. Orthopedist Dr. Adam Kennedy is an example.
“Dr. Kennedy is very well respected.
You mention his name and everyone has wonderful things to say.” Kennedy currently has a clinic which opens on Mondays and Thursdays but plans to do even more once the surgery center is built.
nationally. Once the hospital’s expansion is complete, the hospital will be able to do even more. They’re building a cardiac cath lab, a general surgery suite, an orthopaedic
Residents appreciate more services closer to home.
surgery center (featuring an open MRI), and a behavioral medicine clinic, to name a few. They’re also adding family practitioners, a pulmonologist, an ENT, a dermatologist and a podiatrist. In addition, in May, the hospital opened its wound care center.
“At the wound care center, we’ll be the first in the region to offer organogenesis
because we’re critical access,” said Wyble. “I’m not aware of any other rural area where there will be so much accessibility.”
With the six-lane widening of I-10, Wyble says the parish is anticipating greater need
as more people come through and move to this area.
Originally named Gary Memorial Hospital after its first chairman of the board,
Charles Gary, the hospital operated successfully until 1985 when Medicare changed its reimbursement policies. After this policy shift, patients could no longer be admitted without a diagnosis since the diagnosis determined the length of stay and reimbursement. As a result of the changes, St. Luke Hospital in Arnaudville and St. Martin Infirmary in St. Martinville both closed.
A decade later, in 1996, the parish approved another bond issue to renovate the
hospital, with a vote of 876-92; and in 2009, the hospital changed its name from Gary
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“One of the things our residents are
asking for is to have surgery closer to home. Our plan is to have the orthopaedic surgeries done locally, especially so that the elderly people we serve can stay here,” Wyble said.
“All in all, we’re excited about the
future and how much more service we can give to our families here in St. Martin Parish,” Wyble said.
“I have been a nurse for 10 years, all of which has been at LGMC.
Not originally from Acadiana, I was assigned to LGMC through the accelerated nursing program at UL. Through the years, I have grown from a telemetry nurse on the 6th floor, to working in the ICU, to working in IT as an informatics nurse, to managing the 5th floor, ICU and ultimately to Director of Critical Care Services. I feel that Lafayette General really cares about its patients, about the community and about the staff. As an organization, employees are treated as the future; we are guided, educated and groomed to become leaders in healthcare.�
Join our talent network and apply at LafayetteGeneral.com/Careers
Jonathon Koob, MHA, BSN, RN, CCRN-K Director of Critical Care Services
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Caring for Community UHC’s Diabetes Education Program Earns National Accreditation
Jennifer Johnson is on a mission to spread the word that University Hospital & Clinics (UHC) plays a critical role in the community and in the lives of the individuals it serves. She knows because she
I didn’t know what I was going to do,”
fund healthcare, more than 54,000
impressed because they treat you like
uninsured patients, who annually
you’re real.”
seek care at UHC, would have to seek healthcare services elsewhere. Nearly 150 people visit UHC’s emergency department daily. Another 550 patients, like Johnson, visit physicians in UHC clinics every day.
her life — and that the preventative care
“Thanks to them, I’m here and making steps in the right direction.”
her disease and keep her out of a lifethreatening situation. “Thanks to them, I’m here and making
Jennifer Johnson Diabetic Patient
steps in the right direction,” Johnson said. “I’m still not where I need to be,
support due to complications of diabetes, a disease she was diagnosed with at 19.
These days, with the help of UHC’s
newly accredited diabetes education program, Johnson is recovering at home, even after going on disability and losing
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“When I lost my private insurance,
H E A LT H I N G E N E R A L
UHC’s newly accredited diabetes education program offers people in and around Lafayette increased access to high-quality diabetes education services, but the new program, like the rest of the hospital’s services, is in jeopardy as the state wrestles with funding for healthcare for public-private partnerships in
her private insurance.
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education program help establish continuity of care for patients.
“We can internally refer those in our
program to dieticians and for education. individual has been given target goals.
An Ounce of Prevention
Two years ago, Johnson ended up
at UHC in critical condition and on life
programs like the new diabetes
In the diabetes care program, each
but I’m not where I was. I’m a work in
Stacy Mistric, executive director
of ambulatory services at UHC, says
she’s receiving continues to manage
progress, but I am making progress.”
In total, if the state does not fully
she said. “When I went in, I was so
believes the hospital and its staff saved
Louisiana.
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They’re monitored very closely until we get them to their target,” Mistric said. “We also refer them for diabetic eye screenings and diabetic foot exams — this program is such a robust part of disease management.”
Sarah Kirkpatrick, UHC’s diabetes
quality coordinator, says the process toward certification has taken more than a year. Hiring endocrinologist, Dr. Daniel Stout, allowed the hospital
to go from two half-day diabetes clinics a
month to three half-days a week.
tell her how to get a coupon for the
they work and now that they’ve gotten a
medicine and where to have the
facelift, so to speak, they have a lot more
endocrinologist in the area,” Kirkpatrick
prescription filled.
pride. They’re like, ‘This is my hospital. How can I give you the best care?’”
“We have the only Medicaid
The physician called her back to
said. “At our hospital, any provider
can refer to the diabetes education
the doctor called just to check on me
program. We offer group classes, but
to make sure I was able to get it filled,”
new standards say that there isn’t one
Johnson said. “Normally, you just don’t
“The next day during her lunch break,
specific regimen that people have to go
get that kind of attention!”
through. We work to find the best fit for
each individual.”
Johnson says she’s noticed many
differences on the UHC campus.
Beyond diabetes education, Johnson
For more information on diabetes education, call Sarah Kirkpatrick at (337) 261-8516.
Since Lafayette General took over,
says UHC’s urgent care facility has
helped her get the services she has
improvements and the expansion of
needed in the last few years.
many services,” Johnson said.
“The employees are so proud of where
“Of course, there have been cosmetic
“Before, with Medicare, there were no
urgent care centers. Sometimes, you get sick and need to see a doctor, but you
FACTS ABOUT DIABETES IN ACADIANA
don’t need to go to the ER. You just need care,” Johnson said. “UHC’s staff is very friendly, very thorough. I’m impressed with the short wait time. It’s not like going to the ER where you expect to have a long wait.”
After a visit last summer to UHC’s
18,540 people in Lafayette parish have diabetes, according to the CDC.
Diabetes isn’t a stand-alone disease. Those who are diagnosed with diabetes are at an increased risk for other complications, such as heart disease and impaired circulation.
UHC serves 7,026 people with diabetes.
Studies show that reducing just 7 percent of body weight helps reduce the risk of developing diabetes by about 58 percent. That’s only 14 pounds for a 200-pound person!
urgent care for her foot, which was cold and very swollen, Johnson learned she was having a bad episode of gout.
“They sent me for medicine.
When the pharmacy told me how much the medicine was, I knew I couldn’t afford it,” she said. “I called UHC and got in touch with the doctor at the urgent care.”
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Eat Fit Comes to Acadiana! Eat Fit is a program that encourages chefs to offer nutritious, delicious meals for those who want to eat clean, watch their weight and manage certain health issues. This initiative started at Ochsner Health System, which collaborated with Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Louisiana to expand statewide. That is when Lafayette General came into the mix to
KLFY’s Megan Kelly (center) joins Eat Fit Acadiana dietitians and the Good Eats Kitchen crew for a healthy eating demo.
bring it to Cajun country! Eat Fit Acadiana’s mission is to combine the community’s passion for good food with their zest for life and enjoying time with family and friends.
Ahi Tuna
with Mango Salsa
Look for the Eat Fit seal of approval at these restaurants and markets throughout Acadiana:
Blue Dog Café Burgersmith
Juice Bar Tsunami
Good Eats Kitchen
Zea Rotisserie & Bar
For a full list of participating restaurants, download the Eat Fit App on the iTunes App Store or Google Play Store.
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4 6 oz. Ahi Tuna Fillets 2
Tablespoon Blackening Seafood Seasoning
Mango Salsa 1
Cup Diced Mango
1/4 Cup Diced Red Onion 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro 1 Fresh Jalapeno Finely Chopped Seeds Removed 2
Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
1
teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Season each Tuna Fillet with the blackening seasoning. Spray a hot grill with some non stick spray and place tuna on grill for about 2 minutes per side this will be rare or until you prefer it to be done. Mango Salsa Peeled and Dice Mango, add onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt, cumin and mix all together and let sit overnight. To serve place the grilled tuna on the bottom of a plate and scoop the salsa over the top and enjoy.
How to Stay Safe in the Sun After one of the coldest winters and coolest springs on record, many in Louisiana are ready to enjoy one of the greatest joys of being outside — basking in the glow of the sun. However, like so many of life’s
light. A higher UPF rating number offers
for babies and
better sun protection.
younger children.
with young parents is
of a garment will allow 1/25th (roughly
that evidence has proven
four percent) of available UV radiation to pass through it. Any fabric that allows less
a correlation between the amount of sun
than 2 percent UV transmission is labeled
to which a child is exposed and the risk of
UPF 50+.
developing skin issues later in life,” Lupo said. “Take precautions when they’re Continue to
offers these tips for taking precautions to
use sunscreen.
prevent overexposure to the sun.
“People with lighter
“One thing I emphasize
A UPF rating of 25 indicates the fabric
pleasures, moderation is key. Dr. Joseph Lupo, board-certified plastic surgeon,
Limit sun exposure
ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB)
young.” Be on the alert
“We offer a lot of non-invasive and
skin tones should
and keep an eye on
invasive techniques and products to
use more powerful
your skin. If a mole
combat sun risks and to decrease signs of facial aging due to sun exposure,” Lupo
SPF,” Lupo said. “The SPF you should use depends on
said. “But, there are also steps people
how much time you’re spending in the sun
can take to protect themselves from sun
and your skin tone. The best practice is to
damage.”
do all the things that increase protection.” Protect yourself from UV rays with clothing. These days, a wide array
Avoid using tanning beds and sun lamps.
of clothing options can
Wear sunglasses to
decrease your overall
protect the sensitive
risk. Like sunscreen’s SPF
skin around your eyes.
looks unusual, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a doctor – either a primary care physician or a dermatologist.
For more information on non-invasive procedures to combat sun-damaged skin or to make an appointment, call Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery of Acadiana at (337) 504-3640.
(Sun Protection Factor), UVprotective clothing also has a rating system. It’s called UPF, a number which gauges a fabric’s effectiveness against both
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Your Child in the Wild West? Guest columnists Aaron Foster, M.D., and Ravi Alagugurusamy, M.D., Family Medicine residents at University Hospital & Clinics, discuss kids and the internet.
The wild west was plenty dangerous:
prostitution, stage coach robbery, gunfights. No place to send your child! Yet every day kids as young as age two are allowed to wander into similarly threatening territory- the internet.
For small children, the internet can
be a welcome distraction while you wait in line. Then a fun song on the phone leads to a YouTube video, which leads to a game, and ends with a $1000 data bill. Stage coach robbery indeed! Fortunately, this scenario has an easy solution: don’t link financial access to your phone, and you should also password or pin-code it.
warned us recently of corrupted Peppa
the reluctant fighter was drawn in, and
Pig videos. The characters were talking
one or both would end up wounded or
about marijuana!
dead. The modern internet version of this:
Fortunately, most phones and
can be seen. Search how to “blacklist”
involved videos daring teens to eat
(block sites), or “whitelist” (allow sites) on
Tide-Pod dishwashing detergent packets.
your device or browser. Fortunately for
Then Emergency Departments around the
parents, you can do what large corporate
country began to see these potentially
IT departments can’t- discuss internet
lethal cases, and most videos became
content and safe surfing directly with your
blocked. Other harmful video-generated
kids. Watch over their shoulders. Failing
pranks: children creating and inhaling chlorine gas, drinking antifreeze, and
internet service.
running cars in enclosed spaces. Parents
must teach children that following
Back to our wild west analogy from
above- the dare. Quick-draw gunfights
instructions from strangers on the internet
often involved one assailant goading the
is just as dangerous as with strangers on
other into combat.
the street.
During the summer, some kids
social media bullying. The net offers the social activities, where the bully might be
immediate harm, it’s an activity that’s
caught. Also, social media can magnify
been engineered to be addictive.
bullying. Instead of the bully egging on
The longer developers can keep your
a jeering handful of lackeys, the lackeys
child engaged, the more money they
online can number in the hundreds.
earn from advertisers. If you think it’s
Imagine your kid being laughed at by a
not addictive, try taking the phone away.
crowded auditorium- a nightmare often
Children can act just like addicts who
depicted on film and TV. Social media
can’t get a fix- whining, aggressive,
easily creates a real-life equivalent.
foul-mouthed; not the nice kids they used to be! Sites like YouTube are also designed
for children as young as age two to operate, surfing whatever videos they like. More disconcerting, some producers have posted questionable content aimed at younger children, often optimized through 9 or 10 videos first. One parent
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Another internet problem for teens is
ability to bully away from school or other
screen. While there’s no obvious
so you won’t find it until you’ve gone
If you haven’t seen the news, this
that, you can pull the plug on power, or
are allowed to spend all day on a
the Tide-Pod Challenge.
browsers have methods for filtering what
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Scott Hamilton, M.D., is a boardcertified pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatricians and medical advisor in Lafayette General Medical Center’s dedicated pediatric treatment area within the Emergency Department. His blog is accessible to parents anytime, anywhere there is an Internet connection. ParentsDontFret.net
Afraid of being seen as cowardly,
Today’s children are the first
generation with these internet worries; parents aren’t equipped to deal with them from their own childhood experience. Social media, while being a great new way to communicate, also begets new problems. Parents need to learn the new solutions. And the old solution too- talking these things through with their kids.
Breaking Down Mental Health Stigmas Working together to understand mental illness. Each year, May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. Recently, Lafayette General Medical Center, Compass and the local chapter of NAMI hosted a forum to educate the public about mental health disorders and the resources available to those in need.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates
that nearly 44 million adults experience some form of mental illness each year, according to Claire Collins, LCSW. Collins is a social services supervisor at the LGMC Behavioral Health Unit, a 24-bed secure short-term psychiatric inpatient facility for
Another is Compass Health, a “psychiatric services partner working closely with LGMC to provide care to the patients who need it,” explains Compass CEO Aimee Monaghan. “We strive to provide a system of care, including inpatient care, outpatient care and post-inpatient-stay services, to help people transition back into life as they lived it before. This might include partial hospitalization, also known as day programs, as well as individual and group therapy and medication management.”
Monaghan said she agrees with Collins that recent news
events such as the opioid epidemic and mass shootings have brought more public awareness to mental health issues. More than ever, people are recognizing these issues and, hopefully, are more apt to seek help for themselves and their loved ones when signs and symptoms arise.
adults with acute mental health disorders.
“Mental health disorders can range from acute anxiety to
schizophrenia,” Collins says. “Anxiety and depression are the most common we see; yet, sometimes people are quick to judge. Mental illness doesn’t discriminate. I think every person knows someone who’s experienced depression, for instance.”
“We are trending toward a more open dialogue about mental
illness,” Collins continues. “Slowly but surely, especially in the past few years, celebrities have come out and announced their struggles with mental illness or committed suicide. But, it’s still hard for people to accept they need help and to seek treatment because of the stigma involved. Yet, it’s an illness just like any other. The brain is an organ just like other organs in the body, and sometimes medical intervention is necessary to maintain health. Total health comprises the body and mind.”
One facility addressing mental illness needs in Acadiana is
For more information on Lafayette Behavioral Health Unit (LBHU) contact Claire Collins, LCSW, at (337) 289-8594.
Lafayette Behavioral Health Unit (LBHU) mentioned above.
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They Didn’t Think He Would Make It. When Kade Breaux broke his leg in a vehicle crash last year, his mother insisted the ambulance transport him to Lafayette General Medical Center (LGMC).
extensive rehabilitation at two different
fortunate throughout our entire journey
out-of-state centers and ongoing therapies
that we were put in very capable hands
since his return home July 2017.
wherever we’ve been. We have a strong
faith in God, and without that faith and
“I knew LGMC was equipped to deal
he had broken his leg, but we didn’t know if he had other issues going on.” The hospital provides the only trauma
program in the Acadiana region, meaning it is equipped to handle major traumas, such as severe head, chest, abdominal and vascular injuries. In fact, it’s the only Level II trauma program from the Atchafalaya basin to the Texas border. The hospital is in the process of becoming a verified trauma center, which is a voluntary process, through the American College of Surgeons and the state of Louisiana.
Kade Breaux, who was 22 at the time
of his crash, had injuries that prompted Level II trauma activation, meaning his vitals were stable, said Jaqueline Venable, LGMC trauma program manager. The young man’s trials were just beginning. Complications related to his broken femur had allowed bone marrow to enter his blood stream and his lungs, causing him to go into respiratory failure.
“They didn’t think he’d make it,” his
mother recalled. And, if he did, she was told that his quality of life would never be the same. Kade’s progress has told a different story, but the journey has not been easy. His recovery has involved
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“We spent three weeks at Lafayette
General,” Liz Breaux said. “We’ve been
with trauma,” said Liz Breaux. “We knew
Trauma care involves everyone in the hospital.
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medicine, I think I would have buried my son.”
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 AND
TRAUMA Defining the Difference
Today, slowly and certainly, Kade’s
speech and movements continue to improve. His goal is to drive again and his mother believes he will.
“Trauma is really a quality-driven
program,” Venable said. “We are identifying the most common injuries, where are we seeing trends and what studies need to be done. You want to make sure you’re doing the right thing for the right patient and ensuring best practices are being applied to their care.”
WHEN A LEVEL I TRAUMA OCCURS, it’s an all-hands-on-deck response: trauma surgeon, emergency department physicians and staff, surgery staff, respiratory, radiology, blood bank, lab techs and ICU. The trauma team has grown to include two orthopaedic traumatologists, who have handled bone trauma, such as pelvic fractures and other injuries. Examples of Level I traumas include major motor vehicle crashes, signs of severe head injury, gunshot wounds, as well as patients who require respiratory assistance or have experienced severe blood loss. A LEVEL II TRAUMA typically involves the emergency department with outside unit involvement more specific to the patient’s injuries and a trauma consult, if necessary. Examples of Level II traumas include patients with high risk for serious injury, but who have stable vital signs, such as someone in a crash who is coherent but has no respiratory or other issues.
The trauma program monitors patients
as part of its work to improve patient outcomes, Venable continued. Data is reported to the state and at the national level as a way to improve trauma care.
“Trauma care involves everyone in
the hospital. It can’t be done just with the surgeons or just with emergency department physicians and nurses,” Venable said . “I think that’s the biggest misconception — that trauma happens only in the emergency department. It happens throughout the hospital, and every department takes part in that. It takes all of us to have good outcomes.”
If you are interested in learning more about LGMC’s Trauma Program, visit LafayetteGeneral.com/Trauma.
Think Fast STROKE TEAM SAVES LIVES
Think FAST! Call 911! Acting swiftly saves lives and fosters recovery. Fortunately for Acadiana, LGMC has a great stroke team, and they know that response time is crucial.
“When you call 911, the ambulance
alerts the hospital that you’re having a stroke, and everybody is ready and waiting, prepared for swift intervention the moment you arrive,”
slurred. I had a hard time controlling my car
and tried to pull into a driveway, but I hit a
strokes are largely preventable, and that if a
mailbox or a tree … I can’t recall.”
stroke is occurring, swift action is needed.
Thankfully, a neighbor called 911, and
The two primary messages are that
“Eighty percent of strokes are
within 40 minutes of onset, Covington
preventable,” advises Cormier. “There are
was undergoing treatment. First, she was
certain risk factors: high blood pressure,
administered TPA (alteplase) that helped
high cholesterol, diabetes, irregular
to break up the blood clot that caused her
heartbeat and smoking. If you have any
stroke. Then, Dr. Damon Patterson went in
of these conditions, listen to your doctors,
and extracted the remaining clot from her
comply with their orders and you’ll have
brain. Following, she had an inpatient stay
better chances of preventing a stroke.”
at Lafayette General Southwest, a facility
However, if a stroke occurs, Cormier
advises thinking of the acronym F.A.S.T.:
explains Samantha Cormier, RN, BSN, CCRN-CSC, stroke coordinator at LGMC. “The reason it is so important
F
FACE : Are both sides of the face moving the same way?
A
ARMS : Is one arm weaker than the other? Is there tingling or numbness?
S
SPEECH : Does speech sound different? Are words slurred? Are words being used appropriately?
T
TIME : A stroke is an emergency. Similar to a heart attack, it is a brain attack. Call 911. Immediate treatment delivers best results.
to get treatment quickly is because 1.9 million neurons are lost every 60 seconds. The longer a patient waits for treatment, the more damage is done, and the harder it is to reverse the effects.”
If anyone appreciates the importance
of the swift and effective treatment LGMC provides, it’s Shirley Covington, a physician of internal medicine in private practice. Recently, Covington found herself in a scary situation while driving through a nearby neighborhood.
“I don’t remember much about the first
bit,” Covington relates. “I was driving when my stroke occurred, and I was confused. My left side was weak, and my speech was
which houses the only Joint Commissioncertified stroke rehabilitation center in the region. Now, her symptoms are minimal, although she continues to undergo physical therapy.
“I received great care,” Covington said.
“I was lucky that [Patterson] was able and available to perform the thrombectomy procedure which removed the clot from my brain, and I had wonderful therapy at the
Spot a stroke F.A.S.T. Call 9-1-1 immediately. Learn more at LafayetteGeneral.com/Stroke
rehab clinic.”
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Is Weight Loss Surgery for You? Getting out of bed feels like a workout. Your spouse helps you tie your shoes. A trip to the grocery store leaves you exhausted. You’ve struggled with your weight your entire life, and you’ve tried every diet.
One day you attend a seminar on
bariatric surgery and you schedule a consult with a bariatric surgeon. Ultimately, together, you determine that you’re a
a bariatrician, a behavioral modification
a healthy weight. More specifically,
educator and two dieticians.
candidates either:
While post-surgical success is directly Have a BMI of 40 or more or are more
linked to a reduction in many medical
problems, there are also other indicators,
Have a BMI of 35 or more and have at
or non-scale victories. According to bariatrics patients, some quality of life improvements include being able to cross your legs for the first, not having to ask for a seat belt extender on an airplane, running in the yard with your kids or
least one “obesity-related comorbidity,” a chronic disease or condition that is associated with excess weight. Comorbidities include Type 2 Diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, heart disease or congestive heart failure and certain respiratory disorders.
Dr. Benjamin Doga oversees the
putting on your first pair of jeans since high school.
candidate for weight loss surgery. Several
months after surgery, you wake up and
non-surgical weight loss program at LGH. “Some private insurance companies
“Patients must make significant lifestyle changes to be successful. Nutrition and exercise are the two biggest factors to maximizing weight loss and improving health.”
you’re not sure if you’re more astonished by the fact that you’ve lost the weight equivalent to an average 10-year-old child or that you’re grabbing your tennis shoes to go out for a morning jog!
than 100 pounds overweight, or
“The ability of bariatric surgery to alter
patients’ lives is incredible. Mortality is reduced by 89 percent, and 83 percent
require patients to participate in a nonsurgical weight loss program to determine if the patient is ready to make the necessary changes required post-surgery. Some patients choose to participate in this program to help them prepare for the upcoming lifestyle changes that must take place post-op.”
Philip Gachassin, M.D.
of patients with Type II Diabetes no longer suffer with the illness after surgery. Most patients will also discover their sleep apnea is resolved,” says Dr. Philip Gachassin, medical director for the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Department at Lafayette General Medical Center.
Dr. Gachassin warns, however, that weight loss surgery is not a silver bullet. “Patients must make significant lifestyle changes to be successful. Nutrition and exercise are the two biggest factors to maximizing weight loss and improving health. After
Dr. Philip Gachassin has been
performing weight loss surgery for nearly 20 years. He is joined by fellowship-trained
necessary for success, and we encourage them along the journey.”
Dr. Robert Autin. All three are Louisiana
Who Qualifies for Surgery?
natives. The multidisciplinary team also
Overall, candidates typically have
includes two certified bariatric nurses,
been unable to lose weight despite
a licensed professional counselor,
serious attempts to achieve and sustain
|
Dietary Changes Behavior Modification Education Individualized Exercise Program Weight Loss Medication
surgery, we provide patients with the tools
bariatric surgeons Dr. Dennis Eschete and
1 4 H E A LT H I N G E N E R A L
The Four Main Principles of Non-Surgical Weight Loss
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Weight Loss Surgery Seminars are available as well as support groups for those who have undergone weight loss surgery. They are held regularly at Lafayette General Medical Center’s Owen Auditorium. For more information, please call 337-289-8484 or visit www.lafayettegeneral.com/bariatrics.
EVENTS
During Hospital Week Lafayette General Health (LGH) recognized over 100 volunteers for 25,000 hours of service during 2017. Their service saved LGH $500,000 last year alone. We also recognized Georgie Pettitjean, who has volunteered for 59 years!
Members of the Acadiana Stroke Support Group celebrated stroke recovery by painting pictures in conjunction with Painting with a Twist. The paintings were done at Lafayette General Southwest for Stroke Awareness Month. To learn more about the Stroke Support Group visit lafayettegeneral. com/support_groups.
Lafayette General Medical Center had a special visitor, New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees! He visited our tiniest patients in the NICU and our youngest patients in our Pediatric Department.
In May, community residents received free skin cancer screenings at University Hospital & Clinics. Eighty-four people participated in this public event for Melanoma/Skin Cancer detection and prevention month.
St. Martin Hospital (SMH) held a ribbon-cutting on May 3, 2018 for their Wound Care Center. This is the first Wound Care Center in St. Martin Parish. SMH now offers advanced wound care services under internationally-acclaimed wound care expert, Kerry T. Thibodeaux, M.D., FACS., Board Certified General Surgeon, Vascular Surgeon and Wound Care Specialist to its medical staff. SMH opened the Wound Care Clinic in response to patients’ needs. This furthers the commitment Lafayette General made to St. Martin Hospital patients and the surrounding communities by bringing quality care close to home. Ribbon-cutting special guests included Congressman Clay Higgins, Breaux Bridge Area Chamber President Tina Begnaud, Parish President Chester Cedars, SMH Board Member Burton Dupuis and Brenda Hobbs, Alderman of District A.
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Your Health RISK FACTORS
DETECTING HEART DISEASE
SYMPTOMS
Smoking Family History of
Heart Disease
Obesity
Chest Pain or Uncomfortable Pressure
(lasting more than a few minutes and/or stopping and starting)
Pain in the Upper Back, Shoulders, Arms, Neck or Jaw
High Cholesterol
Throat Discomfort
Indigestion or Heartburn
High Blood Pressure
Cold Sweat/Dizziness
Nausea and Vomiting
Diabetes
Shortness of Breath
Extreme Fatigue
Inactivity
A lack of symptoms does not mean an absence of problems, which is why checking with a cardiologist is so important.
To make an appointment with a cardiologist
Call (337) 289-8429.
A N O N - P R O F I T , C O M M U N I T Y - O W N E D H E A LT H S Y S T E M