A Life-Saving Operation: Meet One of the Doctors Behind Ochsner’s Vaccine Distribution By Maggie Serota | Photo by Stephen Legendre
If there is anyone who embodies Ochsner’s commitment to public service and community health, it is Yvens Laborde, MD. He currently leads the Ochsner Equitable Vaccine Distribution Workgroup and serves as part of the Ochsner Vaccine Task Force. Dr. Laborde works on the frontlines of Ochsner Health’s COVID-19 vaccination events, making sure shots are administered safely, effectively and efficiently. That’s no easy task. “The work involved in both the community and mass vaccination events is incredibly complex,” Dr. Laborde explained. That’s why Dr. Laborde goes into each day with a clear game plan. When the community’s health is at stake, the good doctor isn’t one to leave anything up to chance. It’s important to be proactive, said Dr. Laborde, yet also “predictive and anticipate potential challenges with logistics.” He added: “One of my favorite quotes is that ‘people seldom rise to the level of expectations, but almost always fall to the level of their preparation and training.’” Here’s what a typical day looks like on the front lines with Dr. Laborde.
Break of dawn: preparation
Dr. Laborde’s day begins as early as 4:30 a.m. and lasts well into the evening. Despite his demanding schedule and the challenges of running a mass vaccination site, each day Dr. Laborde and his team are one step closer to “bringing this pandemic to an end.” “The most rewarding aspect of [working at] these sites is to know that every shot that we give is protecting someone from contracting COVID, transmitting it and thus bringing us closer to returning to our lives,” said Dr. Laborde, adding that “the sheer joy, relief and appreciation [shown by] the people receiving the vaccine inspires all of us.”
All in a day’s work: collaboration
Orchestrating Ochsner’s vaccination sites is a team effort, with 125 to 175 staffers on site on any given day. In addition to the nurses, security personnel, and volunteers that help make the sites run smoothly, Dr. Laborde acknowledges the leadership of Dawn Pevey-Mauk, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, CEO System Centers of Excellence and Service Lines at Ochsner Health, as key to the sites’ success. “The passion, commitment,
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