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,

Dr. Laborde continued

professionalism and selflessness is truly inspiring,” said Dr. Laborde.

The onsite pharmacy team also plays a crucial role. “The care and focus required to mix and draw the exact doses from the vials is admirable,” said Dr. Laborde. “Without the pharmacist, there is no vaccine to administer.”

As for his role? “From a medical perspective, it is my role to ensure that the patients are safe,” explained Dr. Laborde, “and that we are all wellprepared to respond to an emergency and unexpected event.” The end goal: passing the baton

With proper preparation and ongoing collaboration from Dr. Laborde and his staff, the sites appear to hum along almost effortlessly once everyone finds their rhythm.

“I like to describe these events as a relay race with the vaccine being the baton, but the race is being run in both series and in parallel,” said Dr. Laborde. “Our structures and processes need to be perfectly aligned. From the time that the patient drives or walks up, is registered, and to the time that the shot is administered, the patient is observed and leaves the site one step closer to being protected.”

Dr. Laborde considers administering COVID-19 vaccines to the public one of the most fulfilling experiences of his career. “These events allow all of us to fulfill Ochsner’s mission to serve, heal, lead, educate and innovate and to do so with compassion, teamwork, integrity and excellence,” he said. “It is truly a gift to have the opportunity to collaborate with such dedicated, talented and gifted colleagues with a singular focus.”