HJBR May/Jun 2019

Healthcare Journal of BATON ROUGE I  MAY / JUN 2019 39 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com Rouge Airport Multiplex Building. “There is a tremendous need in our community for these services, and we are grateful for part- ners like Louisiana Healthcare Connections who share our commitment to helping people get the care they need,” said Baton Rouge Free Clinic Director and local Councilwoman Donna Collins- Lewis. “By working together as a community, we have the opportunity to truly transform health for local families.” This year’s event marks the clinic’s second year in Baton Rouge. In 2018, the pop-up clinic spanned three days and provided free health- care to more than 1,400 residents from across the state, with some attendees driving several hours to receive services. The 2018 clinic was powered by the efforts of nearly 1,600 volunteers, including dental, vision, and medical professionals. “Health begins at the community level, and the Baton Rouge Free Clinic illustrates the difference that can be made when we all work together to help families build healthier lives,” said Louisiana Healthcare Connections Senior Vice-President of Medical Affairs Dr. Marcus Wallace. “We are hon- ored to be part of this event again this year and help bring important health and wellness services to those in need.” Cardiovascular Institute of the South Hosts Free Women’s Screenings Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) in Baton Rouge hosted a series of free women’s screenings with personal consults by female car- diologist Dr. Charisse Ward, who specializes in women’s health and preventative cardiology. These screenings, held at the CIS clinic on Picardy Avenue, included electrocardiograms (EKGs), cholesterol checks, ankle brachial index (ABI) screenings to test blood flow in the legs, blood pressure, and a physician assessment. LA Participates in Pilot Project to Create Addiction Treatment ProgramRating System Louisiana has been chosen as one of a select group of states to partner with Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to end- ing addiction, on the development and imple- mentation of a rating system for addiction treat- ment programs. The state joins Massachusetts and New York, both of which have joined the pilot project in recent weeks. During the 24-month pilot program, Louisiana’s Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) will work with Shatterproof to align the rating system with ongo- ing initiatives in Louisiana to improve the quality of addiction treatment by ensuring care is deliv- ered using evidence-based best practices. “We are excited for the opportunity to work with Shatterproof on setting a standard across all of addiction treatment. This system will align behind evidence-based care and allow us to treat addiction with the same effectiveness as other illnesses,” said Karen Stubbs, OBH assis- tant secretary. “Information about quality of care will finally be available to consumers, providers, referral sources, policymakers, and payers. It’s a long-overdue revolution for the field of behav- ioral health.”  “As the state provider association, ensuring access to care is always a top priority. Our clients, along with their families and loved ones, should have quick access to information about the qual- ity of care available to them. This is especially true for the substance use disorder field, where the choices can seem daunting,” said Mike Mar- tyn, president of the Coalition of Louisiana Addic- tion Service and Prevention Providers (CLASPP). “We appreciate the Office of Behavioral Health’s willingness to include providers in the dialogue regarding this rating system and we look forward to partnering with the state and Shatterproof to create a system that is meaningful and beneficial for everyone.”  In the past year, Louisiana has taken several important steps to address the opioid epidemic, including passing legislation to limit first-time opioid prescriptions for acute pain and mandate provider reporting to the Prescription Monitor- ing Program, implementing a standing order for naloxone to allow pharmacists to dispense with- out a prescription, and increasing provider edu- cation on evidence-based best practices for pre- scribing of opioids and appropriate treatment of chronic pain. In December, the state was also awarded a State Opioid Response grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administra- tion (SAMHSA). “Louisiana is proud to partner with Shatter- proof on this pioneering rating system for addic- tion treatment,” said Dr. Rebekah Gee, secre- tary of the Louisiana Department of Health. “We are committed to building a robust behavioral health system for all Louisianans and are contin- ually looking for ways to expand upon existing practices. Our participation in this pilot program will help us to develop a high-quality addiction treatment program not only for Louisiana, but for the rest of the nation.” The Shatterproof Rating System will be piloted in select states over two years with the goal of transforming the quality of addiction treatment based on eight core Principles of Care. They include universal screening for substance use disorders (SUDs) across medical settings; rapid access to appropriate SUD care; personalized diagnosis, assessment, and treatment; continu- ing long-term outpatient care; concurrent, coordi- nated care for physical and mental health; access to fully trained behavioral health professionals; access to FDA-approved medications; and access to non-medical recovery support services.  The pilot objectives align with several of the recommendations made recently by an expert panel convened by the Louisiana Department of Health, in particular the goals to increase access to effective treatment and establish a statewide quality improvement system for treatment pro- viders. The pilot will apply public rating system best practices to the addiction treatment field by measuring the evidence-based elements of care delivery shown to improve patient outcomes. This information will be gathered from three sources: insurance claims, provider surveys, and consumer experience.  Charisse Ward, MD