HJBR-2020-jul-aug

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  JUL / AUG 2020 45 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com Construction Continues on Surgery Center for BRG’s Center for Health Construction has continued on the expansion and renovation of Baton Rouge General’s Center for Health. When complete at the end of the year, the $12 million expansion to the 140,000-square- foot building will include a six-suite outpatient sur- gery center. “The operating rooms at Bluebonnet have been at or above capacity for a couple of years now,” said BRG President and CEO Edgardo Ten- reiro. “As more and more surgeries and proce- dures migrated to the ambulatory setting, we had to look at adding another layer of convenience for both our surgeons and our patients, many of whom have had non-emergency, ambulatory sur- geries postponed.” Located at the intersection of Bluebonnet and Picardy Ave., the Center for Health also houses BRG’s outpatient rehab clinic and Lymphedema Clinic, the Williamson Eye Center, and the Inter- ventional Pain Institute. Our Lady of the Lake Chief Nursing Officer Receives National Award The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) named Our Lady of the Lake Chief Nurs- ing Officer Nicole Telhiard, DNP, CPN, NE-BC, the recipient of its 2020 Certified Nurse Award - Nurse Executive. Recipients of ANCC’s Certi- fied Nurse Awards show continued contributions to the advancement of nursing in their specialty areas through innovation, collaboration, leader- ship and professional risk-taking, and patient-cen- tered care. “To be recognized by the American Nurses Cre- dentialing Center is a testament to Nicole’s work in improving nursing practice at Our Lady of the Lake. She has been a champion for our nursing team to pursue advanced certifications - which have increased at our facility by 35 percent since 2015,” said Stephanie Manson, chief operating officer at Our Lady of the Lake. “Nicole is a phe- nomenal colleague, nurse leader, mentor, and friend, and we couldn’t be more proud that she has received this honor.” In a congratulatory letter to Telhiard, ANCC president Rhonda Anderson, DNSc(h), RN, FACHE, FAAN wrote, “Your tireless commit- ment is very much evident in the constant pur- suit of clinical excellence in patient care delivery and in maintaining a healthcare environment that strongly promotes patient safety and quality for vulnerable patient populations. Your work exem- plifies excellence in the dimensions of innova- tion, collaboration, leadership and professional risk taking, and patient-centered care – which are the hallmarks of this award.” ANCC promotes excellence in nursing and health care globally through credentialing pro- grams. Its board certifying credentialing programs recognize individual nurses in specialty practice areas. Woman’s Adds LauraWilkinson as Director of Educational Services Woman’s Hospital welcomed Laura Wilkin- son as director of Educational Services, where she will lead a team that provides education and resources to patients and the community in addi- tion furthering the education of clinical staff and providers. Wilkinson brings more than 12 years of experi- ence in educational operations and project man- agement. Most recently, she served as senior director of operations at KIPP Collegiate Schools in Memphis, where she was responsible for over- sight of seven charter schools. Prior experiences include working for Uncommon Schools, Tulane Hospital and Clinic, the National Teaching Fel- lowship for Citizen Schools, and the Peace Corps, where she was responsible for overseeing curricu- lum and community education. Wilkinson received a Master of Education in Cur- riculum and Instruction from Lesley University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Loui- siana State University, and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Management from the Univer- sity of Memphis. Baton Rouge General Opens Specialized Unit for Patients FightingMental Illness and COVID-19 Baton Rouge General is providing centralized care for patients fighting both COVID-19 and a mental illness with a new 32-bed unit, designed to keep all patients as safe as possible. “Working on the frontlines of this pandemic, Baton Rouge General recognized a need and is uniquely qualified to provide the care needed for these patients with a complex medical situation.” said Dr. Venugopal Vatsavayi. “We know this is a stressful time for all our patients and their families, and we want to assure them that their loved one is safe and in great hands.” Patients on the new unit are at least 18 years old with a confirmed positive COVID-19 test, and with symptoms that are considered stable. Patients already in the hospital receiving care for COVID- 19 who begin to exhibit psychiatric symptoms may be admitted to the unit, but medically complex patients may need to first be treated on an acute medical unit until stable enough to be transferred. BRG’s existing behavioral health services include inpatient treatment for adults over 50 as well as outpatient treatment for ages 18 and older. BRG’s inpatient behavioral health units are located at the Mid City campus. For more informa- tion, call (225) 387-7904 or visit www.brgeneral.org . Ochsner Health Facilities Recognized with A by Leapfrog in Spring 2020 Patient Safety Grades Eleven Ochsner Health facilities, including five partner facilities, earned an A Spring 2020 Hos- pital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a designation that recognizes efforts in protect- ing patients from harm and meeting the high- est safety standards in the United States. Och- sner hospitals and partner facilities earning this honor include: • Ochsner Baptist – A Campus of Ochsner Med- ical Center • Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge • Ochsner Medical Center – Hancock • Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans • Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner • Ochsner Medical Center – Northshore • Ochsner St. Mary • Leonard A. Chabert Medical Center (Ochsner Partner) • Lafayette General Medical Center (Ochsner Partner) • St. Tammany Health System (Ochsner Partner) • Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport – Monroe Medical Center (Ochsner partner, formerly University Health Conway)