HJBR Jul/Aug 2019

32 JUL / AUG 2019  I  Healthcare Journal of baton rouge   Healthcare Briefs are closely related to thorough evaluation and close cooperation between multiple disciplines, and that’s why we continue to host this impor- tant conference for our international attendees, for the past 20 years.” The conference sessions offered education cov- ering all fields of peripheral interventions—from beginner to advanced— including carotid, renal, femoral and below-the-knee procedures, as well as stent grafting for aortic dissections, abdomi- nal aortic aneurysms, thoracic aortic aneurysms, and deep venous interventions. The confer- ence stressed an importance on lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) and critical limb ischemia (CLI) to address the need for amputa- tion prevention techniques, with a focus on gen- der and racial disparities. With cardiovascular disease being the number one cause of death in women, and Louisiana higher than the U.S. average, this topic plays a role in today’s current healthcare debate. Physicians of all specialties, as well as nurses, medical staff, and administrators, have joined NCVH with a common goal of improving patient care. The NCVH Fellows Course for physicians- in-training represented an opportunity for PAD experts to educate fellows on the importance of diagnosing and treating PAD. Additionally, the Business of Peripheral Interventions Course dis- cussed the comprehensive financial and eco- nomic impact of amputations, peripheral inter- ventions, reimbursements, and other topics. One of the unique aspects of the conference is that it transmitted more than 30 live and com- plex cases performed by some of the world’s best interventionists from locations across the globe, including Germany, Italy, and others. The confer- ence also featured hands-on learning labs, PAD forums with leaders of the industry, a critical limb summit, venous disease forums, sessions explor- ing the new frontier of vascular interventions, a healthcare professional forum, and podiatry and wound care sessions. There was also a general session on the gender and racial disparities in treating PAD. Rock for Spots Event Benefits Skin Cancer Treatment, Early Detection Local doctors put down their stethoscopes to Safe Sleep Pilot Program Targets Infant Mortality Rates in North Louisiana Many new mothers in North Louisiana are receiving Safe Sleep Survival Kits as part of an innovative pilot program designed to target the high rate of infant mortality in that region. The mortality rate for infants ages zero to one in Louisiana is 7.1, compared to a national average of 5.8, according to the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention (CDC). The Louisiana Depart- ment of Health (LDH) Maternal and Child Health Profile indicates that the Shreveport and Monroe regions have the second and third highest rates, respectively, of infant deaths, with the majority of those deaths occurring in the sleep environment. To address this serious issue in these two regions, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, a Healthy Louisiana Medicaid health plan, is part- nering with Crib for Kids, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to providing new parents with the right tools and resources to ensure safe sleep environments for their babies. Louisiana Healthcare Connections is distribut- ing Cribs for Kids’ Safe Sleep Survival Kits to its members who have completed a Notification of Pregnancy form, and who have a due date within the program’s designated timeframe. Each Safe Sleep Survival Kit will include a Cribette Playard, Playard Safe Sleep message sheet, Halo Sleep- sack, Philips Soothie Pacifier, Charlie’s Kids Book, Safe Sleep DVD, Safe Sleep educational materi- als, and an ABC Magnet. “Cribs for Kids is proud to be celebrating 20 years of providing safe sleep education, safety- approved cribs, and support services to families in need throughout the country. We are excited to partner with Louisiana Healthcare Connections on this life-saving initiative to reduce infant mortality rates in Louisiana,” said Judy Bannon, executive director and founder of Cribs for Kids. “Sleep-related incidents are the leading causes of death in babies up to 12 months in age. Too often, these deaths could be prevented by ensur- ing  the baby has a safe place to sleep and that parents know the recommended guidelines,” said Dr. Stewart Gordon, pediatrician and chief medi- cal officer for Louisiana Healthcare Connections. “Education is key to keeping babies safe, and Cribs for Kids shares our commitment to making sure new parents and all caregivers of children less than 12 months old have this education. We are pleased to partner with Cribs for Kids to help reduce sleep-related deaths for Louisiana.” Louisiana Healthcare Connections members who are pregnant, who have submitted a Notifi- cation of Pregnancy to the health plan, and who reside in the following parishes are eligible to receive a kit: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, DeSoto, East Carroll, Franklin, Jack- son, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, Richland, Sabine, Tensas, Union, Webster, and West Carroll. Dr. CraigWalker Gathers International Team for Cardiovascular Care Conference Dr. Craig Walker, interventional cardiologist, president and founder of Cardiovascular Insti- tute of the South (CIS) and the New Cardiovas- cular Horizons (NCVH) conference, celebrated the conference’s 20th anniversary during this year’s gathering. NCVH is an international, multispe- cialty, educational conference which highlights excellence in vascular medicine and intervention. The conference originated from a desire to improve healthcare for patients with periph- eral vascular disorders and to establish the link between these disorders and overall cardiovas- cular mortality. From inception, the message of NCVH is that peripheral vascular disorders are extremely prevalent and deserve far more atten- tion than they have historically received. Since its beginning, NCVH has hosted conferences in Latin America (Colombia, Costa Rica), Asia (Bei- jing, China), and throughout the United States (Mobile, Birmingham, San Antonio, Memphis, Atlantic City, Detroit, Tucson, Redding, St. Louis, Miami, Orlando, Hattiesburg, Philadelphia, Aus- tin, Minneapolis, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreve- port, Salt Lake City). “Improving outcomes requires better pro- vider and patient awareness, effective and pre- cise diagnosis, state-of-the art medical therapy with longitudinal follow-up, and implementation of advanced interventional and surgical therapy. It also requires better wound healing, rehabilita- tion, and addressing the high-risk of cardiovas- cular death predominately related to myocardial and cerebral ischemia,” said Walker. “Outcomes