HJBR Jul/Aug 2019

Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge I  JUL / AUG 2019 63 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com be a long and difficult journey.” When a woman receives her treatment at the Breast & GYN Cancer Pavilion, she has access to a team of support services that includes a special- ized nurse navigator, social worker, and dietitian who all work together to address the full scope issues she may face. These individuals become an integral part of a patient’s journey through cancer and often beyond. Assistance from nurse navigators can include helping to schedule appointments, referrals for financial assistance, arranging transportation for patients and their families, connecting patients to support groups, and serving as an extension for the physicians by assisting the patients with questions and resources concerning medications, treatment, side effects, etc. Morales, who will serve as a breast cancer nurse navigator, is a registered nurse with 10 years of clinical experience including time spent in the intensive care unit and outpatient cath lab. She also has worked in patient education and pre- and post-operative care. North Oaks Laboratories Earn National Accreditations for Quality North Oaks Health System’s Laboratories recently earned accreditation renewals follow- ing onsite surveys from AABB (American Associ- ation of Blood Banks) and the College of Ameri- can Pathologists (CAP). The laboratory has been CAP-accredited since 1996, and its blood bank has been AABB-accred- ited since 1974. AABB is a Maryland-based peer review assess- ment program. Accreditation through the pro- gram is voluntary and validates North Oaks’ com- mitment to the highest standards of excellence for blood transfusion activities. The AABB Accredita- tion Program contributes to the quality and safety of collecting, processing, testing, distributing and administering blood and cellular therapy prod- ucts. The basis for assessment is compliance with AABB standards, the Code of Federal Regulations and other federal guidance documents. The federal government recognizes the CAP accreditation process as being equal to or more stringent than its own inspection program. Dur- ing the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and the pro- cedure quality controls of the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine staff quali- fications, as well as the laboratory’s equipment, facilities, safety program and record, and over- all management. “Successful CAP and AABB reaccreditation val- idate the high level of service and quality pro- vided by our team,” asserts Steven Ceulemans, laboratory director for North Oaks Health System. “These accreditations affirm that we are meeting the most current regulatory standards and qual- ity guidelines.” North Oaks Health System’s Vice President of Operational Strategy Sarah Mitchell con- curs. “These accreditations place our laboratory among an elite, international group of certified health care professionals committed to consis- tently improving lives by delivering care of the utmost safety and quality,” she added. Quality and Research Recognized at Our Lady of the Lake Our Lady of the Lake, a nationally recognized academic medical center, joined with LSU Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) to highlight qual- ity and research projects on May 23. While this is Our Lady of the Lake’s fourth year hosting the event, it is the first time they have collaborated with LSUHSC.  David Classen, MD, MS, CMIO, addressed team members, physicians, and medical students on the impact of healthcare quality and patient safety on healthcare economics.  Classen is a Pascal Metrics Associate Professor of Medicine and an active consultant in infectious disease at The University of Utah School of Medi- cine. He is part of leadership in patient safety for the Institute of Medicine, National Quality Forum, and Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Classen also serves as an expert consultant for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.  Following the lecture, guests saw more than 40 quality, patient safety, and research projects on display in the Heart and Vascular Institute lobby. These projects, created by teammembers at Our Lady of the Lake and LSUHSC students, residents, and faculty, highlight quality and research efforts across the region. At noon, there were oral pre- sentations and an awards program. Babysitting Course Empowers Aspiring Babysitters to ‘BSAFE’ Baton Rouge General (BRG) brought a BSAFE Babysitting course to its Mid City and Bluebonnet campuses, empowering kids ages 12 and up with the training and real-world skills to be a safe and successful babysitter. The one-day course includes first aid and CPR certification, home safety, and childcare basics for all age groups. Taught by Tricia Poche, RN, and Kimberly Clark, NP, the course covers tips on starting a babysit- ting business. The national average for babysitting services is nearly $14 per hour, an increase of 26 percent since 2010, and two-thirds of parents are willing to pay more for a sitter with safety training, according to Care.com’s annual babysitter survey. “It’s true that in the world of smartphones and Netflix, babysitting isn’t what it used to be, but the core values of babysitting are the same – keeping the kids safe and happy,” said Poche. “Learning those life and safety skills should be the first step for those interested in babysitting.” BRG, Rouses Host Free Health Event in Ascension Baton Rouge General (BRG) teamed up with Rouses Market to offer a free health event, which included blood pressure, body mass index, and eye pressure screenings, as well as provid- ing heart-healthy recipes and nutrition educa- tion. Partners include BRG Physicians’ Oak Grove Clinic, Baton Rouge Cardiology Center, Cardiol- ogy Institute of the South, and Williamson Eye Center. The event was held May 24 at the Rouses Mar- ket on Airline Hwy. at Duplessis. Primary care phy- sicians from BRGP’s Oak Grove clinic will be on hand, and representatives from Williamson Eye Center will perform eye pressure checks. Mem- bers of the BRG Fit! team will also be on site with nutrition tips and healthy recipes. The BRG Fit! team hosts monthly grocery store tours at the Bluebonnet and Juban Crossing Rouses locations, with plans to continue expand- ing to more locations. Led by a BRG dietitian, the tours help attendees learn to choose fresh, healthy foods while also understanding nutrition labels. The dietitians share tips on how to meal plan, create a shopping list, and prepare healthy dishes with custom recipes. n