HJBR Nov/Dec 2019

Healthcare Journal of Baton Rouge I  NOV / DEC 2019 61 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com “We are excited to welcome Dr. Simmons and to add her level of expertise in caring for women with placental complications,” said Marshall St. Amant, MD, medical director for maternal-fetal medicine at Woman’s Hospital. “As the leader in high-risk pregnancy care, our practice will be even stronger with her experience and unique skills .” Simmons received a bachelor of science degree from Avila University in Kansas City, Mo. She went on to obtain a master of public health degree from Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Mo., followed by an osteopathic medicine degree from Ari- zona College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glen- dale, Ariz. She is active in several professional societies, and is currently a Junior Fellow with the Amer- ican College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists. She is also a member of the Society of Maternal- Fetal Medicine and the American Institute of Ultra- sound in Medicine. Stephanie Coleman, MD, Joins Baton Rouge General Physicians in Prairieville Stephanie Coleman, MD, joined Baton Rouge General Physicians (BRGP) as a board-certified family medicine physician. Coleman graduated from Louisiana State Uni- versity School of Medicine and completed a fam- ily medicine residency at Baton Rouge General. She is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians. A native of Ascension Parish, Coleman is serv- ing the community at BRGP – Family Medicine, located in Prairieville. healthcare providers is to empower them to make decisions that meet their own needs.” Nitrous oxide works right away and has few side effects, as it leaves a woman’s system quickly when she stops using it. It also rapidly leaves a baby’s system once the baby is born and starts breath- ing. No additional monitoring of mom or baby is required afterward, and the mom can walk and move around normally. The use of nitrous oxide was popular prior to the 1950s, but physicians moved to more power- ful anesthetics. The gas became obsolete for use in childbirth in the 1970s with epidural anesthesia coming on the scene. “Each mom, baby and pregnancy are different, so I encourage women to talk openly and honestly with their OB/GYN about a birth plan, including pain management options,” Moore added. Woman’s Hospital Expands High-Risk Pregnancy Care Woman’s Hospital is expanding the care it pro- vides to expectant mothers with high-risk pregnan- cies with the addition of a new maternal-fetal med- icine specialist. Pamela Simmons, DO, joins the Woman’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic, where she will assist in providing advanced diagnosis and fetal interventions. Woman’s maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) special- ists work with obstetricians to offer complete and specialized care for a wide spectrum of pregnancy complications. Expecting mothers may be referred to an MFM specialist if they have chronic medical conditions or other high-risk issues such as fetal abnormalities, prior pregnancy complications, pla- centa previa, or other indications that a pregnancy might warrant more comprehensive care. Simmons, who is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, completed a OB-GYN residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and recently finished a fellowship in mater- nal-fetal medicine from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Ark.  She has a special interest in the care and treat- ment of women with morbidly adherent placenta, also referred to as placenta accreta spectrum. This is a serious condition that occurs when the pla- centa grows too deeply into the uterine wall. It requires consistent monitoring and supervision throughout pregnancy and into delivery. continue to advance its clinical trials outreach throughout southeast Louisiana and in Natchez, Miss., and beyond. “Our physicians, hospital partners, and clinical research teams are one-hundred percent dedi- cated to fighting cancer and trials are an impor- tant element in bringing the highest level of care to patients,” said Hanson. “We look forward to collaborating with LSU Health New Orleans and the other collaborators through this clinical trials network to bring more clinical trials to patients closer to home.” “Mary Bird Perkins has been key partner in this clinical trials network and we anticipate that they will continue to be a leader in this area, said Augusto Ochoa, MD, director of LSU Health New Orleans Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center. “Together, the partners powering this network make an enor- mous difference in increasing access to clinical tri- als. It’s a critical need and we are excited to see the impact this grant will make over the next six years for the more than 50 percent of newly diag- nosed cancer patients in the region.” Other Gulf South Minority/Underserved NCI Community Oncology Research Program part- ners include LSU Health Shreveport and Ochsner Health System. Nitrous Oxide NowAvailable for Moms in Labor at Baton Rouge General Nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas,” is making a comeback for use in labor and delivery, and is now available at Baton Rouge General’s Birth Center. A less invasive alternative to an epidural, nitrous oxide can reduce anxiety and ease the pain of childbirth, empowering patients to help manage discomfort while staying in control. Best known for its use in dentists’ offices, the col- orless, odorless gas is used safely during all stages of labor, and after birth without harming mom or the baby. In the labor and delivery setting, nitrous oxide is used with oxygen on a demand flow, so the patient only receives what she inhales.  “Women today are really taking charge of their childbirth experiences,” said Dr. Candee Moore, an OB/GYN at BRG. “Some want a nat- ural childbirth, others want an epidural to help them through it, and now many women are start- ing to turn to nitrous oxide. And part of our job as Pamela Simmons, DO