HJBR Jan/Feb 2020

60 JAN / FEB 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Hospital Rounds Trauma Center that houses a Primary Stroke Cen- ter of Excellence, a nationally recognized gradu- ate medical education program, Mary Bird Per- kins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center, an accredited Heart & Vascular Institute, and a state- of-the-art Neuro Critical Care unit. Mary Bird Perkins COO, Physics Chief Appointed to Prestigious Medicare Committee Jonas Fontenot, PhD, MS, chief operating offi- cer and chief of physics at Mary Bird Perkins Can- cer Center, has been appointed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to serve on the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC). The MEDCAC was established by CMS to pro- vide independent guidance and expert advice on specific clinical topics, including those that are highly complex or have a major potential impact on the health of beneficiaries or the Medicare program itself. The MEDCAC reviews and eval- uates medical literature and technology assess- ments to determine reasonable and necessary coverage of medical services and technology. The MEDCAC is also used to supplement CMS’ inter- nal expertise and to allow an unbiased and cur- rent deliberation of state-of-the-art technology and science. “Dr. Fontenot brings his wide-ranging experi- ence, knowledge and collaborative abilities to this prestigious group,” said Todd Stevens, president and chief executive officer, Mary Bird Perkins Can- cer Center. “Less than 100 experts in various fields of healthcare are selected from around the coun- try to serve on MEDCAC, and are valued for their background, education, and expertise in a wide variety of scientific, clinical, and other related fields. Notable leaders like Dr. Fontenot are key to Mary Bird’s mission and reflect the organiza- tion’s constant pursuit of advancing cancer care and creating innovative solutions.” Fontenot is board-certified in therapeutic medical physics and was the first medical physi- cist selected by the American Society for Radia- tion Oncology (ASTRO) to complete the Health Policy Fellowship program, which trains lead- ers in oncology-related healthy policy and pay- ment reform issues. He continues to serve on the ASTRO Health Policy council, and presently serves as chair of the professional economics com- mittee of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. A leader of Mary Bird Perkins’ nationally acclaimed medical physics partnership with Loui- siana State University, Fontenot also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the LSU Department of Physics and Astronomy. Dr. James Craven Named Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group President James Craven, MD, has been named president of Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group, one of Louisiana’s largest medical groups with more than 500 practicing physicians serving Baton Rouge and the surrounding regions. “Dr. Craven’s focus on quality and innovation makes him an incredible leader for Our Lady of the Lake and an asset for healthcare delivery in the Baton Rouge community,” said K. Scott Wester, president and CEO of Our Lady of the Lake. “He has earned the respect of his colleagues by build- ing relationships throughout Baton Rouge and the State of Louisiana. Today’s patient expects the partnership of his or her physician at the most per- sonal and individual level. Dr. Craven will be guid- ing our physicians to bring the most value and clinical excellence as Our Lady of the Lake serves the families in our community.” A native of New Orleans, Craven has been a practicing vascular surgeon since 2003, previously working in private practice in the New Orleans area, and then with CVT Surgical Center in Baton Rouge before joining Our Lady of the Lake Phy- sician Group Vascular Surgery. Craven received a medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport. He went on to complete a residency in general surgery and a fellowship in vascular surgery from the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery in vascular surgery. Craven is currently working toward his Executive Master of Business Administration from Brandeis University in Boston. Craven previously served as associate chief medical officer and medical director of surgical services at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Med- ical Center. He is a member of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Board of Directors and also serves as a clinical associate professor of surgery at the LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans. Woman’s Hospital Adds LaToya Sampson as Breast &GYN Cancer Nurse Navigator LaToya Sampson, RN, BSN, ONC, has joined the support services team at the Breast & GYN Cancer Pavilion, where she will serve as a nurse navigator for both breast and gynecologic cancer patients. As a leader in providing multidisciplinary sup- port to cancer patients, Woman’s Hospital con- nects patients with a specialized nurse navigator to assist them with the overwhelming expectations and decisions women face during their entire can- cer journey from diagnosis to survivorship. Assis- tance from nurse navigators can include helping to schedule appointments, arranging transpor- tation for patients and their families, connecting patients to support groups and answering ques- tions about medications, treatment, side effects, etc. Sampson has been an oncology nurse at Wom- an’s Hospital since 2015 in addition to serving as a Jonas Fontenot, PhD, MS James Craven, MD