HJBR Mar/Apr 2020

DIALOGUE 14 MAR / APR 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   “When I am approached at local gatherings with positive comments on the quality of our services, it is a great feeling. Most of our patients have lived in our community for many years, and know each of our employees well.” equipment to determine the best treat- ment options for stroke patients. Patients who receive medical intervention within 60 minutes of experiencing stroke symp- toms have the best chance for survival.This program has undoubtedly saved patient lives and prevented permanent damage for many patients. Ochsner also provides telepsychiatry services. Providing psychi- atric services in the emergency depart- ment decreases long patient stays, and is a must for rural hospitals. PCGH began using telepharmacy services through an arrangement with Baton Rouge General for the verification of pharmacy orders on nights and weekends. This services allows rural hospitals to have continuous phar- macy services without having the need for a pharmacist on site 24/7. Editor What do you see as the biggest threat to rural hospitals? Olinde  Rural hospital closures have been in the news quite a bit lately. More than one hundred rural hospitals have closed nationwide since 2010. Many hospitals struggle to recognize revenue sufficient to fund their operations. In addition, rural hospitals, on average, treat patients who are both older and poorer than urban hos- pitals, and these same hospitals treat more uninsured patients. Revenue shortfalls will always be a threat to our facility. We are fortunate that PCGH obtained Critical Access Hospital designation in 2004. This program allows for increased Medicare reimbursements to rural hospi- tals, and improves access to healthcare by keeping essential services in rural com- munities. In addition, Louisiana passed the Rural Hospital Preservation Act in the 1990s. This vital legislation ensures ade- quate reimbursement to our rural hospi- tals, and protects us fromdevastating bud- get cuts. Editor What is the most rewarding compo- nent of your work? Olinde  Working in a rural hospital is rewarding in that you are able to see, first- hand, the benefits that are provided to the community. When I amapproached at local gatherings with positive comments on the quality of our services, it is a great feeling. Most of our patients have lived in our com- munity for many years, and know each of our employees well. Our workers always do their best to make patients feel respected and cared for, and we truly have a culture of cooperation and compassion through- out our hospital. Editor What programs do you offer to improve the overall health in Pointe Coupee? Olinde  Recognizing the high incidence of diabetes in our parish, we are providing a no cost service to people with diabetes who may not otherwise have access to this type of care. The positive impact for those who receive diabetes education is that they understand the disease process, adhere to treatment, manage their diabetes, reduce the risk for complications, optimize their health outcomes, and improve their quality of life. The education is provided by a Certi- fied Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), who is a health professional that possesses comprehensive knowledge of, and experience in, diabetes prevention, predia- betes, and diabetes management. Addition- ally, studies show that people who receive diabetes education are more likely to use primary care and preventative services, and have lower health costs. Tackling the issue of obesity in our par- ish has always be an important objective. Unfortunately, many of our residents lack the funds to afford weight reduction pro- grams. In 2016, we became partners with Weight Watchers. PCGH covers a portion of the cost of the program for residents of Pointe Coupee Parish. We have seen a very impressive record of weight loss among par- ticipants, and our physicians are pleased with the positive results they see. n