HJBR May/Jun 2020

32 MAY / JUN 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs Hospital.” More information is available on the brhealth- district.com website. GEE Appointed CEO of Health Care Services Division Dr. Larry Hollier, chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans, has appointed Rebekah Gee, MD, MPH, CEO of the Health Care Services Division. Gee served as Louisiana’s Secretary of Health, a governor’s cabinet appointment, during Gov. John Bel Edwards’ first term. She oversaw a suc- cessful implementation of Medicaid expansion, and led efforts to improve health outcomes, health care quality, and reduce maternal mortal- ity. She also spearheaded an innovative first in the nation’s approach to drug pricing that has led to unlimited access to a cure for Hepatitis C patients in Medicaid or correctional facilities. Gee also retains her faculty joint appointments in the School of Medicine and School of Public Health. She will focus on an array of initiatives that broaden the impact of work being done by LSU Health in the areas of community health, health care quality, medical care, and research. She will also lead efforts to apply technology and digital health solutions to traditional public health pro- grams and strategies. “Dr. Gee is a visionary leader who is helping to not only to define health care challenges but improve outcomes,” noted Hollier. “She recog- nizes that LSU has the opportunity to improve health by partnering with both rural and urban communities throughout the state. “LSU Health has always been the beating heart of clinical training and care for underserved popu- lations for the state,” added Gee. “As Louisiana’s flagship health university, it has a unique opportu- nity to lead the path forward toward better health for our state.” Louisiana Department of Health Recognized for Black Women and PrEP Campaign The Louisiana Department of Health is being recognized for staff efforts to make more at-risk patients aware of the HIV prevention drug known as PrEP. African-American women have ranked the sec- ond-highest for new HIV diagnoses in Louisiana, after gay black men. As the USA Today Network noted in a Feb. 7 story, LDH prevention manager Jacky Bickham helped launch an ambassador program in March of 2019 so that black women could be empowered to begin meaningful con- versations with their partners and health provid- ers about their sexual health. “She identified women in New Orleans, Lafay- ette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge from different economic backgrounds who were already engaging with other black women to share information about PrEP,” wrote USA Today Network reporter Maria Clark. “Louisiana, which was among the top 10 states with the highest HIV rates in the U.S. in 2017, has seen a steady decline in recent years. In 2018, only 989 new cases were diagnosed, according to Louisiana’s Department of Health.” After women have been informed and have learned that PrEP can be an option for them as a part of their sexual health, then they can talk to their provider about getting on PrEP. In 2017, 78 percent of new HIV diagnoses among women were black. Of those, half were under 35 years of age. The Black Women and PrEP campaign is consistent with the previously announced Department Equity Plan, which seeks to reduce health disparities among vulnerable communities. In addition to the Black Women and PrEP awareness program Bickham launched, the Lou- isiana Department of Health manages a TelePrEP program for people who have difficulty finding a PrEP provider, cannot travel for regular follow-up medical visits, or who would prefer not to access PrEP in a clinical setting. The PrEP provider can be reached over the phone, on a laptop, or tab- let, and labs are required for TelePrEP to ensure patient safety. The prescriptions are mailed to patients to their address of choice. Emergency Rules Enacted by LA State Board of Nursing Respond to COVID-19 The Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) passed two emergency rules in response to COVID-19. The rules extend and/or reinstate expired temporary permits of registered nurse (RN) applicants and allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) practicing with a previously approved collaborating physician to extend their practice to new sites not previously reported to the board during the public health emergency. LSBN Chief Executive Officer Karen Lyon, PhD, said, “The actions taken today will increase the number of RNs and Advanced Practice RNs avail- able to take care of all Louisianans during this current health crisis. It will allow more ‘boots on the ground,’ to coin a military phrase, to provide the urgent nursing care needed by our families, friends, and neighbors at this time. LSBN will con- tinue to work with our colleagues at the Louisi- ana Department of Health and in the Governor’s office to insure safe and competent practitioners are available to care for all patients in our health- care system.” The first emergency rule amended LAC 46:XLVII.3329 relating to temporary permits issued to RN applicants. Under the emergency provisions, the LSBN may extend the expiration of a temporary permit or reinstate an expired per- mit for nursing graduates who have not taken the NCLEX-RN provided that the meets the three stipulations identified in the emergency rule. Any permit extended or reinstated in accordance with the public health emergency exception shall be valid for 120 days and may be extended for addi- tional 90-day increments. The LSBN is notifying RN Applicants regard- ing the extension/reinstatement of their tempo- rary permits via e-mail. Temporary permits may be verified on the LSBN’s website using the License Verification Portal at https://lsbn.boardsofnurs - ing.org/licenselookup. The second emergency rule amended LAC 46:XLVII.4513 with respect to authorized prac- tice of APRNs. Under the emergency provisions, APRNs are allowed to work at sites not previously reported to the LSBN in collaboration with phy- sicians in which there is a current collaborative practice agreement in place. State agencies are given the authority through La. R.S. 49:953(B) to adopt temporary rules to cre- ate emergency provisions to prevent an imminent peril to the public health, safety, or welfare. The emergency actions taken will increase the num- ber of RNs and Advanced Practice RNs available to take care of all Louisianans during this current health crisis. n