HJBR Mar/Apr 2021

42 MAR / APR 2021  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs the American Academy of Family Physicians and Louisiana Association of Family Physicians. Ewen, a certified family nurse practitioner, received a diploma in nursing from Baton Rouge General’s School of Nursing, a Bachelor of Sci- ence in Nursing from Loyola University and a Mas- ter of Science in Nursing from Southeastern Loui- siana University. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners. CIS Uses CardioMEMS System for Heart Failure Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) inter- ventional cardiologist, Niksad Abraham, MD, recently used the CardioMEMS HF System to treat heart failure. The CardioMEMS HF System uses a miniatur- ized, wireless monitoring sensor, no larger than the size of a small paperclip, which is implanted through a minimally-invasive procedure directly into the patient’s pulmonary artery to directly measure pressure. While at home, patients lay on a special pillow for about 18 seconds to wire- lessly take a pressure reading. Data from the sen- sor is collected through radiofrequency to the pil- low’s antenna and is sent securely to the physician through the patient management website. A phy- sician can then proactively adjust medications and treatment plans, if needed, and ultimately reduce the chance of hospitalization. For the 5.7 million people who suffer from heart failure in the U.S., changes in the blood pressure through the pulmonary artery can indicate wors- ening heart failure — even before symptoms such as shortness of breath or weight gain are reported. Abbott’s CardioMEMS HF System rede- fines this traditional approach to care by allowing physicians to remotely monitor pressure changes before the patient’s symptoms progress. This per- sonalized approach allows physicians to more proactively manage a patient’s care while reduc- ing the likelihood of hospitalization. Benefits of the CardioMEMS HF System include: • Your doctor and care team can use the sen- sor information without you needing to visit the clinic or hospital; • It is simple and easy to use; • The sensor does not need a battery or replaceable parts. “This is a breakthrough for heart failure patients,” explained Abraham. “It allows us to more closely monitor our patients with heart fail- ure, bringing them better quality of life while reducing their likelihood of hospitalization.” KimHood Joins Louisiana Department of Health as Assistant Secretary of Public Health Kimberly L. Hood, JD, MPH, is joining the Loui- siana Department of Health as the assistant secre- tary for the Office of Public Health effective Feb. 8. Hood is an attorney and public health profes- sional whose work focuses on ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare by reducing dispari- ties and addressing social determinants of health. Hood most recently served as the statewide COVID-19 community testing coordinator, devel- oping the program’s strategy and overseeing its implementation. Also, she was responsible for managing the Hepatitis C Elimination Program, including the nation’s first statewide subscription- based drug pricing model, which provides unre- stricted access to curative medication for Louisi- ana Medicaid beneficiaries and the incarcerated. The Office of Public Health (OPH), through the work of its more than 1,100 employees, is respon- sible for protecting and promoting the health and wellness of all individuals and communities in Louisiana. OPH accomplishes this through outreach and education; promotion of healthy lifestyles; preventing disease and injury; enforc- ing regulations that protect the environment; maintaining vital records; collecting, analyzing, and reporting clinical, environmental, and pub- lic health information; and assuring preventive services to uninsured and underserved individu- als and families. As the leader in directing emer- gency disaster operations, OPH works to ensure readiness for hurricanes, disasters, and other threats to Louisiana in conjunction with other state departments. OPH employs science-based best practices to ensure that all people in Louisiana can grow, develop and live in an environment that promotes the physical, behavioral and social health of indi- viduals, families and communities. As custodi- ans of the public’s trust and money, OPH strives to stay connected to what is most important to improve the health of individuals and families. Prior to joining the department, Hood was the chief operations and compliance officer at a local federally qualified health center and HIV non-profit. Hood received a BA and JD from Louisiana State University and an Executive Master of Pub- lic Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. n Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) interventional cardiologist, Niksad Abraham, MD, recently used the CardioMEMS HF System to treat heart failure. Pictured at the procedure are Natalie Cantrelle (Abbott rep), Wyatt Stewart, RT, Abraham, Ian Fitzgerald, RN, Ben Schuler, RN, and Chad Clement, RT.