HJBR Nov/Dec 2021

Torcson We are reviewing our telephone and internet redundancies to determine ways to back up our backup plans. We also are plan- ning on how to stockpile more resources to be less dependent on just-in-time provision of supplies. Lorio In addition to the lessons mentioned above, increased frequency and severity of storms hitting our state is something that we are going to have to be prepared for, especially with coastal erosion continuing to impact the community. What changes would you like to see at the local or state level to address public health issues both ahead of and following these types of events? Hart Sadly, we have all experienced many disruptive and catastrophic weather events, so our leaders know how to manage those. ROBERT HART, MD, FAAP, FACP Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Ochsner Health As executive vice president and chief medical officer, Hart is responsible for overseeing all aspects of physician recruiting and performance, quality improvement and clinical operations within Ochsner’s owned and managed hospitals, over 100 urgent care and health centers and its group practice of more than 1,300 employed physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. Hart is board- certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and has been on the staff of Ochsner Clinic Foundation since 1994. JEFFREY M. ELDER, MD, FAAEM, FACEP, FAEMS Medical Director, Emergency Management, LCMC Health Elder is a clinical associate professor of medicine in the LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans Section of Emergency Medicine and serves as the co-director of the Division of EMS and Disaster Medicine. He is the medical director for emergency management at LCMC Health. He is the EMS medical director for St. Tammany Fire District No. 1 (Slidell Fire), serves as the chairman of the Louisiana Emergency Medical Services Certification Commission and as a member of the board of directors for the National Registry of EMTs. Elder previously served as the director and medical director of New Orleans EMS and chief medical officer for the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. PATRICK TORCSON, MD Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, St. Tammany Health System Torcson has been a member of the STHS medical staff for more than 20 years. While a full-time clinician, he held numerous medical staff leadership roles including chief of the medical staff, chair of medical care services and chairman of credentials. Torcson was a founding member of the STHS Department of Hospital Medicine and served as the medical director for the hospitalist program and vice president/chief medical integration officer before becoming CMO. ANDREA LORIO, DO Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialist, Terrebonne General Health System Lorio is a pulmonary medicine/critical care specialist who practices at Terrebonne General Pulmonology Care in Houma. Lorio joined the Terrebonne General medical staff in 2016. She has played a vital role in managing and treating COVID patients throughout the pandemic and the Delta variant surge. She remained on-site for Hurricane Ida and assisted with the treatment and evacuation of patients due to catastrophic damages, and she played an active role in the health system Hurricane Ida recovery team and provided emergency services days after the storm. Doing so in the midst of a pandemic was extremely challenging but also kept focus on people’s health and well-being. We were able to stand up COVID testing and vac- cines shortly after the storm. We brought a mobile unit into hard-hit areas of the state to provide care and resources to those communities. As we’ve seen in Southwest Louisiana after Hurricane Laura, the recovery doesn’t end when the power is restored. More than a year later, we’re still seeing those commu- nity members rebuild. And when your basic needs (like housing) aren’t in place, things like healthcare screenings and vaccinations can seem like a luxury rather than a neces- sity. It will be important for all of our lead- ers to continue focusing on helping areas like Grand Isle, Houma and LaPlace rebuild and cope with the loss of their homes, busi- nesses and communities. We just keep learning every time. What did we miss this time? What does the next storm look like? How can we manage it bet- ter? It’s the preparation, keeping everything going during the storm, and then it’s how quickly you can move back into those areas and get every aspect of the facility and the care back online. Torcson Healthcare payment models based on fee-for-service reimbursement are a dis- advantage to hospitals and physicians dur- ing crises like pandemics and hurricanes. Hopefully, this will be an opportunity for policymakers to consider true healthcare payment reform that incentivizes quality care, population health and efficient use of resources. Lorio We had open communication and col- laboration between local and state-level officials before, during and after the storms and no major public health issues. n HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  NOV / DEC 2021 17