HJBR Sep/Oct 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  SEP / OCT 2021 47 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com implementation of an innovative opt-out HIV test- ing program. The announcement was made dur- ing the recent CHA annual meeting. Each year, CHA’s Achievement Citation rec- ognizes an outstanding program or service that exemplifies the ministry’s commitment to carry on Jesus’ mission of compassion and healing. The Achievement Citation is given to a CHA-member organization that is the creator and lead sponsor or partner in an original, bold, innovative program that delivers measurable results for the commu- nity served. Introduced by Our Lady of the Lake and now also adopted by other local healthcare organiza- tions, the implementation of opt-out HIV testing is a simple, stigma-reducing approach to testing for HIV that has helped dramatically lower the rate of transmission of HIV in the Capital Region over the past several years. In 2016, Baton Rouge reported the highest number of newly reported cases of AIDS in the United States. Today, Baton Rouge ranks number 10 in the nation. Each patient between the ages of 13-65 who vis- its one of Our Lady of the Lake’s six emergency rooms for any ailment is informed by their triage nurse that free HIV and hepatitis testing is rou- tinely done, and they will be tested too, unless they request to opt out. This program ensures people receive treatment earlier and reduces the spread of this deadly disease. Social workers who are part of the program help patients with a posi- tive result access HIV or AIDS treatment and apply for social services such as housing and food aid as needed. “This program has been an overwhelming suc- cess,” said Rhorer, OLOL emergency room physi- cian and principal investigator of the opt out HIV testing program. “The program greatly reduces the risk that individuals will infect others in the community by linking patients with HIV to treat- ment and social services. We help patients under- stand that HIV is a serious medical challenge, but it’s not a death sentence. We are grateful for this prestigious recognition from our friends at the Catholic Health Association — it’s a fulfill- ing achievement for every member of our team involved in this project.” Opt-out HIV testing is funded through several grants and various partners including Gilead Sciences, makers of some of the most widely used HIV drugs, the Louisiana Department of Health and the City of Baton Rouge. Woman’s Hospital GRACE ProgramReaches Milestone Helping 150 PregnantWomen Woman’s Hospital’s GRACE Program, which stands for Guiding Recovery and Creating Empowerment, is the only one of its kind in Loui- siana and one of few in the nation. It is a care coor- dination program for pregnant women with opi- oid use disorder that connects them to resources in the community to provide treatment and sup- port. Women enrolled in this program receive sup- port throughout pregnancy and for six weeks after giving birth. Originally funded by a grant from the United Health Foundation, GRACE continues to evolve and grow, recently enrolling its 150th participant. “What started out as a desire to help women suffering from opioid misuse has expanded to a program that has impacted more than 300 lives when you consider the moms and their babies,” said Cheri Johnson, Woman’s Hospital chief nurs- ing officer. “There is a real need in our commu- nity for programs to combat opioid addiction, and we’re proud to be a resource for pregnant women needing support.” Women are often afraid to seek help for addic- tion during pregnancy, but GRACE provides non- judgmental, compassionate care coordination to those struggling with opioid addiction. “A lot of people don’t understand that these women don’t want to choose this, that addiction is a day-to-day battle, and they want better for themselves and their babies; they want to stop,” said Kristen Phillips, RN, GRACE Program nurse case manager. GRACE is open to any pregnant woman in the Baton Rouge area seeking treatment, regardless of where she is receiving prenatal care. All phone calls are private and confidential. For more information on the GRACE Program or how to refer a woman in need, call (225) 924- 8574 or visit womans.org/grace. Baton Rouge General Opens Newly Expanded Regional Burn Center Baton Rouge General’s Regional Burn Center celebrated the completion of a major expansion and renovation with a ribbon cutting July 15. The only verified burn center in the region and the first in the state, BRG’s Regional Burn Cen- ter treats more than 4,000 patients from all over the Gulf Coast each year. Renovation work con- tinued despite the pandemic in 2020, a year that also marked the Regional Burn Center’s 50th anniversary. BRG’s new Regional Burn Center features state- of-the-art inpatient suites and more beds, a roof- top therapy garden offering burn survivors a safe and comfortable way to ease back into the world around them, and a pediatric playroom. In addi- tion, a newly renovated outpatient rehab gym and treatment center gives burn patients the space they need to continue their recovery after discharge. “Burn care is incredibly complex, beginning at the time of injury and lasting through treatment, recovery and ongoing survivorship, like support groups and our summer camp for pediatric burn survivors,” said Tracee Short, MD, burn surgeon and medical director of BRG’s Regional Burn Cen- ter. “While the majority of our patients are adults, about 800 children are burned and treated at BRG each year. And some of them are in the hospital a long time — 45 days is not unheard of.” As a verified burn center, BRG is a leader in burn care and clinical research. The Regional Burn Cen- ter was one of 10 centers nationwide to participate in a trial study of StrataGraft, a sheet of living skin designed to replace a patient’s skin if injured. The regenerative skin tissue changes the way burns are managed, while also minimizing the pain and recovery for burn patients. BRG was also the site of an expanded access study of StrataGraft, using the skin tissue on deeper wounds. BRG was also one of two sites nationwide par- ticipating in a clinical trial of a gel-based dressing that helps remove dead tissue and was one of the first in the country to evaluate Kerecis, a fish skin product that heals human tissue damage such as burn wounds. As Baton Rouge was emerging as an industrial hub, so was the need for specialized burn care, and on July 14, 1970, the Regional Burn Center opened its doors, only the 14th in the country to do so. Since then, its team has cared for pediatric and adult burn patients, treating nearly 90% of all burns in the Baton Rouge region each year as well