HJBR Jul/Aug 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  JUL / AUG 2022 35 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com oncology, surgical oncology, gynecologic oncol- ogy, breast oncology, thoracic surgical oncology, cutaneous (skin) surgical oncology, and urologic oncology. The additional patient rooms will pro- vide more space for existing services as well as rheumatology, colorectal surgery, breast surgery, general surgery, and head and neck oncology. Timeline for completion is spring of 2023. “This latest expansion provides an exceptional level of convenience for cancer patients at Och- sner,” says Chuck Daigle, CEO, Ochsner Baton Rouge. “The Ochsner team will have more space for patient treatment, and we’ll deliver the latest cancer treatment innovations right here in Baton Rouge.” LDHOffice of Behavioral Health Expands Opioid Treatment Services Continuing its commitment to addressing the opioid epidemic, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) will open two new Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) in Houma and Bogalusa, bring- ing the overall number of Louisiana OTPs to 12. The evidence-based behavioral health treatment facilities will increase access to treatment services for 400 to 1,200 individuals per month. LDH’s Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) has selected Behavioral Health Group to operate the new facilities following a competitive open call for applications and an exhaustive review of provider qualifications. OTPs are authorized to dispense methadone as part of a clinically-monitored Med- ication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), consid- ered the gold standard for treatment of opioid use disorder. The facilities are expected to open in June. They are located at: • 1812 Prospect Blvd., Houma (Region 3: South-Central Louisiana) • 412 Ave. B, Bogalusa (Region 9: Florida Parishes) “The opioid epidemic has plagued Louisi- ana with incalculable losses for too many years, not only in the lives of those we have lost, but also the fractured relationships with family and friends,” said LDH Secretary Courtney N. Phil- lips, PhD. “About one quarter of Louisiana resi- dents receiving Medication for Opioid Use Disor- der live beyond a 35-mile radius from an Opioid Treatment Provider. This expansion of treatment services is one of three goals LDH has identified in our commitment to improving access to sub- stance use disorder treatment and the quality of care as part of our Fiscal Year 2022 Business Plan.” “We know opioid overdose death rates are escalating rapidly and impacting our friends, loved ones, family, and community like never before in Louisiana and across the nation. The death rate in Washington Parish alone is devas- tating,” said State Rep. Malinda White, I-Boga- lusa. “We know that access to treatment services is imperative if we want to reduce mortality rates in Louisiana. Opening two new Opioid Treatment Programs in the hardest-hit areas of the state will certainly help curtail Louisiana’s overdose death rate by offering an opportunity for persons suffer- ing from substance use disorders to get the help they need, when they need it.” There has been a steady increase in the num- ber of fatal overdoses involving opioids in Louisi- ana. According to the most recent data from the Louisiana Opioid Data and Surveillance System (LODSS), which collects data certified by coro- ners, opioid-involved deaths increased by 67%, from 588 in 2019 to 982 in 2020. From 2012 to 2020, opioid-involved deaths increased 514%. Over the past year, LDH identified a significant need to expand OTPs in regions that have expe- rienced severe challenges throughout the opi- oid epidemic. LDH chose the new OTP locations predicated on areas most in need, based on data collected from LODSS. LODSS was made possible through a partner- ship between the LDH Office of Public Health, Bureau of Health Informatics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “The South Central Louisiana Human Ser- vices Authority (SCLHSA) along with the Loui- siana Department of Health – Office of Behav- ioral Health understand that opioid addiction is a complex medical issue and are dedicated to providing effective evidence-based treatment options for opioid addiction,” SCLHSA Execu- tive Director Lisa Schilling said. “SCLHSA is proud to welcome Behavioral Health Group to Region 3 in Houma to dispense methadone as part of a clinically-monitored Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). This program will be a perfect complement to our Office Based Opioid Treat- ment (OBOT) Programs located at all four of the SCLHSA clinics located in Houma, LaPlace, Mor- gan City and Raceland.” To find assistance in treating opioid use dis- order, visit opioidhelpla.org or ldh.la.gov/ AddictiveDisorders. Mansoor Pediatrics Receives Physician Summit Award Recognized for clinical excellence and commit- ment to caring for children in the central Loui- siana communities they serve, Mansoor Pediat- rics was recently awarded the Physician Summit Award by Louisiana Healthcare Connections. The Physician Summit Award is given annually