HJBR Jul/Aug 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  JUL / AUG 2022 63 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com tendinopathy patients who’ve tried other forms of treatment without relief and don’t want sur- gery,” Bradley said. “The TenJet technology has been studied thoroughly. It works, and it provides lasting relief.” Woman’s Hospital Awarded for Commitment to Breastfeeding Education, Support Woman’s Hospital has earned recognition as a Gift Shining Star designated hospital, which is the highest designation within The Gift program. The Gift is a quality improvement initiative and hospi- tal designation program through the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health. Louisiana birthing facil- ities that achieve rigorous standards of perfor- mance in outcomes and participation as defined by the program are eligible for either Gift or Gift Shining Star designation. The Gift initiative, led by the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC), is designed to increase breastfeeding rates and hospital success by improving the qual- ity of maternity services and enhancing patient- centered care. Birthing facilities are reviewed for their perfor- mance on specific practices for birthing persons and policies that are aligned with the evidence- based, internationally recognized Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding from the WHO/UNI- CEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. Addition- ally, these facilities are assessed for their degree of participation in quality improvement activities and implementation of available patient educa- tion materials. Policy development, education of staff, patient education and provision of discharge resources for breastfeeding persons are key com- ponents of the program. “We know that breastfeeding has incredi- ble benefits for both mom and baby, so it is our duty to educate families and provide them with the resources they need to be successful in their breastfeeding journey,” said Dana Vidrine, direc- tor of Mother/Baby at Woman’s. “Especially in times like we’re seeing now with the current for- mula shortage, it’s important that women are supported and empowered in their breastfeed- ing efforts.” Woman’s offers many resources to educate par- ents on the benefits of breastfeeding as well as ongoing breastfeeding support. Board-certified lactation consultants and certified lactation coun- selors visit patients throughout their hospital stays. Nurses also help families through prenatal classes, post-discharge consultations and a 24/7 “Warm- line” to answer breastfeeding questions. Wom- an’s Pregnancy App also features a breastfeeding tracker to help families monitor and log feedings to help improve their success. Additionally, Woman’s has designated lacta- tion consultants and counselors for parents of NICU patients. These consultants advise patients on how to provide breast milk, whether through pumping or breastfeeding, to help their babies grow stronger and healthier. Woman’s received its first Gift designation in 2011 and is currently one of 42 designated facil- ities and one of 17 as a Gift Shining Star desig- nated facility. Rene Ragas JoinsWoman’s as CEO Rene Ragas, FACHE, is the new president and chief executive officer of Woman’s Hospital. The former Northshore Market president for Francis- can Missionaries of Our Lady (FMOL) Health Sys- tem and CEO of Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa is a Louisiana native with more than two decades of experience as a healthcare exec- utive in the Baton Rouge area and surrounding regions. In addition to leading operations for Our Lady of the Angels Hospital, he also oversaw Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital in Slidell and Our Lady of the Lake Pontchartrain Surgery Center in Man- deville, while also providing oversight to a network of more than 60 primary care and specialty physi- cians in the Northshore region. Ragas, who has worked in numerous health- care roles the last 25 years, began his career at the bedside as a patient care tech. He credits this early experience with helping him to always keep the patient and their needs at the center of every- thing he does and every decision he makes. The life-long south Louisiana resident also has his own personal ties to the organization. All three of his children were born at Woman’s, and this is where he began his most important job: father. “I have admired the passion and commitment of Woman’s to its mission for many years as a member of the local healthcare community, but the personal connection I have from experienc- ing the exceptional care that was provided to my wife and our children is incredibly meaningful to me,” said Ragas. “I’m excited to be joining the team today and to help solidify the legacy that has been established at Woman’s and carry it well into the future.” A fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, Ragas earned a degree in biology from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1996 prior to completing a master’s degree in health- care administration at Tulane University in 2000. He is a member of the Louisiana Hospital Associ- ation board of directors, Vizient Southern States, Northshore Business Council, and the St. Tam- many Chamber of Commerce. He is a gradu- ate of Leadership Baton Rouge and Leadership Louisiana. Ochsner Baton Rouge Announces NewRegional Leaders Ochsner Baton Rouge recently welcomed sev- eral new leaders to the region. They include: Stephen Pepitone, Vice President, Patient Flow Center & Clinical Services Pepitone graduated from Louisiana State Uni- versity with a bachelor’s degree in business admin- istration and earned an MBA in hospital admin- istration from Southeastern Louisiana University. He joined Ochsner Health in January 2011, and held roles of increasing responsibility, including manager of financial operations at OMC – New Orleans and director of finance for System Part- nerships & Integration. In 2017, he transitioned to the assistant vice president – hospital operations role at OMC – New Orleans and was responsi- ble for the strategic growth and execution of all activities related to patient throughput. He most recently oversaw the opening and operations of Ochsner Hospital for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. Pepitone begins his new role in Baton Rouge in July. He will also serve as administrator for The Grove Surgical Hospital. Coty Rome, Interim Chief Financial Officer Rome assumed the role of interim CFO for the Baton Rouge region effective May 1. He joined Ochsner Health in 2008 and has held multiple