HJBR May/Jun 2022

64 MAY / JUN 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Hospital Rounds of more than 60 primary care and specialty physi- cians in the Northshore region. He also provided direct executive leadership for the implementa- tion of the Epic electronic health record system in his market. Ragas, who also has a deeply personal connec- tion to Woman’s, will assume the role of CEO in May. Ragas first joined the FMOL Health System in 1998 as the managed care operations coordina- tor. He has since held positions in business devel- opment, payor relations, acute care operations, and strategic projects prior to his appointment as Northshore Market president in June 2017. 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. Ragas is a member of the Louisiana Hospital Association Board of Directors, Vizient Southern States, Northshore Business Council, and the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce. Ragas will take the reins from Paul Cleckner, who has served as interim CEO since the fall when Bar- bara Griffith, MD, returned home to begin her ten- ure as CEO of Duke Raleigh Hospital. Ochsner Expands STEM Pathfinder Program for High School Students Ochsner Health is expanding its tuition-free education outreach programs for local high school students across Louisiana. Ochsner’s sec- ond annual STEM Pathfinder Program, a health- care career exploratory program for high school students featuring hands-on clinical skills train- ing sessions, science labs, virtual hospital tours, and professional development, is slated for this summer. In 2021, Ochsner celebrated the inaugural STEM Pathfinder Program for New Orleans East students. This year, the program will expand into East Baton Rouge and Caddo parishes, provid- ing even more young people the opportunity to explore healthcare and science careers. The one-week program is free for attend- ees. Applicants must be at least 14 years old by the start of the program and should be current 8th-, 9th- or 10th-grade students. This year four sessions will be offered. They include: • STEM Pathfinders Program – New Orleans at Ochsner Baptist: Open to students who live or attend school in New Orleans East zip codes 70129, 70128, 70127, and 70126. Session A: June 20-24. Session B: July 11-15. • STEM Pathfinders Program – Baton Rouge: Open to students who attend a school within the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. Dates: July 18-22 • STEM Pathfinders Program – North Louisi- ana: Open to students who attend a school within the Caddo Parish School System. Dates: July 11-15 Hosted by the Ochsner Education Outreach and Ochsner Health teams, the STEM Pathfinder Pro- gram was designed to expose more high school students to science, technology, engineering, and math. Through the program, healthcare profes- sionals from across multiple disciplines provide mentorship to students, preparing them to make intentional career decisions. The program is free, and Ochsner provides all the supplies necessary for participation. In addition to inquiry-based science labs and clinical training, students access expertise from leaders in a variety of disciplines including areas such as women’s services, DNA research and med- icine, public health programs, radiology, pharma- cology, and emergency medicine. Activities from last year’s program included hands-on science experiments, virtual nursing simulations, thera- peutic demonstrations Woman’s Achieves Birth Ready + Designation fromLouisiana Department of Health Recently named one the World’s Best Hospitals by Newsweek for gynecology and maternity care, Woman’s has also received a Birth Ready+ desig- nation from the Louisiana Department of Health for its efforts in promoting safe, equitable, and dignified birth for all birthing persons in Louisiana. The Birth Ready Designation is a system that reinforces and ensures birthing facilities are implementing best practices to improve mater- nal health and outcomes from pregnancy through childhood. To achieve designation, facilities met criteria in five dimensions, including implemen- tation of policies and procedures, promoting patient partnership, and addressing health dis- parities and equity. The eight hospitals that have achieved Birth Ready+ Designation have met a higher threshold of compliance and achievement of the requirements. “Here at Woman’s we are passionate about giv- ing our moms and babies the safest and high- est quality care, while also delivering an excep- tional experience,” said Amye Reeves, director of obstetrical services at Woman’s Hospital. “This designation tells patients that when they deliver at Woman’s, they have access to a highly trained care team that will support them through every step of the way and meet their individual health needs.” Through its work with the Louisiana Perina- tal Quality Collaborative, Woman’s has adopted safety bundles to reduce the risks of hemorrhage and hypertension. n Woman’s has received a Birth Ready+ designation from the Louisiana Department of Health for its efforts in promoting safe, equitable, and dignified birth for all birthing persons in Louisiana.