HJBR Nov/Dec 2022

38 NOV / DEC 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs in its mission and purpose, and made a remark- able impact on cancer care,” said Todd Stevens, president, and CEO, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “The fervent devotion displayed by this year’s award recipients simultaneously serves as an example and encourages others to support the mission and enhance cancer care throughout Louisiana and in southwest Mississippi.” Our Lady of the Lake Children’s HealthWelcomes Grant Clinkingbeard, MD Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health wel- comes Grant Clinkingbeard, MD, as its newest pediatrician in the Northshore community. Located in Covington, Clinkingbeard special- izes in primary care pediatrics and joins the prac- tice with fellow pediatrician and internal medicine specialist, Susan F. Ovella, MD. Clinkingbeard provides a variety of diagnoses and treatments, including for allergies, asthma, growth and development, ADD/ADHD, and pre- ventive care. Clinkingbeard is accepting new patients and accepts most insurance plans at the Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group clinic at 728 West 11th Ave., in Covington. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from Baylor University, Clinkingbeard earned a doctoral degree from LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Upon graduation, he completed pediatric training at the LSU Pediatric Residency Program at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans. Pennington Biomedical Study Shows Bariatric SurgeryMore Effective than Lifestyle for Type 2 Diabetes Remission New research from Pennington Biomedical shows that bariatric surgery is more effective and has longer-lasting results than lifestyle changes and medications in achieving remission of type 2 diabetes. More than 34.2 million Americans, or 10.5% of the population, have type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion. Obesity is a significant contributory factor in the development of diabetes. Approximately 90%of people with type 2 diabetes are over- weight or have obesity. These intertwined chronic health issues have an enormous health burden on both individual and societal levels. The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care , assessed 316 patients with type 2 diabe- tes to determine the effectiveness and long-term results of metabolic surgery. “Treatment guidelines from the American Med- ical Association, American Diabetes Association, and many other leading medical organizations, are that metabolic surgery is an effective treat- ment for type 2 diabetes,” said Pennington Bio- medical Executive Director John Kirwan, PhD, who led the study. “Despite growing consensus, many health insurers do not provide coverage for metabolic surgery because we haven’t had a sufficiently large, randomized controlled trial that considered how long the results of surgery last relative to medications and lifestyle changes.” “Even when patients are provided with edu- cation in nutrition, exercise, self-monitoring and the newest diabetes medications on the market, only 2.6 percent of patients were able to achieve diabetes remission during the study,” Kirwan noted. “When we looked at patients who under- went metabolic surgery, even three years later, 37.5 percent had achieved lasting remission of their diabetes,” he added. The study notes that less than 1% of individu- als eligible for bariatric surgery receive the treat- ment, likely due to both patients’ and their pro- viders’ concerns about long-term safety and lasting results. The study also found that metabolic surgery was superior to medication and lifestyle changes in lowering HbA1c, fasting glucose, body weight, and other cardiovascular risk factors with substan- tially less medications. “It is our hope that physicians will have greater confidence in recommending bariatric surgery to their patients, and that health insurers will see the health benefits and ultimately, cost-savings that can be achieved by covering metabolic sur- gery,” Kirwan said. Ochsner, Elite Training Academy Partner on Sports Performance Complex Ochsner Baton Rouge has partnered with Elite Training Academy to create a 65,000-square- foot sports performance complex representing a combined investment of $22 million. Opening in 2023 near the corner of Lee Drive and Burbank Drive, the complex will include a 60-yard indoor field as well as two full-size out- door turf sports fields, which will serve as a hub for athletes of all ages, featuring an array of ser- vices and offerings in one convenient location: • Orthopedic and sports medicine care from Ochsner physicians. • Imaging services. • Therapy treatments from certified orthope- dic and sports physical therapy specialists. • State-of-the-art equipment for biomechan- ics evaluations. • Mental performance health coaching. • Sports nutrition support. • Sports performance training from athletic and personal trainers as well as position- specific coaches. • Speed and strength training. • Recovery services, such as cryotherapy, massage therapy, and acupuncture. Ochsner’s fellowship-trained physicians — led by orthopedic surgeon and Medical Director of Sports Medicine Jeremy Burnham, MD, and Pri- mary Care Sports Medicine Physician Sean Brad- ley, MD—will rotate at the new facility. The sports performance complex will serve athletes in the capital area with advanced procedures, includ- ing digital X-ray and musculoskeletal ultra- sound as well as 3D motion capture analysis and research-grade strength and movement assess- ment equipment. In 2021, Ochsner became the official medical provider and title sponsor for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. The comprehensive center will also take advantage of Ochsner’s part- nership with world-renowned orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, MD, in creating the Ochsner Andrews Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Insti- tute. Andrews brings his expertise, research, and education platform to strengthen best-in-class care for patients and athletes across Louisiana and Mississippi. Ochsner and Elite’s teams comprise experts in athletics, including physical therapists, perfor- mance training coaches, athletic trainers, per- sonal trainers, position specific coaches, mas- sage therapists, acupuncturists, wellness and mental performance coaching, sports nutrition,