HJBR Mar/Apr 2023

40 MAR / APR 2023  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs nurse practitioner at Ochsner Medical Complex – Iberville. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from St. Louis University in Missouri and a master’s degree in nursing from Southeast- ern Louisiana University. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Kelsey Boucher, NP, specializes in urgent care at Ochsner Urgent Care & Occupational Health – Lagniappe Center in Gonzales. Boucher earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from LSU and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of South Alabama. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the Louisi- ana Association of Nurse Practitioners. Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Healthcare Centers in Schools Partners with YaleMedical School Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Health- care Centers in Schools received a $5,000 award to implement PlaySmart at a local Baton Rouge high school. Healthcare Centers in Schools will be one of 15 sites nationwide to participate in this program through a recent partnership with Yale Center for Health & Learning Games, funded by the National Institutes of Health. PlaySmart is a choose-your-own-adventure video game designed to teach teens about opi- oid misuse and prevention and to promote men- tal health in adolescents, ages 16-19. Over eight hours, students pursue different storylines. Each scenario mimics real life and is designed to facili- tate discussion with trained adults to learn about opioid misuse. “This funding allows Our Lady of the Lake Chil- dren’s Health Healthcare Centers in Schools to expand our already robust programming and the impact we are able to make on the students and families in East Baton Rouge Parish,” said Kristen Gradney, senior director, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Healthcare Centers in Schools. According to data from the Centers for Dis- ease Control and Prevention, Louisiana has one of the highest rates in the country of teenagers who took a prescription pain medication with- out a doctor’s prescription or differently from how they were instructed. “Engaging teenagers through videogames has the potential to be an excellent and effective tool to educate kids about the dangers of risk-tak- ing behavior,” says Sylvia Sutton, MD, pediatri- cian and medical director, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Healthcare Centers in Schools. “We know that teens with substance use disor- ders experience higher rates of physical and men- tal illnesses and diminished overall health and well-being.” Healthcare Centers in Schools, a 501(c)(3) not- for-profit corporation and a part of Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health, has provided medical services to students attending East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools since 1987. Beginning with one clinic at Westdale Middle School and now operating seven clinics across the school system, the organization now serves more than 41,000 students in greater Baton Rouge each year. For more information on the Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Healthcare Cen- ters in Schools partnership, visit https://olol- childrens.org/our-network/clinical-specialties/ healthcare-centers-in-schools/. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Partners with Opelousas General Health System Opelousas General Health System (OGHS) and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center (Mary Bird Perkins) is celebrating the completion of an agreement to expand and enhance cancer care resources in the Greater Opelousas area, effective immediately. Through this partnership, Acadiana patients have convenient access to the team of cancer care specialists through Mary Bird Perkins. Cancer services will continue to be provided on OGHS’ South Campus, 3983 I-49 S. Service Road. Current OHGS staff members, including nurses, with an average of 15 years of oncology experi- ence, continue to work at the cancer center. In addition, OGHS’ current cancer center is Com- mission on Cancer (CoC) accredited. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet 34 quality care standards, be evalu- ated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care. According to Jonas Fontenot, PhD, president and CEO of Mary Bird Perkins, the partnership serves the missions of both organizations by emphasizing a strong focus on prevention, early detection, community outreach, and expert treatment. “Opelousas General and Mary Bird Perkins share a passion for bringing high-quality patient care to communities where people live and work. We are proud to partner with OGHS in pursuit of our mission to improve survivorship and lessen the burden of cancer,” said Fontenot. St. Landry Parish has the highest cancer mortal- ity rate in the Acadiana region and is in the top 10 parishes in Louisiana with the highest cancer mortality rate, according to the Louisiana Tumor Registry. “Opelousas General Health System opened the doors of its first Cancer Center in 1988 and has been dedicated to providing this community with comprehensive cancer care services utiliz- ing the latest technology in cancer treatment,” said Kenneth Cochran, RN, DSc, FACHE, presi- dent and CEO, Opelousas General Health Sys- tem. “This partnership offers a sustained contin- uation of growth in the enhancement of those services and will have the biggest impact on our patients, which is ultimately why we continue to strive for better access to care.” Bryan Bienvenu, MD, and David Hanson, MD, Mary Bird Perkins, are now accepting patients at the OGHS campus. Both physicians are board- certified medical oncologists practicing with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and members of Lou- isiana Hematology Oncology Associates (LHOA). Nurse practitioners Rachel Cunningham, FNP, Kasey Dunn, FNP, and Brittany Fortie, FNP, will continue to provide support for cancer patients at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at Opelousas General Health System. Louisiana Healthcare Connections Receives LEAF Award The Baton Rouge Recreation Commission (BREC) Foundation recently honored Louisi- ana Healthcare Connections with its 2022 LEAF (Leadership, Excellence, Activism, and Fellow- ship) Award. The LEAF Award is presented annually to honor an individual, business, or organization that has had a significant impact on BREC. “By investing in organizations who share their passion for healthy communities, Louisiana