HJBR Mar/Apr 2023

48 MAR / APR 2023  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs BRHD will pilot this programming under its mas- ter plan focus area of health education and work- force, leveraging its workforce committee and partnerships to drive collaboration and alignment with local partners already active in workforce and career pipeline programming. The health district was founded as a coalition of patient-focused, innovative healthcare organizations committed to the vision of a world-class, high-performing health destination at the heart of a healthy and vibrant community. Collectively, BRHD members employ close to 20,000 workers, representing almost 15% of all new regional jobs being created and a collec- tive annual payroll of $1.8 billion. These new ini- tiatives will advance a coordinated approach to health workforce recruitment, development, and retention that meets the needs of local hospitals and job seekers. “High quality healthcare, supported by acces- sible and skilled workers, is essential to our com- munity and region,” said Paul Douglas with Baton Rouge General, chair of the BRHD workforce committee. “We are confident that this initiative will accelerate our leadership in providing mean- ingful career opportunities that address critical workforce needs and set the standard for equi- table industry growth.” The new workforce initiative, called BRHireD, will focus on recruitment, training, placement, and retention across high demand healthcare posi- tions within our local healthcare market. Numer- ous healthcare providers, education partners, and nonprofit organizations will engage in BRHireD over the next three years. For more information, or if your organization is interested in partnering with BRHD in workforce or other areas, contact Katie Pritchett, operations director, at katie.pritchett@brhealthdistrict.com. CIS is First in BR to use Smart Radianz Stent to Treat Peripheral Artery Disease Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) is using the SMART Radianz stent by Cordis to treat peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the legs. The first procedure was performed Feb. 8 by Satish Gadi, MD, CIS interventional cardiologist, at Baton Rouge General. The SMART Radianz stent, which is a part of Cordis’ Radianz Radial Peripheral System, is the first and only radial length stent FDA-approved for treatment of iliac lesions located in the pelvis. It is also indicated for use in the superficial fem- oral artery, located at the top of the thigh, and extending proximal popliteal arteries. The Radi- anz Radial Peripheral System is purposely engi- neered for radial access, which is proven to pro- duce fewer vascular complications and higher patient satisfaction than femoral approaches. “Now we have this incredible capability to go from your wrist all the way to the toes to treat blockages,” explained Gadi. “The Radianz Smart Stents are designed to be used from the wrist to treat blockages in the legs and present yet another tool to treat peripheral artery disease in a safe, effective, and convenient manner to our patients. Patients can literally get up and walk off the table after a procedure like this.” USDA Proposes Reducing Sugar, Salt in School Meals New nutrition standards announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture propose school lunches with less sugar and salt, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. Limits would impact sugary foods, including sweetened cereals, flavored milks, and yogurt. The ultimate goal is to restrict added sugars to less than 10% of total calories a week for school meals. “Many children aren’t getting the nutrition they need, and diet-related diseases are on the rise. Research shows school meals are the healthiest meals in a day for most kids, proving that they are an important tool for giving kids access to the nutrition they need for a bright future,” said Agri- culture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a release. “By proposing to limit the amount of added sugars in school meals for the first time ever, the USDA is taking a major step toward helping chil- dren achieve a more nutritious diet and better health,” the American Heart Association said in a statement. “Added sugars are a significant source of excess calories, provide no nutritional value, and may cause weight gain and increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.” Also in the proposed rules, sodium would be restricted to stay within current recommenda- tions that kids 14 and older consume less than 2,300 milligrams per day. Eventually, sodium con- tent would be reduced in school meals by 30% by fall 2029. n