HJBR Jul/Aug 2024

40 JUL / AUG 2024  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs company’s subsidiaries. He began his career as an auditor with Ernst and Young, is a certified public accountant (CPA), and holds a degree in ccount- ing and pre-law from Kansas State University. FranciscanMissionaries of Our Lady University Partners with AUC Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University and American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC), an Adtalem Global Educa- tion institution, have established a partnership to increase access to a medical education program for qualified FranU students through Adtalem’s Medical Education Readiness Program (MERP). Through this partnership, FranU students who successfully complete the 15-week MERP prepa- ratory course and meet AUC’s minimum admis- sions requirements will receive an interview and conditional acceptance into the next AUC medi- cal school class. “The healthcare industry is facing significant workforce shortages, which are only expected to grow over the next decade,” said Gannady Raskin, MD, executive director, MERP. “By part- nering with FranU to offer students a pathway to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree from AUC, we are increasing access to education, teaching stu- dents the essential skills to boost their knowl- edge in foundational principles, and providing them with a support system to help them suc- ceed throughout their educational journey into medical school and beyond.” Through personalized instructional support, MERP will teach students how to study in medi- cal school, which is foundational to handling the rigorous demands of the curriculum. All MERP instructors hold either an MD, PhD, or equiva- lent degree, and have established experience in teaching medical and undergraduate or gradu- ate-level students. The program provides instruc- tion on the four basic science courses of similar content and depth to those taught in the early semesters of a medical school curriculum, includ- ing clinical anatomy, medical biochemistry and molecular biology, medical microbiology and immunology, and medical human physiology and biophysics. Qualified students who enroll in MERP will have the opportunity to simultaneously enroll in Acadian Ambulance Celebrates Medic of the Year Acadian Ambulance honored its 2024 Para- medic of the Year, Savannah Welch, and EMT of the Year, Samantha Blackwell on May 7 in the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana. Welch and Blackwell were selected for the top company honors from a field of 32 paramedics and EMTs representing Acadian Ambulance’s four-state service area, as well as its Acadian Air Med and Safety Management Systems divisions. Louisiana Public Health Association Honors Louisiana Healthcare Connections Physician For his outstanding contributions to pub- lic health in Louisiana, Richard “Dick” Dalton, MD, was awarded the esteemed 2024 Founders Award by the Louisiana Public Health Association (LPHA) at their recent annual meeting awards lun- cheon. As senior medical director for Louisiana Healthcare Connections, Dalton’s dedication to improving mental health, particularly in children and adolescents, has left an indelible mark on the state’s healthcare landscape. Dalton has more than four decades of expe- rience in child and adolescent psychiatry. His decade-long tenure with Louisiana Healthcare Connections has been marked by pioneering initiatives aimed at addressing the mental health needs of Louisiana’s Medicaid community. Under his guidance, Louisiana Healthcare Connections has implemented numerous programs and ini- tiatives to support mental health, ranging from substance use treatment to community support services. Dalton has served on various boards and com- mittees, including the New Orleans Area Psychi- atric Association and the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association. FranUAwards First Ever Honorary Degree Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University awarded Nursing Alum Delores “Dee” LeJeune ’69 at its graduation on May 11 at the Raising Cane’s River Center with its first ever honorary degree. LeJeune served as a bed-side nurse, nurse leader, chief nursing officer, Joint Commission consultant, hospital chief operating officer, pres- ident and CEO, all before retiring in 2012. There were 175 students graduating from the schools of arts and sciences, nursing, and health professions. Mary Bird Perkins to Host Annual Cancer Screening Event Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center hosted its popular Live Well Baton Rouge event, which is an opportunity for local residents to access an array of free cancer screening and health resources. This year’s event was held on May 18 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2250 Main Street in Baton Rouge. This free community health event allowed res- idents to take advantage of four different types of cancer screenings, including breast, pros- tate, colorectal, and skin cancer. Blood pres- sure, cholesterol, and glucose checks were also be available. Bryan Camerlinck Selected President and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) board of directors has selected Bryan Camerlinck as president and CEO, following Steve Udvarhelyi’s decision to retire after serving in the role for more than eight years. Camerlinck joined BCBSLA in 2016 as chief financial officer (CFO) and was promoted to the role of executive vice president (EVP) and chief operating officer in 2021, where he had finan- cial and operational responsibility for all lines of business at Blue Cross. He also had strate- gic oversight of the company’s business opera- tions, information technology, data and analyt- ics, sales, marketing and communications, and customer experience divisions. In addition, Cam- erlinck has also served as chairman of the board and president and CEO of Vantage Health Plan, now operating as Primewell Health Services in Arkansas and Mississippi, wholly owned subsid- iaries of BCBSLA. Prior to joining BCBSLA, Camerlinck held pro- gressively responsible roles at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City for more than 20 years, including CFO and president and CEO of the