HJBR Jul/Aug 2024

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  JUL / AUG 2024 41 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com select FranU didactic courses that closely match the MERP courses. To receive credit for the FranU coursework, students will only be required to take a cumulative final exam. Students who success- fully complete MERP and matriculate into AUC may also be eligible for the MERP scholarship for which they qualify. LDH: Safe Swimming Practices Lead to Decrease in Child Drownings Recent data from the Louisiana Department of Health’s Office of Public Health shows drowning deaths among children dropped 40% between 2021 and 2022, reflecting a positive shift toward safe swimming practices in our communities. Drowning remains the third leading cause of injury-related death for Louisiana children ages 0–14, following motor vehicle crashes and homi- cides. Children ages 1–4 are at the highest risk for drowning, making it the leading cause of injury- related death in this age group. The most com- mon risk factors in child drownings include lack of supervision (52%), inability to swim (49%), and absence of proper barriers (38%). “Drowning deaths of children are very pre- ventable,” said Gina Lagarde, MD, chairwoman of the State Child Death Review Panel and the medical director for LDH Region 9 (Northshore). “Children can drown quickly, within minutes, and silently, without any splashing, crying, or calling for help. It is very important to keep young chil- dren within arm’s length, and never leave children unattended when in or near water.” FMOLHS, Baton Rouge STEMFellows Collaborate for Immersive Healthcare Learning Experience Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health Sys- tem (FMOLHS) announced its collaboration with Baton Rouge STEM Fellows of STEM NOLA to host a transformative experiential learning course at FranU. Aimed at high schoolers from the Baton Rouge area, students delved into various facets of the healthcare industry. The immersive program provided a platform for young minds to explore diverse fields within healthcare, including nursing, forensics, anatomy and radiologic technology. Through engaging activities and hands-on experiences, students gained invaluable insights into these critical sec- tors, igniting their passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. OLOL Geaux Get Healthy Clinical ProgramNowOffering Classes Our Lady of the Lake’s Geaux Get Healthy clini- cal program now offers classes at Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Picardy at 8119 Picardy Ave. in Baton Rouge. The program also offers classes at its original location at Our Lady of the Lake North at 5439 Airline Hwy. in Baton Rouge. Geaux Get Healthy’s South Baton Rouge loca- tion was previously housed at Our Lady of the Lake’s clinic on Silverside Avenue. The move to Picardy Avenue provides the community health workers with a larger workspace allowing them to work closely and efficiently. “The Geaux Get Healthy clinical program is continuously looking for ways to expand and enhance the invaluable resources we help pro- vide to the Baton Rouge community,” said Tiffany Ardoin, MD, director of the Geaux Get Healthy clinical program. “This new space serves as a hub for the program, providing us the opportunities to reach those who need access to food resources.” Geaux Get Healthy, a project of the Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative (HealthyBR), is a coali- tion of local organizations working collabora- tively to make fresh food affordable and accessi- ble, to develop sustainable programs to reduce food insecurity in our community’s highest-needs neighborhoods, and to co-create a thriving local food landscape. Classes at Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Picardy are offered on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. In addition, classes at Our Lady of the Lake North are offered on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The program is ongoing, and eligible partici- pants can join at any point. Learn more about the Geaux Get Healthy clinical program at healthybr. com/ggh. Baton Rouge General Opens Rheumatology Clinic Sean Shannon, MD, a board-certified rheuma- tologist, has recently joined Baton Rouge Gen- eral and is seeing patients at a new clinic at the hospital’s Bluebonnet campus. Baton Rouge General Rheumatology diagno- ses and treats a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, from lupus and rheuma- toid arthritis to gout and scleroderma. Inflamma- tory, or rheumatic, conditions can affect the joints, muscles, and bones, causing pain, swelling, stiff- ness, and potentially deformities. The new rheumatology clinic will share a space with dermatologists from Baton Rouge General Dermatology. Shannon received a medical degree from LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans, then com- pleted a residency in internal medicine and a fel- lowship in rheumatology at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. BRG Rheumatology is located at 8585 Picardy Ave., Suite 512. LDH: Feeding Louisiana is NewProvider for Food ProgramServing Seniors The Louisiana Department of Health is announcing a new partnership with Feeding Louisiana to administer the Louisiana Commod- ity Supplemental Food Program (CFSP). Effective July 1, 2024, feeding Louisiana will assume these responsibilities from Catholic Charities, the CFSP provider since 1986. The Louisiana CSFP works to improve Loui- siana’s health outcomes by offering nutritious United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) donated foods to eligible residents who are at least 60 years of age. Louisiana CSFP is one of 50 state programs nationwide and is currently the fourth-largest CSFP in the country. Sean Shannon, MD