HJBR Nov/Dec 2024

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  NOV / DEC 2024 47 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com and mortality related to postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) has decreased when you look at the last few decades,” Martin said. “What has changed is the push for hospitals and systems to have protocols in place, which I think is what’s brought these bad PPH outcomes down.” Martin points to a report that shows, from 2016 to 2019, severe maternal morbidity due to hyper- tension and postpartum hemorrhage decreased by almost 40% in Louisiana, solely due to stan- dardization of processes. “But it’s literally taken years, if not decades for hospitals to have these protocols function as well- oiled machines,” Martin said. “When we change these protocols that work so well, we are intro- ducing a significant opportunity for errors, lapses and delays in care, and worse maternal outcomes solely because we are messing with a process that works well and now has to be re-learned.” When asked about the status of misoprostol at its hospitals, Ochsner Health System said it is “working to get more information about the postpartum hemorrhage carts and additional impacts of the new regulation.” A spokesperson said communications about the impacts of the new state law will be shared with their physicians in the weeks ahead, and that Ochsner will provide official comment once that has occurred. Ochsner did not disclose whether the medica- tion has been preemptively removed from carts and kits at their hospitals. The health system owns or operates 46 hospitals in the Gulf South region. LCMC Health runs eight acute care hospitals in the New Orleans area that the new law would impact. Dr. John Heaton, its president and chief medical officer, provided this statement: “Maternal health is a top priority for our com- munity of patients. We are dedicated to foster- ing collaborations with physician leaders, nursing leaders, and pharmacy leaders to develop inno- vative solutions that comply with all legal stan- dards. We are committed to safe care of the high- est quality in our birthing hospitals.” Holman, director of maternal child services at Touro, said that as the largest birthing hospital in the LCMC system, her hospital is working to support others in the system to determine their protocols. “We don’t want to scare the patients, but we certainly want to make sure people understand that this is a big deal,” Holman said. “Our goal is to minimize how much we impact the logistics of each hospital, but every hospital will be impacted in some way. “We are not going to put patients in harm’s way. We are going to figure out solutions to this, but we’re going through a lot of steps and figuring out a lot of things for a medication that is actu- ally safe.” Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Appoints NewMedical Directors Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is adding additional strength to its medical staff leader- ship team. Daniel LaVie, MD, has been appointed as medical director of hematology and medical oncology, and Constance Blunt, MD, will serve as medical director of cancer prevention and outreach. In his role as medical director of hematology and medical oncology, LaVie, who has been with Mary Bird Perkins since 2018, will provide strate- gic oversight and clinical guidance for the Cen- ter’s medical oncology programs. He will define and implement strategies to optimize cancer care, enhance patient outcomes, and lead con- tinuous improvements in clinical practice. He will also collaborate with multiple leaders across the organization, including the Cancer Center’s administrator, and its quality program to ensure excellence in patient care and compliance with regulatory standards. As medical director of cancer prevention and outreach, Blunt, who has worked at Mary Bird Per- kins since 2022, will work closely with vice presi- dent for cancer support and outreach Renea Duf- fin, and the program’s regional directors to guide and enhance the Prevention on the Go program. Blunt will provide medical leadership, estab- lish strategic priorities, and help to drive qual- ity improvement in cancer prevention and early detection services. Blunt will focus on strategic planning, staff development, and program evaluation while actively participating in community events and media outreach to promote cancer prevention, education, and awareness. “Drs. LaVie and Blunt’s combined expertise in hematology, medical oncology, and cancer pre- vention is a tremendous asset as we continue to advance our mission of providing exceptional care and innovative solutions. Their strategic vision and dedication to oncology will be instru- mental in further enhancing our programs and driving impactful outcomes for our patients and community,” saidJodi Conachen, chief operating officer, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. FranU Launches Franciscan Center for Professional Development Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) announced the launch of the Franciscan Center for Professional Development in October, offering specialized professional development opportunities exclusively designed for healthcare professionals. This unique center provides tailored learning experiences designed to meet the specific needs of the healthcare workforce. These include in-per- son workshops, online courses, webinars, and cer- tifications that address the critical gaps in health- care education and career advancement. Starting in mid-October, the center offers online Daniel LaVie, MD Constance Blunt, MD