HJBR Sep/Oct 2024

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  SEP / OCT 2024 39 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com and supported the health system’s external com- munications strategy through the COVID-19 pan- demic, elevating life-saving public health mes- sages, ensuring the people of Louisiana were informed about the situation inside their local hospitals, and sharing frontline stories from our hospitals with national and international audi- ences. He played an instrumental role in the his- toric partnership establishing Our Lady of the Lake as the Championship Healthcare Partner of LSU. He is a member of the Louisiana Association of Business & Industry’s Emerging Leader Coun- cil and an alumnus of BRAC’s Leadership Baton Rouge. National Dialogues on Behavioral Health Conference to be Held Nov. 4-6 The 2024 National Dialogues on Behavioral Health conference will convene in New Orleans to focus on collaboration, integration, and the engagement of community resources from across systems and providers, to improve treatment out- comes and the quality of care for individuals with complex needs. National experts will discuss the roles of mental health, substance use, and behav- ioral health specialists within integrated and col- laborative care approaches. Presentations will focus on individuals with serious behavioral health (i.e., mental health and substance use) conditions, intellectual/developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, complex maternal care needs, and approaches to treatment across the lifespan. A pre-conference on Nov. 3, is entitled Cutting Edge Peer and Family Support Approaches for Adults and Children with Complex Needs. This entire day will focus on models and the contribu- tions of peer and family support for persons with complex needs. These complex needs include people experiencing a range of mental health and substance misuse conditions. The three-day conference, slated Nov. 4-6, offers presentations on persons at different stages of life. This includes the perinatal period, where participants will learn about statewide models providing rapid access to integrated medical, behavioral health, and social services. Further presentations will focus on models addressing the needs of children and adolescents facing complex behavioral health needs. These presen- tations and discussions will cover collaboration, lessening barriers, and creating interconnected systems. Finally, other presentations will cover models providing for the needs of older indi- viduals. These include The Program of All-inclu- sive Care for the Elderly (PACE), and the National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging. Participants can hear about and discuss the latest advancements in research-driven inter- ventions and collaborations. The NDBH annual conference provides an intimate setting in which conference participants have an opportunity to dialogue with the experts presenting at the conference. Information about the conference, agenda, reg- istration, CEs, and hotel booking is posted on the website https://nationaldialoguesbh.org. Note that the conference dates conflict with national elections so plan on early voting to ensure your vote is counted. CIS Uses AGENTDrug-Coated Balloon to Treat Coronary In-Stent Restenosis Abdullah Munir, MD, interventional cardiolo- gist at Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS), is the first in the Capital Region and second in Louisiana to use the AGENT Drug-Coated Bal- loon, the first FDA-approved drug-coated coro- nary balloon in the U.S. for the treatment of coro- nary in-stent restenosis. The procedure took place at Lane Regional Medical Center. In-stent restenosis (ISR) occurs when a previ- ously stented artery becomes re-narrowed or blocked by scar tissue or plaque. Manufactured by Boston Scientific, the AGENT Drug-Coated Balloon (DCB) transfers a therapeutic dose of paclitaxel to the coronary artery wall to help pre- vent ISR reoccurrence. “This new technology enables us to help treat future blockages of a previously stented coronary artery, without leaving behind another layer of permanent metal implants,” said Munir. Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group SGBR Welcomes David Kelter, MD Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge (SGBR) welcomed David Kelter, MD, as the 20th fellow to be trained by the group. Kelter was chosen from 83 applicants for the highly selective program for 2024-2025. Under the guidance of the experienced phy- sicians at SGBR, fellows like Kelter gain hands- on training and gradually assume the role of pri- mary surgeon. The program focuses on minimally invasive and robotic surgeries to ensure fellows acquire extensive expertise in these advanced techniques. Kelter earned an undergraduate degree from Northeastern University in Boston, and a Doctor of Medicine from St. George’s University School of Medicine in St. George, Grenada. He com- pleted a residency in general surgery at Inspira Health Network in Vineland, New Jersey. Mark G. Hausmann, MD, FACS, FASMBS, a partner at SGBR, stated, “Dr. Kelter’s experience and passion for minimally invasive surgery and interest in improving the lives of his patients are a perfect fit for our fellowship program and our practice. We look forward to working with him.” Kelter’s arrival also marks the departure of the current fellow, James “Tee” Griscom, MD. SGBR wishes Griscom the best of luck in his future endeavors in Tennessee. For 20 years, SGBR has provided advanced sur- gical training in GI MIS, bariatrics, complex gas- trointestinal surgery, foregut, biliary, and liver surgery. “Our fellowship program is well-respected, and it allows us to attract top talent to Baton Rouge. Many of the well-trained surgeons in our com- munity today were trained right here at Our Lady of the Lake with the Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge,” Hausmann said. n David Kelter, MD