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64
NOV / DEC 2014
I
Healthcare Journal of new orleans
process using data to drive improvements in adher-
ence to guideline recommendations and overall qual-
ity of care provided to heart attack patients.
EJGH Foundation Announces
INSPIRE Grant Recipients
The Foundation at EJGH recently announced the
recipients of 2014 INSPIRE – its Competitive Grants
Program. This year’s program distributed a total of
$222,460 in charitable contributions to support
various projects at East Jefferson General Hospi-
tal. These funds were provided by the Foundation’s
two fundraising events: $150,000 in net proceeds
from the Foundation’s 2013 “Up on the Roof” event
and $100,000 net proceeds from the 2014 Golf
Tournament.
The 2014 INSPIRE Grant Recipients included:
•Nursing - Patient Communication Boards
•Food & Nutrition – Room Service Software
Program
•Cardiac Rehab – New flooring in rehab gym
•Geriatric Behavioral Health Unit – refurbishment
•EMS and Neurosciences – Acute Stroke Life
Suport Training
•Oncology – Digital microscope
•Outpatient Rehab – Vital Stimulation Device
Upgrade
•Safety and Security – Emergency
Communications
•Wellness Center – Comprehensive Community
Health Screenings
•Cardiac Rehab – new exercise equipment for gym
•Security – Enhanced campus security coverage
•Outpatient Oncology – Music for patients
•Inpatient Rehab Unit, 9-West – Renovation of the
dining and activity room
•Inpatient Rehab Therapy – Specialized whee
chair cushions
•Coronary Care Unit – Blanket warmer
•6-East – Patient/Family Centered Lounges
•Radiation Therapy – Vitals monitor
•Woman & Child Services – Nurse training
equipment
•EJGH Cancer Center – Patient Wheelchairs
•ICU/CCU – Patient transport cart
•Heart Failure Program – Patient scales
•Cardiology – CPR training kits
•Radiation Therapy – Music in patient treatment
rooms
•Center for Nursing Knowledge and Research –
Certification Review Materials
•Infection Control – Supplies for isolation patient
rooms
•Pulmonary – Enhancements to patient waiting
area
•Pastoral Care – Volunteer training materials
Through this program, all teammembers and phy-
sicians had the opportunity to inspire innovation and
collaboration to enhance patient care at EJGH. Grant
recipients were chosen by the INSPIRE Selection
Committee, which consisted of teammembers, phy-
sicians, and Foundation Board Trustees. The recom-
mendations were approved by the EJGH Foundation
Board of Trustees in a unanimous vote.
Touro Names New Chief
Medical Officer
Jeffrey Coco, MD was recently appointed as Touro’s
Chief Medical Officer effective October 1, 2014. Dr.
Coco has been a member of Touro’s medical staff in
Infectious Diseases since 1995 and currently serves
as the President of the Medical Staff.
As Touro’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Coco will serve
as a liaison to themedical staff and the Medical Exec-
utive Committee. He will also have oversight of medi-
cal staff quality, peer review, graduate medical edu-
cation, and continuing medical education.
Prior to Hurricane Katrina, he served as the Chief
of Staff at Methodist Hospital in New Orleans East
and as the Medical Director of HealthSouth Specialty
Hospital. Dr. Coco attended Louisiana State Univer-
sity for undergraduate school and medical school.
He completed his residency, internship, and fellow-
ship at Ochsner Clinic Foundation.
Ochsner Named One of 125 with
Great Orthopedic Programs
Becker’s Hospital Review
has recognized Ochsner
Medical Center on its list of 125 Hospitals and
Health Systems With Great Orthopedic Programs.
Ochsner is the only hospital in Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, and Alabama to receive this award.
According to
Becker’s Hospital Review
, the selected
hospitals offer outstanding orthopedic care to
patients, front-line orthopedic research and treat
professional athletes. Hospitals do not and cannot
pay to be included on this list.
U.S. News & World Report
named Ochsner’s Ortho-
pedics department among the top 50 across the
country in its 2014-15 Best Hospitals rankings.
STPH Voluntarily Implements
Mandatory Flu Shot Policy
St. Tammany Parish Hospital recognizes its respon-
sibility in providing for the safety and well-being of
the community, healthcare providers, and employ-
ees. Because of this commitment, all hospital
employees and healthcare providers must receive
an annual influenza vaccination by Dec. 15 or wear a
surgical mask while at work during influenza season.
Under a new policy this year, any hospital
employee who has not received a flu shot by Dec.
15 will be required to wear a surgical mask and a
colored identification badge when at work during
influenza season.
The Louisiana Office of Public Health, in coordina-
tion with the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention, announces the start of the annual influ-
enza endemic season – generally around Dec. 15
each year.
March of Dimes, LHA
Recognize Local Hospitals
Eighteen Louisiana hospitals have reduced the
number of elective inductions and cesarean deliver-
ies performed before 39 completed weeks of preg-
nancy to meet March of Dimes criteria for hospi-
tal recognition. This will give more babies a healthy
start in life, the March of Dimes says.
Through the ongoing work that has occurred as
a result of the partnership between the Louisiana
Department of Health and Hospitals Birth Out-
comes Initiative, the Louisiana Hospital Associa-
tion Research and Education Foundation Hospi-
tal Engagement Network (LHAREF HEN), and the
March of Dimes, over 960 early elective deliveries
have been prevented, which translates to an 83 per-
cent reduction since the beginning of the initiative in
2012, according to data released from the LHAREF
HEN. These efforts equated to $700,000 in direct
cost savings, not including savings resulting from
reductions in NICU utilization.
Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon
each year, andmore than one million of those infants
die as a result of their early births. In Louisiana, 9,563
babies are born premature each year, andmore than
450 infants die before their first birthday. Babies who
survive an early birth often face the risk of lifelong
health challenges; such as breathing problems, cere-
bral palsy, learning disabilities and others. Recent
research by the March of Dimes, the National Insti-
tutes of Health, and the U.S. Food and Drug Admin-
istration found that although the overall threat is
small, the risk of deathmore than doubles for infants
born at 37 weeks of pregnancy when compared to
babies born at 40 weeks, for all races and ethnicities.
Through the Strong Start for Mothers and New-
borns initiative, a partnership with the U.S. Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services and the Ameri-
can College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the
March of Dimes has been spreading the word that
“Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait.”
The following hospitals met the recognition
criteria:
•Abbeville General Hospital