HJNO May/Jun 2019

Healthcare Journal of New Orleans I  MAY / JUN 2019 33 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com the mouth include white or red patches on the gums, the tongue, or the lining of the mouth; a swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable; and unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth. University of Queensland Ochsner Clinical School Announces 2019 Residency Match Day Results The University of Queensland (UQ) Ochsner Clinical School graduating class of 2018 cele- brated 2019 Match Day with a 93 percent Match Rate through the National Residency Match Pro- gram– a rite of passage in whichmedical school students from around the globe learn who has been selected or matched to a U.S. residency program for the next chapter of medical training. The UQ Ochsner Clinical School’s Match Rate is comparable with the national Match Rate for U.S. medical schools. Additionally, 2019 marks the seventh year in a row that UQ Ochsner Clin- ical School’s Match Rate has been 90 percent or above.  This year, 85 students from UQ Ochsner Clin- ical School’s class of 2018, which graduated in December of 2018, participated in the National Residency Match Program. UQ Ochsner Clinical School studentsmatched into residency training programs at many prestigious institutions across the country, including Ochsner Health System, Johns Hopkins, Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center, University of Chicago, University of South- ern California, University of Texas-Houston, and University of Vermont Medical Center, to name a few. Students also matched in the in-state pro- grams at Tulane University, LSU- New Orleans, and LSU-Shreveport.Matched students start res- idency programs in July of 2019. More LSUHealth NewOrleans Medical Grads Staying in LA Forty-nine percent, or 89 of 181 LSUHealth New Orleans graduating medical students participat- ing in the National Resident Match Program this year, chose to remain in Louisiana to complete their medical training. Eighty-one percent of those staying in-state will enter an LSU Health residency program. That is up from 46 percent staying in state last year and 75 percent of those entering an LSU Health residency program. The LSUHealth NewOrleans School of Medicine res- idency programs in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Bogalusa will accept 205 new residents for 205 residency positions. “More of our graduates have elected to remain in Louisiana this year to complete their medical training, and all of our residency programs once again filled,” noted Dr. Larry Hollier, chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans. “Our Match numbers reflect stable funding for higher education and our teaching hospitals. We are grateful to the Governor and our legislators for increasing the confidence of our medical graduates enough to remain in Louisiana.” The percentage of LSU Health New Orleans medical graduates going into primary care is 54 percent this year, up from 49.7 percent last year.  “The fact that more of our graduates have cho- sen to enter our residency programs represents the impact of funding and budget stability, and continued budget stability will raise our numbers even higher,” said Dr. Steve Nelson, dean of the School of Medicine at LSU Health New Orleans. “We are also especially pleased that the number of our graduates entering primary care increased by nearly 10 percent. Not only is there a shortage of physicians nationally, but in some Louisiana communities there is an acute shortage, and pri- mary care doctors fill a critical need. ”  LSU Health New Orleans medical graduates training in other states will be going to such highly regarded programs as Johns Hopkins, Vander- bilt, the University of Alabama-Birmingham, the Mayo Clinic, and Emory University, among others. Residency programs begin on July 1, 2019.   UnitedHealthcare, NO Saints Provide Play Football Experience to Special Needs Students UnitedHealthcare and the New Orleans Saints teamed up to provide a Play Football Experi- ence for St. Michael Special School students. The event was held at the Ochsner Sports Per- formance Center on Airline Hwy. This Play Football Experience was developed with the NFL PLAY 60 message in mind, which encourages kids to get active for at least 60min- utes a day, help them increase their physical activity, and fight childhood obesity. This unique experience featured seven modi- fied skills stations designed to provide approxi- mately 150 St. Michael Special School students (ages eight and up and of varying developmen- tal skills) a way to get active and healthy. Saints players and UnitedHealthcare employee volun- teers demonstrated the drills and discussed the fundamentals of football and good sportsman- ship, while Saints mascot Gumbo and United- Healthcare mascot Dr. Health E. Hound cheered on the students. Nearly 13 percent of Louisiana students are served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). By providing this all-inclu- sive Play Football Experience, UnitedHealthcare and the New Orleans Saints are doing their part to ensure that all children get the guidance they need to get fit. LSUHealth Nursing Alumni Host Mudbug March The LSUHealth NewOrleans School of Nursing Alumni Association recently held the 5th Annual Mudbug March to stomp out pulmonary hyper- tension. The event, which included a one-mile walk, a silent auction,music, and food, took place at New Orleans City Park Peristyle. The purpose of the event, honoring the mem- ory of Chelsea Umbach Yates, is to raise aware- ness of pulmonary hypertension and to educate patients about the importance of taking care of themselves. Chelsea was diagnosed with pulmo- nary hypertension when she was 15 years old. Despite the disease, Chelsea excelled academi- cally, worked, andmarried. Her struggle with the disease lasted 11 years and included a heart-dou- ble lung transplant. She died suddenly on July 17, 2011, after contracting an infection that her immune system couldn’t overcome. According to the National Institutes of Health, pulmonary hypertension, or PH, is increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries. These arter- ies carry blood from the heart to the lungs to pick up oxygen. PH causes symptoms such as shortness of breath during routine activity (for example, climbing two flights of stairs), tiredness, chest pain, and a racing heartbeat.As the condi- tion worsens, its symptomsmay limit all physical activity. PH has no cure. However, research for new treatments is ongoing.The earlier that PH is