HJNO Jan/Feb 2020

42 JAN / FEB 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Healthcare Briefs receive treatment outside the often-costly setting of a hospital ER or inpatient unit. In many cases, patients managing chronic mental illness were able to increase the frequency of treatment con- tributing to better long-term outcomes. Through outpatient services, patients are empowered to maintain jobs and live at home with their families while receiving care. “Care delivery is changing, and we want to cre- ate a system in which individuals are best posi- tioned to seek treatment in the least restrictive environment,” said Stuart Archer, CEO of Oceans Healthcare. “Through our pilot program, we have clear evidence that our proven clinical model is critical to supporting the most vulnerable individ- uals in our communities, enhancing patient out- comes and addressing expensive hospitalizations and readmissions.” Kendra Case, Louisiana Healthcare Connec- tions chief operating officer, said, “Our joint goal for this pilot was to demonstrate that these services were a missing step in the life cycle of patients with complex psychological conditions. Too often, when these services are not available, behavioral health patients may fall through the cracks in the system. This model ensures they have the support they need, from the moment they leave the inpatient setting, and the result is both improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs.”  Between August 1, 2018, and July 31, 2019, results achieved include: -A 50 percent increase in care management engagement among enrolled members -An 84 percent reduction in hospital admissions among enrolled members -An 84 percent reduction in hospital readmission rates among enrolled members -A 58 percent reduction in ER visits among enrolled members “The results of our pilot shine a light on a solution that could help so many individuals in need,” Archer said. “We’re looking to the future as we put a greater emphasis on supporting the patient wherever they may be along their health care journey.” “Oceans Behavioral Health shares our commit- ment to helping our members achieve improved health through evidence-based, cost-effective care,” said Case. “We look forward to a continued partnership with Oceans in expanding this pilot in our state and engaging other facilities and hospi- tals in this innovative model of care.” CIS Breaks Ground on Ambulatory Surgery Center in Gray CIS celebrated the groundbreaking of its Ambulatory Surgery Center in Gray. The facil- ity, which will be located at 4089 W. Park Ave- nue in Gray, will have two outpatient cath labs, two ultrasound rooms, the CIS medical labora- tory, patient exam rooms, and a recovery area. The primary focus will be on the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral vascular disease in an out- patient setting.  State-of-the-art medical technology will be used in the center, including lasers and other devices to treat peripheral vascular disease, and a highly-sensitive vascular ultrasound system to identify small vessels more clearly and easily. CIS will also train cardiologists from across the country at this location with hands-on experience. The Ambulatory Surgery Center is expected to be operational by August of 2020. 121 LA Clinicians Register for Training in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment A free, online educational course offered by Louisiana Healthcare Connections throughout 2019 provided 121 clinicians across the state with the opportunity to become buprenorphine-waiv- ered to treat Opioid-Use Disorder (OUD). Conducted by the American Society of Addic- tion Medicine (ASAM), the course provided clini- cal education and CMEs to clinicians in the use of buprenorphine to treat OUD. Buprenorphine is the first at-home therapy to treat OUD and offers great potential for expanding treatment, accord- ing to the New England Journal of Medicine. Only 76,037 – or seven percent – of the nation’s clinicians have waivers to prescribe buprenor- phine, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In Louisiana, there are just 1,242 waivered health- care professionals statewide, the agency reports. Stewart Gordon, MD, Louisiana Health- care Connections chief medical officer, said, “Buprenorphine has proven to be a clinically- effective, in-home therapy for opioid use dis- order, yet few healthcare providers in our state are waivered to provide this therapy. By ensuring their access to this clinical training, we are helping to increase the number of clinicians prepared to effectively treat opioid addiction. We commend those healthcare professionals who participated in this training and who are taking the appropri- ate steps to become buprenorphine waivered.” The 121 clinicians who registered for the train- ing spanned the spectrum of healthcare, from substance abuse counselors, social workers, and behavioral health providers, to primary care phy- sicians, clinical psychologists, and OB/GYNs. By completing the training, these healthcare pro- fessionals were able to earn Continuing Medi- cal Education (CME) credits in the treatment of opioid addiction, a copy of the ASAM National Practice Guidelines, and other clinical resources. The course was offered four times in 2019. LDEQ gets two newMobile Air Monitoring Laboratories LDEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck Carr Brown announced that the agency has accepted deliv- ery of two new Mobile Air Monitoring Laboratory (MAML) vehicles. LDEQ’s current MAML is still an effective resource but it is aging, Brown said. In October, CIS celebrated the groundbreaking of its Ambulatory Surgery Center in Gray, La. The facility will be located at 4089 W. Park Avenue in Gray.