HJNO May/Jun 2020

38 MAY / JUN 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Healthcare Briefs have resources in place to help them process the magnitude of the public health crisis devastating their community.” Tulane University Awarded $10.3 million to Test Therapeutics, Vaccines for Novel Coronavirus The National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH/ NIAID) has awarded Tulane National Primate Research Center a contract of up to $10.3 million to evaluate the nation’s most promising vaccines and treatments to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The three-year NIH/NIAID award will initially study three species of nonhuman primates to determine which most closely mimics COVID- 19 infection and transmission as experienced by humans. A nonhuman primate model will provide key information about the characteristics of the disease and will help researchers determine which candidate COVID-19 vaccines and treatments are safe and effective. A nonhuman primate model also helps researchers understand which underlying health conditions, or comorbidities, can make some people more susceptible to complications from the disease. “The range of biological responses to COVID- 19 is incredibly wide,” said lead investigator Chad Roy, professor of microbiology and immunology in the Tulane University School of Medicine and director of infectious disease aerobiology at the Tulane National Primate Research Center. “We know relatively little about the intricacies of the disease — like why some infections result in mild disease, while others experience severe compli- cations or death.” Past attempts to study emergent coronavirus infections such as SARS and MERS in labora- tory animals have been challenging. Early efforts have signaled that COVID-19 may be no different, punctuating the urgency for intensive research activity in this area. Once a reliable nonhuman primate model of disease has been established, Tulane researchers will then test promising vac- cines and therapeutics for safety and effective- ness before promoting them for use in human clinical trials. “We will be a primary site for evaluating the nation’s leading medical countermeasures against COVID-19,” Roy said. “Receiving this award is a testament to the unique capabilities of the Tulane National Primate Research Center and the inter- national reputation of Tulane University as a leader in infectious disease research. This project has been funded with federal funds from NIAID, NIH, and the Department of Health and Human Services under contract No. HHSN272201700033I. Ochsner Cancer Institute Offers Care for Travel- Impacted Patients during COVID-19 Pandemic Ochsner Cancer Institute (Ochsner) wants to reassure local cancer patients who have been traveling out of state for treatment that they can easily continue their care in Louisiana during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, several governors in neighboring states have issued pub- lic safety executive orders targeting some of the virus’ hot spots, which includes the state of Loui- siana. In some cases, these orders require all Lou- isianans who travel to certain states, either by air or by road, to self-quarantine for an extended period before entering any public space. This would include hospitals and medical office buildings. “Cancer causes tremendous stress on the patient and their loved ones. We want to ease that burden and ensure that cancer care is unin- terrupted to the greatest extent possible. During this unprecedented time, it is important that we lend a hand to our fellow oncologists across the region, while assisting our local patients who are undergoing treatment both in and out of state,” said Brian Moore, MD, medical director, Ochsner Cancer Institute. “Fortunately, we have the same electronic health record—Epic—as many out-of- state facilities, which means we can access patient treatment plans at Ochsner locations across Lou- isiana and continue patient care in a highly effec- tive and coordinated manner.” Patients who ordinarily receive cancer care out- side Louisiana can call (855) 312-4190 or email cancernavigation@ochsner.org to make an appointment at any Ochsner location in the state. Ochsner patients have the benefit of the industry-leading electronic health record, Epic, which provides an environment to safely and securely share patient information no matter where the patient receives care. In addition, through the Epic Care Everywhere Network, Och- sner providers can see patient records from hun- dreds of hospitals and healthcare facilities across the nation as well as a number of international healthcare facilities. This ensures a higher level of coordinated care and improves outcomes. Och- sner patients can make appointments and access test results and healthcare resources through the patient portal, MyOchsner. Ochsner’s specialists treat more than 34,000 cancer patients annually, from all 50 states and 34 countries. Ochsner provides cancer care where its patients live, in large and small communities alike, and has cancer treatment facilities through- out the state including The Gayle and Tom Ben- son Cancer Center at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans; one of the largest multidisci- plinary Neuroendocrine Tumor Programs in the U.S. at Ochsner Medical Center- Kenner; CHRIS- TUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital in Lake Charles; and the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport. Ochsner Cancer Center - Baton Rouge and Ochsner Medical Complex - The Grove offer can- cer treatment services to Greater Baton Rouge residents. Many of the trials available in New Orleans are also available to Ochsner patients in Baton Rouge. LSUHealth Faculty Leads Section at COVID-19 Convention Center Medical Monitoring Station Dr. Meghan Maslanka, clinical assistant pro- fessor of medicine in the Section of Emergency Medicine at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, has been appointed medical manager/ operations section leader at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Medical Monitoring Station, which opened to COVID-19 patients. After completing LSU Health New Orleans’ Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Maslanka was accepted into a Disaster Medi- cine Fellowship at Harvard/Beth Israel Deacon- ess before coming home to join the LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine faculty. Maslanka worked with her fellow LSU Health