October 2006

LRHA Update
October 2006, Volume XIII, Issue IX
Partial funding for this publication is provided through a
federal grant from the Office of Rural Health Policy (HRSA)
and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health
LRHA Mission Statement:
To serve as a unified voice for the promotion of rural health care
through advocacy, education, and leadership.
LRHA Awards Outstanding
Rural Health Professionals
Sam Fulton
President
337-239-5113
Christopher Vidrine
President Elect
504-568-8976
Wayne Arboneaux
Treasurer
985-369-3600
Christopher Williams
Secretary
225-926-6353
Chris Kohlenberg
Immediate Past President
337-893-6232
Ron Barrow
Milton Bourgeois, Ex Officio
Byron Briggs, Ex Officio
Mark Chustz
Jim Dixon
Linda Deville
Brad Fife
Dr. Arthur Fort, Ex Officio
Nick Gachassin Jr., Ex Officio
Paul Landry , Ex Officio
Suzanne Lavergne, Ex Officio
Michelle Lemming
Kristy Nichols
Evalyn Ormond
L.J Pecot
Scott Stafford, Ex Officio
Vernon Stevens
The 2006 Louisiana Rural Health Association Awards program
proved to be very successful this year. The nominations received far outdid
any year in the past. The only regret faced this year is that not every single
nomination could be recognized. There are so many dedicated individuals
and successful and outstanding programs in the state. We are very pleased to
announce to our membership this year’s Rural Health Award Recipients.
2006 Rural Health Professional of the Year
J. Scott Stafford, CEO
Desoto Regional Health Center
2006 Rural Practitioner of the Year
Dr. John Overby
Jackson Parish Hospital
2006 Rural Health Program of the Year
Desoto Regional Health System Oncology/Hematology Program
For more detailed information about this year’s winners
and pictures from the Awards Luncheon and Annual Conference, see pages 4, 5 and 6.
Louisiana Rural Health Association
Post Office Box 387
Napoleonville, LA 70390
Phone: (985) 369-3813 Fax: (985) 369-3630
Web: www.lrha.org
Board Members Elected
Two new individuals were elected to the 2007
Board of Directors at the LRHA Annual Conference
in Lake Charles: Linda Deville and Michelle Lemming. Wayne Arboneaux was also re-elected to serve
another term on the Board. The entire listing of the
LHRA Board is located on the cover page of each
issue of the LRHA Update, as well as the phone
number for each Board Member who sits on the Executive Committee. If you would like additional contact information for any of the board members,
please don’t hesitate to contact the LRHA Office at
985-369-3813 or by email. For your records, all
LRHA staff member email addresses are listed below. Drop us a line… We love to hear from you!
Stacy Fontenot, [email protected]
Michael Calabro, [email protected]
Jeanne Gauthreaux, [email protected]
Anne Marsh, [email protected]
Erin Watson, [email protected]
We have received a large amount of e-update contact forms
since we released the information of the electronic newsletter in
the last edition of the LRHA Update. Please make sure that you
let us know if there is someone at your facility that you wish to
receive the newsletter that is not currently doing so. In an effort
to spread our message to more people, we encourage you to add
staff members to the database. Membership benefits, including
discounted registration fees are available to up to 5 employees
at each member organization according to the membership level
in which they join and pay dues for; however the electronic
newsletter listserve is available to as many members of your
team that you wish to add to it.
To submit additional contacts to the listserve, please email
Anne Marsh, [email protected], fax the information to LRHA,
985-369-3630 or call our office, 985-369-3813.
Submit to
the LRHA Update…
[email protected]
Supplemental Medicare Plans
As of July, more than 7 million people were in some form of
Advantage or Supplemental Medicare Plan or about 17% of all
Medicare beneficiaries. This was up from 14.43% in December.
Hundreds of thousands of seniors are signing up for a privately run Medicare plan that delivers traditional benefits without the usual restrictions on access to Doc’s and hospitals. In
turn, some of the nation’s largest health insurers are offering
more such plans and marketing them in more areas.
The plans are a type of privately run Medicare plans known
as Medicare Advantage. These plans wrap physician and hospital services in one. Instead of paying beneficiaries claims directly, the federal government pays insurance companies to
manage the care, with the hope of reducing Medicare spending.
As part of the sweeping law that created the new Medicare
prescription-drug benefit, Congress raised the government’s
reimbursement rates to companies offering Medicare Advantage plans to 10K per enrollee per year. That has allowed insurer’s eager to bring in new business, to offer Advantage plans
with lower premiums, but often with more benefits, such as
vision or drugs.
Of all the private Medicare options, it is private fee-forservice that is seeing the most growth.
got Medicare Part D?
As an LRHA member, our Medicare
Outreach services are available to
your facility as well as the people in
your community. Please call Erin or
Anne, 985-369-3813 for more information, or to schedule an actual
visit. We’re ready if you are!
Erin, [email protected]
Anne, [email protected]
DeSoto Regional Health System Announces
Expansion and Information Technology Upgrade
Continued from previous column...
includes Hospital, Clinic, Laboratory,
and Radiology information systems,
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and
Picture
Archiving and Communication System
(PACS). The upgrade began in August
2006 and will be completely phased in
over six months. This leap in technology
will enable the Hospital and satellite
clinics to seamlessly share patient information.
Daniel Campbell, who also serves as
Director of Radiology added that the
addition of PACS has improved the productivity of the radiology department
through more efficient processing of
images and eliminating the need to deliver images to different areas of the
Health System. The PACS system allows physicians to view these images on
computer monitors at many locations in
the hospital or even from remote locations with high speed internet access.
Shown here are members of the Radiology Department with Computed Ra- While nothing is perfect, and new technology brings a new set of issues,
diography (CR) equipment that was included in the PACS upgrade.
PACS virtually eliminates lost or misplaced images and time consuming
DeSoto Regional Health System in Mansfield Louisiana is
manual filing of images and reports. Patients at DeSoto Re“on the grow” again. The hospital was recently named one of
gional will realize the benefit of the new system as well. Frethe nations top performance improvement leader hospitals by
quently, patients are required to check out images to take to
Evanston, Ill. Based SOLUCIENT ®, the nation’s leading
consulting specialty physicians. In the past, these images were
source of healthcare information. The Health System has exmanually retrieved from file, and placed into large envelopes.
perienced explosive growth over the past few years that began
In the future, these images will be placed on a compact disc
with the construction of a 23,000 sq/ft ambulatory care center in
(CD) in a matter of seconds and can be viewed by any com2001 and the addition of specialty physicians and services inputer with a CD drive.
cluding cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, nephrology, gastroenterology and many more. Another major factor in this growth
is the Family Medicine Clinics that the Health System operates
in Mansfield, Logansport and Zwolle Louisiana.
This growth has driven the need for both additional space
and improvements in Information Technology. To deal with
these growing pains, Desoto Regional will begin construction
of a 3.5 million dollar 13,900 sq/ft second floor outpatient
clinic in January 2006 that will house nuclear medicine, chemotherapy, and six suites for specialty physicians. A new Family
Medicine Clinic in nearby Stonewall is also planned to open in
the near future.
The services of the
“The increase in physical size as well as the number of patient encounters necessitated that we upgrade our Information
Rural Assistance Center.
Technology system in order for us to accommodate our current
We encourage you to
and future growth. This growth demands that we be able to efficiently share patient demographic, clinical, laboratory and radivisit their website.
ology information.” states Daniel Campbell, VP of Ancillary
Services at DeSoto Regional. The 1.6 million dollar IT upgrade
http://www.raconline.org/
Continued in next column...
The Annual Awards Luncheon took place at the LRHA Annual Conference held
October 16-17 in Lake Charles, LA. The conference was a huge success and we thank
everyone who participated for their support.
Rural Health Professional of the Year
An excerpt from the nomination for J. Scott Stafford for Rural
Health Professional of the year…
The recent announcement of DeSoto Regional Health being
named a Top 100 Hospital in the Nation concurs with what our
leader has been leading us towards all the while – a vision of
excellence.
We would like to nominate our leader, Scott Stafford, for the
Rural Health Professional of the Year Award. Scott came to DeSoto Regional just a few years ago. In the time he has been here,
he’s led our health system with effective leadership and strategic
management to conquer unprecedented achievements. No organization achieves without leadership, and achieved much we have.
Proper leadership sets the visions high and creates an environment where all recognize their contributions are essential for
growth and excellence…
Congratulations Scott on behalf of the LRHA Board of Directors, staff and members. We are proud to have you as part of our
team as well.
Rural Health Program of the Year
Pictured accepting the award on behalf of DeSoto Regional
Health System’s Hematology/Oncology Program are Marla
Smith, Outpatient Clinic Supervisor and Julie Evans, RN, Oncology/Chemotherapy Nurse.
Rural Practitioner of the Year
An excerpt from the nomination for Dr. Overby for Rural Practitioner of the year…
Dr. Overby came to Jackson Parish Hospital in 1998 after
retiring from a prosperous 30 year surgical practice in New
Orleans. His dedication to the practice of medicine led him to a
very successful Family Practice in Jonesboro. He became an
employee of the hospital at a very critical time and played a
major role in our stability. He hit the road running, having an
office full of patients on the first day. He sees patients by appointment, but welcomes all walk-ins and doesn’t leave until
the last patient is seen… He serves as President of the Jackson
Parish Hospital staff, as well as Medical Director for the Emergency Department. In addition, he serves as Medical Director
for the Jackson Parish Ambulance Service and Medical Director for two local nursing facilities, where he has a combined
total of over 150 patients… He has made a significant contribution to our community and deserves to be considered for this
honor.
Congratulations Dr. Overby, on behalf of the LRHA Board of
Directors, staff and members. We thank you for your dedication
and service to the citizens of Louisiana.
DeSoto Regional Health System’s Hematology/Oncology Program is the product of LSU Health Sciences Center and the
Feist-Weiller Cancer Treatment Center in Shreveport joining
hands with the hospital to provide clinical trials, studies, and
research in the rural setting of Mansfield. The design of the
program is to extend the outreach of LSUHSC Oncology Services to a broader based population with identified needs. DeSoto Regional originated the program to provide oncology services to those patients that due to socio-economic factors are
not able to travel to Shreveport to receive these services. The
program provides diagnostic, therapeutic, educational and
spiritual opportunities to the residents of DeSoto, Sabine, and
Red River parishes, all of which are medically underserved
areas.
Congratulations to the staff of the Hematology/Oncology
Program at DeSoto. Your nomination package full of patient testimonials only drives the point home of how important your jobs are.
LRHA Annual Conference—October 16-17, 2006
L’auberge du Lac Casino Resort, Lake Charles
L’auberge du Lac set the scene for this year’s annual conference. The weather was a bit torrential but thankfully our conference attendees did not have to witness nor bear with much of
that. Unfortunately, the Annual Golf Scramble was a bit difficult
with the 35 mph winds and horizontally slanted rain. The great
news is that on the inside of the resort – the conference was a huge
success. Being the largest event hosted by LRHA ever, there were
over 160 participants. Fantastic speakers from across the state of
Louisiana and the nation were on-hand with the latest and greatest
information. Our exhibitors were also there to meet with clients
and network with rural health professionals. Thanks to all exhibitors for their continued support. An electronic evaluation was sent
to all conference attendees post-event and we’d like to thank everyone who completed the form – if you have not done so yet, it’s not
too late. The reviews were fabulous. We appreciate each and every
one of you who participated in this year’s meeting and look forward to visiting with you in the future.
2006
honors...
Wayne Arboneaux, CEO of Assumption Community Hospital
was honored for the dedication and accomplishments of his
facility, located in Napoleonville. Wayne currently serves as
Treasurer on the LRHA Board of Directors and previously held
the position of Board President. Wayne’s never-ending efforts
to sustain the success of LRHA and promote the LRHA mission
statement to his staff and colleagues stands proof that he is a
leader within his community and across the state of Louisiana.
Thank you Wayne for doing everything that you do for us and
for the citizens of this state. With sincere appreciation, LRHA
salutes you.
LRHA 2006
Suzanne Lavergne is a long-standing LRHA Board member and
has an extensive history in Louisiana rural health care. Suzanne
was honored by outgoing LRHA Board President Chris Kohlenberg for her dedication to the association. Through the transition of replacing the LRHA Executive Director, Suzanne became the interim Director for what was originally planned to be
a very short time that actually turned out to be several months.
Thanks Suzanne for putting LRHA first and for your continued
support of our organization. It is through the effort of folks like
you that we can continue to prosper and grow effectively.
The AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION is driving towards
a goal of signing up one million women in the
“Go Red for Women” movement.
How can you help?
Join the movement and take the “Go Red Heart Check Up”. Now, you
must know your numbers to take the check up (see list below). If you do not
know your numbers, now’s a great time to call your doctor to make an appointment and get these numbers. Log onto: www.goredforwomen.org to start NOW!
Blood Pressure
Total Cholesterol
Height, Weight &
LDL (bad) Cholesterol
Waist Circumference
HDL (good) Cholesterol
Fasting Blood Glucose (sugar)
Triglycerides
An important message from the
The recent 2006 LA legislative session has been an exciting one for those of us in public health and here at The Louisiana Campaign
for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL). Two very important pieces of legislation were passed that impact the work we do and assist us in
reaching our mission. The “Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act” (Act No. 815), effective January 1, 2007, prohibits smoking in most
public places and workplaces, including all restaurants with or without attached bars. Smoking will still be allowed in stand-alone
bars and casinos. Perhaps most important, Louisiana’s partial preemption of local smoke-free air ordinances was repealed and replaced by a specific non-preemption clause. This means local communities are now free to strengthen the Act with stricter local ordinances. Additionally, Act No. 838 was passed which prohibits smoking in motor vehicles when children under the age of 13 are present (effective August 15, 2006). Thanks to Governor Blanco and our legislators for responding to Louisiana citizens who want and
deserve the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air. We will all breathe a little easier in the upcoming year and beyond. Louisiana’s
Smoke-Free Air Act will be seen as a major turning point for our state - Louisiana is now among national leaders in an effort to protect Americans from the dangers of secondhand smoke. The Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act (Act 815) covers:
U Restaurants (including those with
bars and the bar located within the
restaurant)
U Cafeterias
U Sandwich stands
U School cafeterias
U Kitchens
U Catering facilities
U Banks
U Healthcare facilities
U Hotel-motel lobbies
U Public transportation
U Sports arenas
Theaters
Shopping malls
Laundromats
Reception areas/waiting rooms
Retail stores
Places of employment (including
work areas, employee lounges,
restrooms, conference rooms,
meeting rooms, classrooms, employee cafeterias, hallways and vehicles)
U Private residences when used for
licensed child care, adult day care
U
U
U
U
U
U
2007
January 25-26, 2007 LRHA
Baton Rouge Marriott
LRHA is currently preparing the agenda for
this meeting and we already know it’s one you
don’t want to miss! National and state rural
health leaders will be on hand to deliver important and up-to-date information for your clinic
and staff. Registration forms available soon!!!
Make your reservations today!
The deadline for reservations is January 2,
2006. To make reservations, call 800-228-9290
or to book online visit www.marriott.com and
use the group code: RURRURA.
Rural
Health
Clinic
Education
Event
Each year, at each LRHA hosted event, there are several organization who step up, support and sponsor
our educational events. This said sponsorship is what allows these events to take place. We are always so
graciously appreciative of the assistance we receive and would like to take this opportunity to recognize
the organizations who assisted in making this year’s Annual Conference a reality.
McNeary, Inc.
11440 N. Lake Sherwood Avenue, Suite E
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Phone: (225) 291-6363 Fax: (225) 291-6335
Web: http://www.mcneary.com/
HSLI
P O Box 40318
Baton Rouge, LA 70835-0318
Phone: (800) 542-4754 Fax:
(225) 272-1090
Web: http://www.hsli.com/
LHC Group
420 West Pinhook Rd., Suite A
Lafayette, LA 70503
Phone: (800) 489-1307 Fax: (337) 235-8037
Web: http://www.lhcgroup.com/
Compass
Healthcare
426 N. Avenue G
Crowley, LA 70526
Phone: (337) 785-8003 Fax: (337) 785-8045
Web: http://ww.compasshealthcare.com/