Spring 2013 Newsletter.cdr - Pointe Coupee General Hospital

“To The Pointe”
Newsletter
2202 FALSE RIVER DR
(225) 638-6331
NEW ROADS, LA 70760
www.PCGH.org
SPRING 2013
Meet Our Governing Board Members
The Pointe Coupee General Hospital Service District Number 1 Board is responsible for the overall management of the
hospital and Health Service District. Its' mission is to insure the provision of quality health care to the community in a safe, efficient,
respectful and comprehensive manner. The Board consists of nine members including three Police Jury members, two active Medical
Staff members, and four laymen.
Joseph Bergeron served on the Pointe Coupee Police Jury for 16 years. He is retired from Ethyl after 27 years of employment.
He has been a Board member for 5 years.
Donald Doucet, MD, FACP, has served on the Board for at least 15 years. He currently serves as the Medical Director for
Pointe Coupee General Hospital and Pointe Coupee Rehab and Nursing Home. Dr. Doucet is the Director of Compliance and
Performance Improvement for the hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the Fellow American College
of Physicians. Dr. Doucet is a member of the Guaranty Bank Board of Directors.
Frank Foti, a retired pharmacist after 35 years and a business owner, has been a Board member for 7 years. He also currently
serves on the Board of Directors for Peoples Bank and the Board of Directors for the Innis/Livonia Community Health Centers.
Carl McLemore, MD, is the Chairman of the Health Service District Board. He is certified by the American Board of Family
Practice and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Maurice Picard has been a member of the Board for 29 years. He is the owner of State Farm Insurance in Livonia, LA, and
serves on the Board of Directors for Peoples Bank.
John Pourciau has been a Police Jury member for 9 years where he serves as Chairman of the Jail, Public Works, and
Personnel Committees. He has been on the Board for 5 years.
William Vercher retired from Exxon after 27 years and has been on the Board for 5 years. He serves on the 911 Board of
Commissioners and is the Pointe Coupee Council on Aging President.
Janet Vosburg is a Pointe Coupee retired school teacher having taught for 33 years. She has been a Police Jury member for 8
years serving as a liaison for the Pointe Coupee Planning and Sewer District Four Committees. Ms. Vosburg is the secretary/treasurer
for the Pointe Coupee Council on Aging. She has been a Board member for 8 years and is a member of the Health Service District
Finance Committee.
Juliet Williams retired after 45 years as a Pointe Coupee School teacher. She was a Police Jury member for 10 years and has
been on the Board for 13 years. Ms. Williams is Chairperson of the Innis/Livonia Community Health Centers Board of Directors.
Pictured left to right: Donald Doucet, MD, William Vercher, John Pourciau, Janet Vosburg,
Carl McLemore, MD, Juliet Williams, Joseph Bergeron, Maurice Picard, Frank Foti.
POINTE COUPEE GENERAL HOSPITAL
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Spring 2013
POINTE COUPEE GENERAL RECOGNIZES AMERICAN HEART MONTH
February was American Heart Month and Pointe Coupee General Hospital took the opportunity to promote heart health to its
employees and the community. Several activities were planned during the month including hospital staff donating money to the
American Heart Association. Employees donned red shirts with the message “Nothing Beats a Healthy Heart” during the month and
wore red hats to spread the word on the importance of healthy heart living. Departments had a “Deck the Door” contests with the
Business Office selected as the winner. Lastly, members of the nursing staff displayed information on heart disease, diet, and exercise
and provided healthy snacks to the community.
Statistics Concerning Heart Disease
Heart Disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Heart disease is the number one killer of women,
causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.
About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that's 1 in every 4 deaths.
Every year about 935,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 610,000 are a first heart attack.
Only 1 in 5 American women believe that heart disease is the greatest health threat.
The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women and men. Women are less likely to dial 911 when experiencing
symptoms of a heart attack.
Facts About Heart Disease Everyone Should Know
Cardiovascular disease is a buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries which are the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients
from your heart to the rest of the body. Increased plaque in the arteries is caused by an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being
overweight, and smoking.
Heart attacks occur when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked by a buildup of plaque in coronary arteries.
Signs of a Heart Attack:
Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
Cold sweats
Nausea, or lightheadedness
Pressure or squeezing, and fullness in chest or neck (could be mistaken for indigestion or heartburn)
Palpitations or irregular heartbeats (feels like a “flip-flop” in chest)
Weakness
What Should You Do If You Believe You Are Having a Heart Attack?
Call 911
Chew and swallow a 325 mg aspirin
Make sure the aspirin is not enteric coated
Sit or lie down
How Do You Prevent Heart Disease?
Do not smoke
Control high blood pressure and diabetes
Maintain a healthy weight
Exercise
Check your cholesterol and keep it controlled
Eat healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains. Choose foods
low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium
Manage stress
For more facts about cardiovascular disease and stroke, go to
www.americanheartassociation.com
www.goredforwomen.org
www.heart.org/simplecooking
www.centerfordiseasecontrol.com
Running For The Pointe!
Dania Tolliver, RN, completes her 4 miles.
PCGH employees
who participated in
the 4 mile Pecan
Classic Run are
pictured left to
right: Standing:
Wanda Demoulin,
Dania Tolliver,
Stephanie Chaney,
Connie Joseph,
Monette Barre,
Roxane Jewell,
Paula Guidroz,
Elaine Hurme.
Kneeling: Tess
Jarreau and Jessica
Brown.
POINTE COUPEE GENERAL HOSPITAL
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Spring 2013
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT ~ BUSINESS OFFICE
The Business Department at Pointe Coupee General Hospital consists of a team of seven individuals whose main goal is to
ensure accurate and timely billing of patient's accounts. There are three highly trained and knowledgeable medical billers that bill
insurance claims to ensure that all patient claims are being satisfied by their insurance carrier. There are numerous insurance
companies that PCGH files claims with, however, the major groups are Medicare, Bayou Health Plan/Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue
Shield, Humana, United Healthcare, Aetna, Worker's Compensation and several Medicare Advantage Plans.
Medical billing is a complex series of procedures that require a great deal of time and follow up by trained medical billing
personnel. Medical billing is vital to PCGH; without payments from insurance companies a healthcare facility is unable to operate. The
Business Department works closely with many clinical departments in an effort to generate and issue a patient's bill with accurate and
precise information; otherwise the claim would be denied resulting in no payment. A very important part of our department's daily
routine is communicating with patients who are having insurance issues, and this involves excessive follow up on many patient
accounts.
The Business Department also handles all collection of funds for the entire hospital. All payments received either through the
mail or through the cashier office are updated, balanced, and deposited by the Business Department.
PCGH offers a program for patients who are unable to
obtain insurance. The program is referred to as Pointe Coupee
Charity Care. The requirements are based on an individual's
income being below the national poverty level, the patient must live
in Pointe Coupee Parish, and the patient cannot have any type of
insurance in order to qualify. Please feel free to visit the Business
Department for future information on this program.
The Business Department staff is available Monday
through Friday, from 8:00am to 4:30pm.
Pictured left to right:
Daria Morgan, Sondra Williams,
Danielle Smith, Dolores Azard,
Paula Guidroz, Sandra Pourciau,
and Mary Johnson.
Bath Salts: The New Drug Nightmare
Many of you have probably read about the horrific effects of a new designer street drug known commonly as “bath salts”.
There still exists a great deal of confusion over what constitutes this drug. The following questions will hopefully clarify any questions
you may have and serve as a guide to educate you on this extremely dangerous substance.
What are bath salts?
Bath salts is the informal street name for a family of designer drugs. Bath salts are made from chemicals that are known as synthetic
stimulants.
Why is the drug called bath salts?
This is the part that often confuses the public. The bath salts drug has chemically nothing to do with the bath salts we place in our bath
tub such as Epsom salt. The bath salts drug's white crystals resemble the bath salts we use in bathing but are not the same. The illegal
street chemists have marketed the bath salts drug as “bath salts – not for human consumption” under names such as Ivory Wave and
Vanilla Sky. By doing this they have been able to avoid the bath salts drug being labeled as illegal.
How is the bath salts drug ingested?
The drug can be swallowed, snorted, smoked, or injected. Swallowing and snorting are the most common means of ingestion. Bath
salts drug at doses between 3 and 5 mg elicit an effect on the individual. Packets of the drug normally contain 500 mg so the risk of
overdosing is high.
What does the person experience who has taken bath salts?
Severe paranoia which can lead to the person harming themselves or others, hallucinations, agitation, chest pain, high blood pressure,
increased pulse, combative/violent behavior, suicide, heart attack, kidney failure, liver failure, an increased tolerance for pain, dilated
pupils, and involuntary muscle movement. The speed of onset is 15 minutes. The high from bath salts can last 4-6 hours. Long term
effects are unknown.
How are bath salts detected?
Detection dogs cannot smell bath salts. As far as the human body is concerned, the bath salts drug is not detected in the typical urine
test. Special instruments can detect the drug in the urine and hair.
What is the prevalence of use in the United States?
Between 2010 and 2011 the use of bath salts increased dramatically according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
Most users are between the ages of 20-55 with the average age being 28.
Are bath salts illegal?
As of August 2012, 45 states including Louisiana had banned the sale of bath salts.
Sources: WebMD, Centers for Disease Control.
POINTE COUPEE GENERAL HOSPITAL
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Spring 2013
WELCOME NEW EMPLOYEES:
From the desk of Chad Olinde
Chad E. Olinde,
CPA
Administrator
Laboratory:
Radiology:
Brittany Whitfield
Kelly Brooks
Admissions:
Nutritionist:
Barbara Hayes
Stacie Allen
Nursing:
Jasmine Hunter
Melissa James
Over the past several months, our staff has been
working diligently to obtain Critical Access Hospital Joint
Commission Accreditation. The accreditation will signify
our organizations ongoing efforts to meeting performance
standards excellence. Pointe Coupee General Hospital
was last accredited by the Joint Commission in the
mid1980's. I am proud that our hospital staff is committed
towards the improvement of our facility and would like to
commend our department managers for their tireless
efforts towards continuous performance improvement.
We are fortunate to have so many dedicated individuals in
our organization. I would like to especially commend Dr.
Elaine Hurme who has organized our efforts toward full
accreditation and spent countless hours toward the
achievement of this goal.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Wildlife and Fisheries Boating Safety Course:
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Safe Sitter Course:
TBA
As we move into spring, I have noticed an
increased emphasis toward fitness in our community. It
seems that New Roads has an increasing number of
runners and walkers on our sidewalks. Securing a
machine at the health clubs has become a little more
difficult. Many of our hospital employees are frequenting
the local gyms, attending boot camps and joining the local
running club. Ten of our workers participated in the Pecan
Classic four mile run. I am hopeful that our employees will
continue on their exercise regimens and we can set an
example for increased fitness in our parish.
POINTE COUPEE GENERAL HOSPITAL
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Your Health, Your Choice, Your Hospital
Pointe Coupee General Hospital
2202 False River Drive
New Roads, LA 70760