HJNO Jul/Aug 2019

56 JUL / AUG 2019  I  Healthcare Journal of NEW ORLEANS   Hospital Rounds hospitals for achieving both distinctions. STPH is one of only 77 hospitals to earn both awards for excellent performance in safeguard- ing patients from serious, potentially preventable complications, as well as providing a positive experience for patients during their hospital stay. St. Bernard Parish Hospital Announces Promotion of Brianna Sparnecht to AccountingManager St. Bernard Parish Hospital (SBPH) has announced the promotion of Brianna Sparnecht to the position of accounting manager. A key con- tributor to the finance department, Brianna played an integral role converting systems and policies during St. Bernard Parish Hospital’s transition to Ochsner Health System. The additional proj- ects Brianna has taken on outside of the finance department have had a significant impact, leading to major cost savings for the hospital. Born and raised in St. Bernard Parish, Brianna completed both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in science accounting from the Univer- sity of New Orleans and became a certified pub- lic accountant in Louisiana. Brianna began her finance career with 1st Lake Properties in 2009 and came to St. Bernard Parish Hospital in 2013 as a staff accountant. She became staff accountant II in 2014, senior accountant in 2016, and account- ing supervisor in 2017.  LakeviewRegional observes National Stroke Awareness Month Michael Taylor always enjoyed walking in his gar- den and spending time outdoors. A 65-year old man, he took medications and followed a doctor- prescribed diet – but even the best practices can fail. On the morning of March 20, Michael col- lapsed in his garden. During May, National Stroke Awareness Month, Lakeview Regional Medical Center, a campus of Tulane Medical Center, is sharing the story of stroke patients like Michael to remind patients that every second counts when a stroke occurs. The best chance for full recovery comes when rec- ognizing the symptoms and calling 9-1-1, which is exactly what Michael’s wife did that morning. The Lacombe Fire District EMS quickly responded and indicated he had suffered a stroke. The Taylors asked EMS to take him to the closest emergency room, assuming that would be the best option. However, the EMS team advised that Lakeview Regional is a certified Pri- mary Stroke Center, and they decided to trans- port Michael there. As he arrived, a team of doctors and nurses were waiting for him, standing outside, ready to help the second they could. “Having this team of peo- ple waiting for me impressed on me immediately that I was in the right place,” Michael said. “I knew at that moment that I was going to get the best care possible.” “Code Purple,” the stroke protocol procedure, was activated en route to Lakeview Regional, and the lifesaving drug tPA was administered only 38 minutes after the stroke. “This was my first time at Lakeview Regional and I was so comforted by every single person who administered care to me, especially Dr. Laurie Lawrence and ER staff,” Michael said. “Each per- son introduced themselves, helping to put me at ease. They explained every procedure, every nee- dle stick, every test. The nursing staff was so car- ing to me and my wife, and having that level of communication made a scary situation less scary.” Michael was released from the hospital with zero deficits. “God and grace took me to Lakev- iew that day, I feel blessed that I received my care there,” he said. Tulane Lakeside Hospital Changes Name Reflects Expanded Services Tulane Lakeside Hospital has officially changed its name to better reflect its expanding focus on adult services. New signage was installed earlier this week, capping several weeks of adding new services and technology to the Jefferson Parish campus. Formerly Tulane Lakeside Hospital for Women and Children, the hospital recently added an adult intensive care unit and new, computer-guided per- sonalized surgery system to increase the accu- racy of shoulder replacement surgeries. These, and future enhancements planned for the cam- pus, reflect the needs of the community the hos- pital serves, said Randy Moresi, Tulane Health Sys- tem’s interim CEO. “When we looked at the healthcare resources available in Jefferson Parish, paired with the changes inherent in an aging population, expanding our scope at Tulane Lakeside to include more adult services made sense for us and the parish,” Moresi said. “Our community is always evolving, and we have responsibility to do the same and ensure we’re meeting its needs.” There are several additional enhancements planned for the campus in the near future. Tulane Lakeside is upgrading all its radiology services to be completely digital, which will allow for quicker and easier communication of results. It is also add- ing new stereotactic breast biopsy technology, which helps assess breast abnormalities found during mammograms. A new, 13-bed medical/surgical/orthopedic unit is also currently under construction. “This is an exciting time, both for our patients and our staff,” said Tara Beth Anderson, Tulane Health System’s associate chief nursing officer who oversees clinical operations at Tulane Lakeside. “We have a lot of experience waiting for babies to be born, and in many ways, that’s what it’s felt like. But the wait is over, and we’re celebrating the next chapter in our story.” The new ICU partners with the hospital’s existing Level III Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to provide perinatal care to both mothers and their babies on site if the need arises. The unit also allows the hospital to provide the intensive wound care services required for some plastic and recon- structive surgeries, as well as more complicated orthopedic procedures such as spine surgeries. Tulane Lakeside continues to offer adult and pediatric emergency services – with average ER wait times well below local and state averages – as well as inpatient rehabilitation services. Adult specialty services such as cardiology and urology have begun offering clinics on or near the Tulane Lakeside campus, and other specialties are being explored. Dr. Nirav Patel Joins University Medical Center NewOrleans as Chief Medical Officer University Medical Center New Orleans announced that Nirav Patel, MD, is its chief med- ical officer. Patel, a specialist in infectious diseases and critical care medicine, most recently served as chief medical officer and vice-president of med- ical affairs at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.