HJNO Mar/Apr 2019

Healthcare Journal of NEW ORLEANS I  MAR / APR 2019 15 Chief Editor SmithW. Hartley How would you characterize the entire New Orleans health- care landscape currently? Gerald Parton  I would say residents of this region are very fortunate. We have a highly competitive market comprised of very good hospitals. In fact, it is that quality which makes our being independently ranked #1 in outcomes for overall hospital care and overall medical care all the more rewarding. We are competing against very good hos- pitals and still setting the standard of care. Editor Where does East Jefferson General Hospital fit into the area landscape? Parton Metairie and Jefferson Parish repre- sent such a dynamic marketplace. We are Louisiana’s most populated and most pros- perous parish. With that comes the respon- sibility of providing leading edge care. As our parish continues to change and grow, it is imperative that our hospital changes, grows, and evolves with it, and in many ways, ahead of it. I have always loved the fact that our physicians, nurses, adminis- trators, and board of directors never talk about being anything less than the best hospital anywhere. We have always had a very unique culture of care, and as long as we stay true to that culture and open to change, this hospital will continue to be a great hospital. Editor Can you discuss some of the partner- ships and affiliations EJGH may be work- ing on? Parton  Obviously that isn’t for public com- ment, but yes, we have made no secret of the fact that we believe a partnership is in our best interest long-term. Again, I want to emphasize that while we are actively dis- cussing partnerships with interested parties, we very much want to preserve the excel- lence and culture that EJGH has long been known for. erald Parton has been president & CEO of East Jefferson General Hospital since May 2017. Parton has an extensive background of more than 35 years in healthcare administration. Prior to arriving at EJGH, he was a regional vice president with Quorum Health Resources, held CEO positions at People’s Health, Meadowcrest Hospital (Ochsner Medical Center- West), Doctors Hospital of Jefferson, Elmwood Medical Center, Lakeside Hospital, Vicksburg Medical Center, and Monroe County Hospital. He is a past chairman of the New Orleans Metropolitan Hospital Council, the Federation of Louisiana Hospitals, and the New Orleans Heart Association, as well as a past board member of the Louisiana Hospital Association. He holds a BS in Mathematics from the University of Alabama, graduated the Health Services Administration Development Program at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and holds an MBA from the University of Tennessee.