HJNO Mar/Apr 2019

Healthcare Journal of NEW ORLEANS  I  MAR / APR 2019 55 JOHN NICKENS President & CEO Children’s Hospital New Orleans diatric programs under one roof. Adding Tulane University School of Medicine to the already vibrant academic community at Children’s through our long-standing partnership with LSU Health New Orleans provides unparalleled opportunities for educational enhancement and innovation. Isn’t it this kind of collaboration our kids deserve? A generational change of aligning LSU, Tulane, and CHNOLA requires the unself- ish, big thinking of leaders that understand that collaboration and partnership are the answer—we are truly stronger together. Those attributes were the foundation in the decision making of Dean Steve Nel- son, MD (LSU), Dean Lee Hamm, MD (Tu- lane), Mel Lagarde (HCA), and Greg Feirn (LCMC), whomade this effort possible. The top leaders of four different competitive organizations chose a higher calling when shaping this academic collaboration that will both increase access to high-quality pediatric healthcare and enhance educa- tional training opportunities throughout the state. It is a true reflection of doing the right thing for kids. The Children’s Hospital Board of Trust- ees and LCMC Health are making a signif- icant investment in the future of pediatric healthcare with a $300 million transfor- mation project currently underway at Chil- dren’s Hospital. We are working to ensure that children across our state and region have access the same level of pediatric ex- pertise found at the nation’s top children’s hospitals. This transformation will allow us to deliver the most advanced care pos- sible, with innovative approaches to both care delivery and academics. As the state’s only free-standing hos- pital focused entirely on the care of chil- dren, Children’s Hospital is investing in the infrastructure, technology, and processes that will deliver one high standard of care to children across the state. From the most complex pediatric cases, to the everyday health of children and adolescents, our community can count on the pediatric ex- pertise provided by the pediatric-trained experts at Children’s Hospital. Children’s Hospital understands the value of well-trained talent along with the opportunities created from an attractive New Orleans community. We have invit- ed some of the nation’s top leaders in pe- diatric healthcare to join our mission to change the face of pediatric healthcare in Louisiana. We are thrilled that they have accepted the challenge. In 2018, CHNOLA recruited administra- tive and physician leaders trained in the top pediatric programs across the coun- try, including Cincinnati Children’s, Har- vard, Texas Children’s, Stanford, Phoenix Children’s, Duke, CHoP, Lurie Children’s, Emory, Vanderbilt, Cornell, and Pittsburgh. Combining the new perspectives of these leaders with the strong, energized collec- tion of LSU and Tulane pediatric experts has created a dynamic and distinct group of professionals ready to tackle any obsta- cle and win. We are excited to introduce our phy- sician leaders and encourage you to get to know them. They are pediatric trained medical leaders who have dedicated their entire careers to serving kids. They are Chief Medical Officer, Dr. George Bissett; Surgeon-in-Chief, Dr. Ellis Arjmand; Pri- mary Care Medical Director, Dr. Amanda Jackson; Chief Quality Officer, Dr. Leron Finger, Pediatricians-In-Chiefs, Dr. Ray- mond Watts, and Dr. Samir El-Dahr, to name a few. These exemplary physician leaders, along with a medical staff comprised of over 400 pediatric-trained providers, is unmatched in our region. In addition to expanding access points across the state for pediatric primary care, Children’s Hos- pital is the only institution in the state where every pediatric medical or surgical specialty is available. As Children’s Hospital embarks on a mission to deliver a healthier tomorrow for children, we hope you will join us in an unwavering commitment to doing what is right for kids. The future wellness of our children depends on it.   John R. Nickens IV is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Hospital New Orleans and LCMC Health Maternal and Child Health Services. He originally came to New Orleans in September 2017 as President and CEO of Children’s Hospital. Mr. Nickens be- gan his career at Texas Children’s Hospital in 1990, with management positions in revenue cycle and clinical operations. He went on to hold various administrative positions at Bay- lor College of Medicine in Houston, and then returned to Texas Children’s where he has most recently held the position of Executive Vice President, overseeing system-wide clini- cal business analytics, pediatric subspecialty medical service lines, and inpatient and out- patient operations. “A generational change of aligning LSU, Tulane, and CHNOLA requires the unself- ish, big thinking of leaders that under- stand that collaboration and partnership are the answer—we are truly stronger together.”