HJNO Nov/Dec 2019

36 NOV / DEC 2019  I  Healthcare Journal of New Orleans   Healthcare Briefs providers, including physicians employed by LCMC Health, community physicians, LCMC’s five member hospitals, and post-acute specialists. “Humana is excited to announce this value- based agreement as we continue our dedica- tion to enhancing the member experience and improving health outcomes for our more than 175,000 Medicare Advantage members across Louisiana,” said Humana Regional President Matt Berger. “We’re excited to partner with LHP and LCMC Health, the latter which has a 10-year his- tory of delivering care to Louisiana communities.” “LHP’s value-based partnership with Humana enables us to focus resources on preventative medicine and provide an enhanced level of care coordination across the healthcare continuum,” said Dr. John Heaton, LCMC president of clinical and system operations. “LHP and Humana share the same vision of improving the quality and effi- ciency of healthcare services delivered to our patients, while also reducing health care costs.” LDHHolds Louisiana Opioid Action Summit The Louisiana Department of Health held a three-day Opioid Action Summit that brought together hundreds of healthcare providers, sub- ject matter experts, and addiction treatment pro- viders who are dedicated to addressing the opi- oid epidemic. The summit included more than two dozen panels, breakout sessions, and discussions sur- rounding addiction and recovery, all focused on responding to the opioid crisis that is costing the state hundreds of lives and millions of dol- lars each year. “The Opioid Action Summit — the first the Department has held — was an example of how the Department is bringing together resources and listening to people across the state to more effectively respond to some of Louisiana’s great- est health challenges,” said Dr. Rebekah Gee, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health. “The Department is determined to address this crisis head-on by dedicating the right resources in the right places and helping communities across the state put strategies into place that will save lives and help those affected by the crisis recover.” Gee added that the Department is focused on reducing the stigma surrounding addiction. Participants in the summit came from a wide range of backgrounds, including law enforce- ment, the faith community, public health and non- profit leaders, addiction treatment and behavioral health providers, and regional human services providers. These participants addressed a vari- ety of topics that were designed to inform best practices around addiction care, including how to reach specific populations and form commu- nity coalitions, addressing addiction in pregnant mothers and their children, and approaches to treatment. Gov. John Bel Edwards declared the week a “Call to Action Week,” urging residents across Louisiana to focus on utilizing previous actions taken by the Governor and the Department to respond to the crisis, as well as getting access to evidence-based treatment. “The opioid crisis has caused irreparable harm across Louisiana, but we can turn the tide on this devastation,” said Gov. Edwards. “Our new laws and policies are integral to helping our residents struggling with opioid addiction get the help they desperately need and understanding where and how frequently overdoses are occurring so we can work to prevent further harm.” Going forward, the Department has a number of initiatives planned that are aimed at stemming the opioid epidemic. * In January, the Department will begin fund- ing methadone treatment using Medicaid dol- lars, allowing people with a substance use disor- der who are eligible for Healthy Louisiana health insurance to get access to medication-assisted treatment. * The Department has begun rolling out harm reduction strategies to five communities in the state. These strategies aim to reduce the preva- lence of infectious diseases among intravenous drug users and protecting first responders and the public from exposure to needles. Tulane, Blue Cross Foundation Launch Free Programs for New Parents, Babies Becoming a parent can be exciting but over- whelming, and new programs through Tulane University aim to give new moms and dads the tools they need to bond with their babies. The programs, Tulane Building Early Relation- ships (TBEARS) and NOLA STRONG (Strength- ening Resources for Nurturing and Growth) for Moms, are a collaboration between Tulane Uni- versity School of Medicine and Tulane Univer- sity School of Public Health and Tropical Medi- cine. The programs are funded through a new grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. TBEARS provides support to any infant care- giver struggling with their child’s behavior. It could be a newborn having trouble sleeping, or a mom not feeling a strong sense of connection with her infant. The support begins when a frustrated par- ent calls TBEARS. All calls are returned within 24 hours during the weekdays, and TBEARS provid- ers schedule sessions either at the office or in the family’s home. “When the sessions take place in the home, we’re able to see what the environment is like and ways to help with some the parents’ strug- gles,” said Sherryl Heller, program director and clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Tulane School of Medicine. “We can be in a home any- where from an hour to three hours, depending on what that family’s need is at the moment, and most families have four sessions with us.” NOLA STRONG brings together new mothers who are battling postpartum depression and anx- iety, using an evidence-based approach to help ease stress. “This allows moms to join a group of people they can connect with who are having the same struggles,” Heller said. “Research shows that social connection piece can be very helpful in alleviating depression.” LSUHealth Tumor Registry Launches New Interactive Resource LSU Health New Orleans Louisiana Tumor Reg- istry has launched a new, user-friendly, interac- tive, online tool to provide easier access to can- cer information in Louisiana. To our knowledge, Louisiana Cancer Data Visualization provides the most complete information of any online state- specific, cancer resource tool in the United States. This new resource provides a comprehensive picture of cancer statistics in the state in a visual format. It includes an overview, information about