HJNO Sep/Oct 2019

34 SEP / OCT 2019  I  Healthcare Journal of New Orleans   Healthcare Briefs CIS Named #1 Telehealth Provider for Cardiology Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) was awarded the #1 Telehealth Provider for Car- diology by InTouch Health, and CIS nurse practi- tioner, Marcus Montet, was named the #1 Indi- vidual Provider for Cardiology. The Telehealth Leadership Awards by InTouch Health honor the health systems and providers who are leading the way in virtual care transfor- mation. These awards were selected based on consult volume from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019, and were presented at the InTouch Tele- Health Forum in July in Santa Barbara, Cal. CIS partnered with InTouch Health in 2017 to provide remotemedical services geared towards emergent and general cardiology expertise in acute settings. CIS expanded the adoption of InTouch Health’s services, adding expert cardi- ologists to their service line and collaborating on the development of workflow solutions to drive best practices and allow for standardized quality of care in telecardiology settings. LSUHealth Research to Study Link Between Obesity, Breast Cancer in Real Time Frank Lau, MD, associate professor in the Sec- tion of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at LSUHealth NewOrleans School of Medicine, has been awarded a grant by the Southeastern Soci- ety of Plastic Surgeons to improve the care and research of breast cancer and obesity. “Obesity is a known risk factor for develop- ing breast cancer, more than doubles the risk of death from breast cancer, and is linked to higher recurrence and unresponsiveness to chemother- apy in operable tumors,” said Lau. To study this link, the Lau lab has teamed up with Elizabeth Martin, PhD, assistant professor in the LSU Department of Biological Engineer- ing.Their multidisciplinary teamwill use two new research techniques. The first is a biomimetic, tissue-engineered 3D culture system that allows the researchers to observe the development of breast tumors outside of the body. “We believe that our team is the first in the world to keep human breast tissue alive outside of the body,” Lau said.“This gives us the chance to directly observe how tumors may develop in real time, which in turn will yield new insights and strategies in the fight against breast cancer.” Lau’s lab was also the first to keep white fat tissue alive outside of the body for up to eight weeks. The second technology is a decellularization technique that will allow the scientists to look at thematrix architecture of the breast cancer tum- ors in higher detail than before. The researchers will perform a four-way com- parison between obese vs. lean, and aggressive vs. less aggressive breast cancer – obese with aggressive breast cancer, lean with aggressive breast cancer, obese with less aggressive breast cancer, and lean with less aggressive breast cancer. “Using these techniques, we will study the extracellular matrix of breast cancer in hopes of identifying new targets and newmedications for treating it,” Lau said. According to the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, an estimated 268,600 new cases of female breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2019 with an estimated 41,760 deaths.Approx- imately 12.8 percent of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point during their life- time, based on 2014-2016 data. Breast cancer and obesity are two chronic dis- eases that disproportionately harm the under- served populations of Louisiana. Peak Performance Physical Therapy Opens Clinic in Hammond Peak Performance Physical Therapy, along with celebrating its 20th anniversary, has expanded to Tangipahoa Parish with a newly opened clinic in Hammond. Located at 46177 N. Morrison Blvd., Bldg. B, the clinic is just north of the Southeast- ern Louisiana University campus and is a part of the JayArtigues – soon to be – HammondAmer- ica Sportsplex. The complex is a multi-sport training facility used by not only the Hammond Yankees Youth Baseball League, but also many other local groups and teams, including the SLU Cheer- leading squad. Work is currently underway on an onsite baseball/softball park, which features three turf fields with full lighting for night games, a concession area, and ample parking. Peak Performance Physical Therapy will not only serve the athletic population of the area, but the location is a full-service, outpatient orthopedic clinic treating everything from back and neck pain to muscle and soft-tissue injuries, work related injuries, and all types of post-surgi- cal rehabilitation.Along with the Hammond clinic, Peak Performance now serves patients in Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, Dutchtown/Geismar, and Brusly/Port Allen. J. Michael Conerly, MD, Elected to Medical Professional Liability Association’s Board of Directors J. Michael Conerly, MD, president and chief executive officer of LAMMICO, will serve a three- year term on the Medical Professional Liability (MPL) Association’s Board of Directors.TheMPL Association is the leading international associ- ation representing medical professional liabil- ity insurance companies, risk retention groups, captives, trusts, and other entities with a com- mitment to the quality delivery of healthcare.The election occurred on May 17, during the associa- tion’s annual meeting of members at the 2019 MPLAssociation Conference in Portland, Oregon. Conerly is a long-standing member of LAM- MICO’s leadership, having served as a member of the underwriting, marketing, joint risk assess- ment, governance, and audit committees over the past 22 years. He was elected as chairman of the LAMMICO Board of Directors in 2011 after serving on the board since 1999. Conerly partic- ipated in the MPL Association’s Fellows Leader- ship Program and served on the Activities Com- mittee and International Section. As a surgical J. Michael Conerly, MD