HJNO Jul/Aug 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  JUL / AUG 2020 45 the Region One area was diagnosed with COVID-19, the first such identified case in Louisiana. Within two short weeks, ep- idemiological projections painted a night- mare scenario: patients requiring inpa- tient-level care exceeding existing hospital capacity by 2,000 beds, patients requiring mechanical ventilation exceeding existing ventilator supply by a factor of 2–3, and local physicians being asked to provide acute care well beyond their trained spe- cialty,” said Joseph Kanter, MD, assistant state health officer, Louisiana Department of Health. “Despite experiencing the fast- est start to a COVID-19 outbreak world- wide, and due largely to effective social distancing and a rapid increase in acute- Jim Pittman Executive Director Orleans Parish Medical Society (OPMS) care capacity, this scenario was, thankfully, avoided.” Dr. Kanter served as the featured speak- er on six calls, providing physicians with weekly updates on the number of cases, anticipated diagnostic and treatment mo- dalities and needs based on data. In addi- tion, Dr. Kanter appeared almost daily on television and radio news segments, pro- viding COVID-19 updates and flatten the curve tips for the community. Jennifer Avegno, MD, medical director at the New Orleans Health Department, was the featured speaker on the April 14 call. “I’ve learned that pandemics require a good understanding of the underlying science and data, but the flexibility to re- fine or revise course when it changes. We know so little about the virus, and must make life-changing decisions based on all the information we have at a particu- lar time. Having the humility to admit we don’t know everything, and the fortitude to keep studying and understanding is key to the practice of medicine during this time,” said Dr. Avegno. Mayor Latoya Cantrell rarely appeared on her special daily news updates without Dr. Avegno at her side, providing updates and coaching the NOLA community on how to prevent the virus from spreading. March 31 speaker John S. Schieffelin, MD, MSPH said, “New information about the COVID-19 pandemic is becoming Jennifer Avegno, MD Joseph Kanter, MD Dahlene Fusco, MD, PhD David Janz, MD John Schieffelin, MD, MSPH Juan Gershanik, MD Tanya Busenlener, MD