HJNO Jul/Aug 2020

60 JUL / AUG 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Hospital Rounds antibody testing to begin testing this week. The antibody test can determine if a person’s immune system has created antibodies in response to COVID-19. Presence of the antibody indicates the individual has been infected with COVID-19, but this test does not prove immunity from future infection. Because this virus is new and there are still many unknowns, there is not enough information at this time to determine what defines COVID-19 immu- nity and how long immunity may last. Ochsner will first offer voluntary antibody test- ing to more than 27,000 employees and providers across its system. Testing is based upon employ- ees’ location, job, and risk of exposure. This COVID-19 antibody test is a simple blood draw with anticipated results within 24-36 hours of collection, depending on the test location. The goal is to test 20,000 individuals a week for COVID-19 antibodies as long as supplies last and to expand antibody testing to Ochsner patients and its communities, including those living in com- munal settings and local employers. Leapfrog Group Awards STHS Another A for Safety St. Tammany Health System received an A from The Leapfrog Group during its spring 2020 Leap- frog Hospital Safety Grade review period. This marks the ninth consecutive grading period in which STHS has earned the highest safety rating. Rating periods occur every six months, in spring and fall. The designation recognizes STHS’s efforts to protect patients and deliver safe, high qual- ity healthcare. The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization committed to improving healthcare quality and safety for consumers and purchasers. The Safety Grade assigns an A, B, C, D or F grade to hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections, and other harms to patients in their care. Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hos- pital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public. Ochsner Digital Medicine Programs Care for Vulnerable Populations During COVID-19 Response During the COVID-19 outbreak, Ochsner Health’s Digital Medicine Programs are helping patients manage chronic conditions from the safety of home. Hypertension and Diabetes Digital Medicine Programs According to the CDC, individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are at a much greater risk of experiencing negative health outcomes from COVID-19. The Ochsner Diabetes and Hypertension Digital Medicine Pro- gram provides these vulnerable patient popula- tions with a tangible solution to manage chronic conditions from home, reducing the number of in-person visits needed. Studies have shown medication alone is not the best way to tackle chronic conditions. Key lifestyle changes, including sleep, diet, exercise, and stress management also impact the health of an individ- ual. Ochsner’s Hypertension and Diabetes Digital Medicine Programs help patients balance medica- tion and lifestyle changes needed to keep chronic conditions under control. After enrolling in the program, hypertension patients receive a Bluetooth, digital pressure cuff and Type 2 diabetes patients receive a digital glu- cometer. During the COVID-19 response, Och- sner is waiving shipping costs for the devices for newly enrolled patients. Each patient is assigned a dedicated care team, consisting of health coaches and clinicians to closely monitor readings from at- home digital devices and create a personalized care plan, which includes key check-ins via phone and messaging to help keep the patient account- able and on track. As COVID-19 continues to have an unprece- dented impact on how individuals interact with one another, enrollment in Ochsner Digital Med- icine programs has rapidly increased, highlighting the growing community desire for remote access to healthcare. Last year, Ochsner’s Digital Medi- cine program experienced a 109 percent growth in enrollment. Following the COVID-19 outbreak in Louisiana, program enrollment increased by 400 percent within three weeks. Currently, about 10,000 patients are enrolled in the program, with more than 3,000 new patients in the process of onboarding. Connected MOM Digital Medicine Program In addition to managing diabetes and hyperten- sion, Ochsner is leveraging its Connected MOM (Maternity Online Monitoring) Digital Medicine Program to minimize the chances of another vul- nerable population – expectant mothers – from being potentially exposed to COVID-19. Through the Connected MOM program, expectant mothers stay connected with their care team digitally, while reducing the number of in- person visits during their pregnancy. Connected MOM patients can digitally send weight, blood pressure readings, and, when necessary, urine pro- tein test results to their medical team. During the COVID-19 response, Ochsner is delivering the Connected MOM kits to each newly enrolled patient’s home. The Connected MOM tools and elements pair directly with the patient’s smartphone and include a Bluetooth scale and blood pressure cuff along with urine protein test kits. Additionally, Ochsner is offering drive-through blood pressure checks two times a week at the Ochsner Baptist Women’s Pavilion for postpartummoms who were hypertensive during pregnancy and/or following delivery. For more information, visit Ochsner.org/ connectedmom. Women’s Choice Award Confers Seven Honors on St. Tammany Health System Women’s Choice Award has once again named St. Tammany Health System among America’s Best Hospitals, based on a review of 5,000 hos- pitals. America’s Best Hospitals recognized STHS for Patient Safety, Stroke, Heart, Cancer, Ortho- pedics, Obstetrics, and Breast Care performance. Methodology for America’s Best Hospitals com- bines national accreditations, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results, and hospital outcome scores with primary research about women’s healthcare preferences. Additionally, each ser- vice line award has supplemental criteria specific to the service line. “In addition to high-level performance on a