HJNO May/Jun 2020

60 MAY / JUN 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Hospital Rounds conditions, such as stroke,” explains Dr. James Parker, cardiologist and medical director of echo- cardiography services at North Oaks. “The train- ing and experience of our technologists, the type of equipment used and the quality assessment metrics we are required to track all contribute to positive patient experiences.” Children’s Hospital NOExpands Service in Emergency Department, Reopens Calhoun St. Access Children’s Hospital New Orleans has reopened its Calhoun Street access point for ambulance and Emergency Department (ED) traffic as phase 1 of its ED expansion effort is complete. Phase 1 of the new ED includes the opening of 10 new patient exam rooms and two resuscitation rooms. In addition, there will now be parking available on the Calhoun Street side of the hospital desig- nated for ED patients and families. By adding significant square footage, it will allow the hospital to see patients faster and to provide more comfortable and private family spaces. In 2019, Children’s Hospital treated nearly 50,000 patients in its ED, a significant increase from 2018. Phase 2 expansion and renovations to the Chil- dren’s Hospital ED will be complete in the first quarter of 2021, as part of as part of Children’s $300 million campus expansion effort. “The expanded Emergency Department will allow Children’s Hospital to advance critical care services,” said Matt Schaefer, senior vice president and chief operating office at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “Our specialized, multidisciplinary emergency care team is available 24/7 to treat crit- ically ill and injured infants, children, and adoles- cents with around-the clock emergency ground and air transport services.” Ochsner Offers PDAClosure for Babies with Extremely LowBirthWeight Ochsner Hospital for Children is the only pro- gram in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to offer a noninvasive solution for extremely low birth weight (under 1000 grams or two pounds, three ounces) babies with a structural heart condition known as patency of the ductus arteriosus (PDA). All newborns have a blood vessel called a duc- tus arteriosus that directs blood to go around the developing lungs while a baby is in the womb. If functioning properly, this blood vessel naturally closes in the first few days after delivery. When this blood vessel fails to close on its own, too much blood is directed to the lungs of the baby instead of going to other parts of the body. If left untreated, a PDA causes both the heart and lungs to work harder than normal, resulting in difficulty breathing, feeding problems, blood circulation issues, or even heart failure. Signs a baby may have a PDA include rapid breathing and a forceful pulse. To check for a PDA, a doctor uses a stethoscope to listen for a heart murmur before obtaining x-rays and an echocar- diogram to confirm the diagnosis and size of the blood vessel. Depending on the size of the PDA, some babies may only require observation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), while others may need medicine or even surgery. Working closely with neonatologists at Ochsner Baptist – A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center, the pediatric cardiology team at Ochsner Hospi- tal for Children offers a non-invasive alternative to surgery – performing the PDA closure in a cath- erization lab (cath lab) on babies with extreme low birth weight, as small as 550 grams (below 1.5 pounds). During the procedure, a small tube (or catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel in the baby’s leg and carefully guided up to the heart. Attached to the catheter is a pea-sized closure device made of a self-expanding mesh alloy called an Amplatzer Piccolo™ Occluder that is used to plug the blood vessel (ductus arteriosus), thereby stopping the extra blood flow to the lungs. St. Tammany Health System colleagues arriving at work on March 30 were greeted with messages chalked on the sidewalks outside the Covington hospital and the Medical Office Building across the street. The messages offered words of support for the hospital’s staffers as they continue to deal with the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.