HJNO Nov/Dec 2020

62 NOV / DEC 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Hospital Rounds • Ochsner St. Anne Hospital in Raceland won the Guardian of Excellence for Patient Expe- rience in CG CAHPS & Medical Practice. • Ochsner Medical Center- Hancock in Bay St. Louis, Miss. won the Guardian of Excellence for Patient Experience in Medical Practice. • St. Charles Parish Hospital in Luling won the Guardian of Excellence for Patient Experi- ence in Medical Practice. Ochsner Accountable Care Network Announces $23M+ in Savings for Medicare Beneficiaries The Ochsner Accountable Care Network, LLC (OACN) reported its 2019 performance results, which include a reduction in the expected cost of care by more than $23M for 31,000 Medicare beneficiaries. The 2019 savings represented a 53% increase in savings per beneficiary (nearly $800 per patient) and an 81% increase in total savings over 2018. This report marks OACN’s third consecu- tive year of successful clinical performance. The progress in chronic disease management and pre- ventive health programs positively impacted the overall health of the elderly population through- out the region. “The continued success of Ochsner Health Net- work (OHN) and OACN is a reflection of unparal- leled collaboration and a shared vision of creat- ing a healthier region,” said David Carmouche, MD, executive director, OACN. “Louisiana and Mississippi face significant and disproportionate healthcare challenges compared to the rest of the country, and our entire team of providers and staff proves ready to face them by finding solutions that improve the health, quality of life and cost of care for our elderly patients and community. Through the sharing of data, utilization of tech- nology, and enhanced access and communication, we are making strides toward reducing Louisiana’s alarmingly poor health rankings and disparities among our most vulnerable population.” Ochsner’s Eboni Price- Haywood, MD, Appointed to PCORI Governing Board Gene L. Dodaro, comptroller general of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), announced the appointment of seven new members to the gov- erning board of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Dodaro also reap- pointed one member. Among those appointed is Eboni Price-Hay- wood, MD, MPH, FACP, the director of the Cen- ter for Outcomes & Health Service Research at Ochsner Health. In this role, she leads a system- wide research center whose goal is to acceler- ate discovery of new knowledge concerning clin- ical and cost-effectiveness of health care delivery innovations; translate research into practice; and disseminate research findings to improve clinical, administrative, and policy decision making. Price- Haywood has spent her career as a primary care physician, focusing on disease prevention, health promotion, and care delivery improvements, with a particular focus on addressing health disparities and advancing health equity. In addition to her clinical and research endeavors, she is an asso- ciate professor of medicine at the University of Queensland’s Ochsner Clinical School, an asso- ciate professor of epidemiology (Adjunct), and a Clinical associate professor of medicine (Adjunct) at the Tulane University School of Medicine. She has also held key leadership roles within the Soci- ety of General Internal Medicine as an elected council member, as co-chair of the Health Equity Commission, and as an editorial board member of the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Price- Haywood earned an MD from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. The Gayle and TomBensonCancer Center Celebrates Expansion with Grand Re-Opening The Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center at Ochsner Medical Center is celebrating its grand re-opening after the completion of a $56 million expansion, which began in 2018. The 115,000 square foot addition, majorly funded by a $20 million gift from Gayle Benson and her late hus- band, Tom Benson, in 2017, has doubled the size of the Cancer Center, increasing capacity to offer more high-quality cancer services and advanced The SMH Foundation awarded a grant to Slidell Memorial Hospital for 12 Staxi transportation chairs to help patients and visitors more easily get to their destinations within the hospital. Shown with a Staxi transportation chair are, left to right, Quality Data Analyst Rachel DeQuay; SMH Foundation Executive Director Laurie Panzeca; Patient Experience Coordinator Nicole Sherrer; Quality and Risk Management Manager Charlotte Foucha.