HJNO Sep/Oct 2020

COME TOGETHER From your perspective, what were the early days of COVID-19 like at each of your facilities? Dr. Robert Hart It’s amazing to look back on the last five months—and in many ways it feels like only a fewweeks—because it’s been moving at such a frantic pace in healthcare. We’ve learned so much, and have become very flexible and nimble since this situation changes by the minute. Ochsner beganmeeting about and prepar- ing for COVID-19 back in December, but in March andApril, when NewOrleans emerged as one of the nation’s first hot spots, it was very stressful because we knew so little about the virus. People were worried about their families, and testing was a real challenge here, and across the country. Many conversations and news stories surrounded PPE shortages, ventilator usage, and bed availability. But out of those conversations and concerns came collaboration across our organization, and with other healthcare providers in Louisiana and across the country. We also saw incredible progress and speed during those first weeks, because it was nec- essary. Our team was able to add ICU beds and set up in-house testing in a matter of weeks, always working to stay one step ahead of the demand. Projects of this scale could normally take months or years, but we didn’t have the luxury of time. This really showed howmuch people step up when others need help, no matter the stress or sacrifice. Dr. John Heaton & Bill Masterton The initial days were somewhat familiar, as we immedi- ately stood up our incident command struc- ture (ICS). Specifically, we had a pandemic policy in place. Emergency preparedness is a big part of the culture at UMC and LCMC as it is the region’s only level 1 Trauma Center and Burn Center. However, the modeling of the infectivity, the multiple views on how to properly care for the patients, and the sup- ply chain uncertainty added a level of stress to the decision-making process. A key step the system took from the ear- liest days were daily conference calls with 16 SEP / OCT 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Brandon Mauldin, MD Chief Medical Officer, Tulane Health System Dr. Brandon Mauldin, an academic hospitalist at Tulane Medical Center, and an assistant professor of medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine, has served as Tulane Health System’s chief medical officer since 2019. A Florida native, Dr. Mauldin received a medical degree from Florida State University College of Medicine, as well as a master of health science degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine, and has lived in New Orleans for the last eight years. Bill Masterton CEO, Adult Hospital Market, LCMC Health Bill Masterton is the CEO of LCMC Health’s adult hospital market, overseeing the operations and financial performance for the four adult care hospitals of the LCMC Health family. He provides leadership and hands-on direction for the continued success of our hospitals. Prior to his current role, Bill was president and chief executive officer of University Medical Center in downtown New Orleans, which enjoyed tremendous growth and success during his tenure. His expertise was developed during the 20+ years he spent working in healthcare, specifically, his substantial experience in hospital operations and finance. John Heaton, MD President, Clinical and System Operations, LCMC Health Dr. John Heaton is president of clinical and system operations. Managing a variety of clinical and operational areas, he provides his considerable medical expertise and operational experience to such departments as human resources, facilities, quality, case management, and population health. Dr. Heaton also serves LCMC Health as chief medical officer. Prior to moving into a system-level leadership role, he was senior vice president/chief medical officer for Children’s Hospital. He originally joined the medical staff at Children’s Hospital in 2000 as director of anesthesiology. An alumnus of the LSU School of Medicine, Dr. Heaton is a diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology, and holds a Master of Medical Management degree from Carnegie Mellon University. Robert Hart, MD, FAAP, FACP Chief Medical Officer, Ochsner Health As executive vice president and chief medical officer for Ochsner Health, Dr. Robert Hart is responsible for overseeing all aspects of physician recruiting and performance, quality improvement, and clinical operations within Ochsner’s owned and managed hospitals, over 115 urgent care and health centers, and its group practice of more than 1,300 employed physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. Dr. Hart received an undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and a medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, Texas. He completed an internship and residency at the University of Texas Affiliated Hospitals in Houston. Dr. Hart is board-certified in internal medicine and pediatrics, and has been on the staff of Ochsner Clinic Foundation since 1994.