HJNO Jan/Feb 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  JAN / FEB 2021 33 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com • If you or someone you know is a person liv- ing with diabetes, get info or education on how to manage it. • Share your knowledge of diabetes with fam- ily and friends. • Give support to someone you know living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. For information about DCHC’s diabetes man- agement initiatives, call (504) 207-3060. NewOrleans Therapists Offer Free Counseling Sessions to HealthcareWorkers Maison Vie New Orleans Therapy and Counsel- ing is offering a free 90-minute session to Louisi- ana healthcare workers and their families in the local area who may have experienced difficulties or disconnection during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has placed tremendous psycho- logical distress on healthcare workers who are exposed to high-demand settings for long hours, living in constant fear of disease exposure while separated from family, and facing social stigma- tization while battling the virus on the front lines. In addition to the physical risk, the World Health Organization said a recent review of healthcare workers found one in four experiencing depres- sion and anxiety during the outbreak, and one in three suffering insomnia. This impact on our healthcare workers also may affect their fami- lies as well with various concerns such as mari- tal tension, behavioral changes, and academic problems. “It’s hard for healthcare workers to think about themselves in times like this, but self-care is abso- lutely vital — you can’t take care of others if you don’t care of yourself,” Maison Vie founder and therapist Susan Harrington said. “Everyone needs to step back every so often from the stresses of daily life so they can honestly, truly see everything going on.” The no-cost session will provide structured sup- port where healthcare workers and their families can openly address their unique difficulties asso- ciated with adjustment as they give so much time and energy to our community’s recovery. Healthcare workers and their families will be paired with a therapist who will guide them from establishing their unique family goal to action steps that the family can start immediately. The free session will last for 90 minutes. If additional sessions are requested or needed, appointments will be available at reduced rates. The sessions, which are available in person or online, are available for scheduling through the end of 2020. In-person sessions will be hosted at Maison Vie’s offices at 1799 Stumpf Blvd. Build- ing 5, Suite 1, in Terrytown. Families of healthcare workers can call (504) 452-5937, email info@maisonvieneworleans.com, or visit maisonvieneworleans.com to schedule a session. CIS Earns National Recognition for Blood Pressure Control Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) is the only facility in Louisiana that has been awarded Gold Status by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) for its commitment to keeping patient blood pressure rates under control, with the ulti- mate goal of reducing the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes each year. CIS is one of about 500 physician practices and health systems being recognized nationally this year by the AMA and AHA Target: BP program for achieving blood pressure control rates of 70 percent or more in their adult patient population with high blood pressure. In fact, 82 percent of CIS patients have their blood pressure controlled. CIS believes this number is attributed to many areas of quality control, such as proper training of its staff on how to take blood pressure prop- erly and accurately. Additionally, CIS asks patients to return within 30 days for a blood pressure check in the clinic if the last blood pressure was elevated and/or if medications were adjusted. Physicians may also ask patients to record their blood pressure read- ings at home and bring their blood pressure record to their next appointment, allowing them to appropriately treat hypertension rather than adjusting medicine based solely on an isolated visit. In between visits, CIS Cardio@Home navi- gators assist providers in treating hypertension as well. CIS practice administrators and provid- ers also receive monthly data and feedback on these statistics to drive change. Target: BP is a collaboration between the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association to reduce the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes by urging physician practices, health systems, and patients to prioritize blood pressure control. The initiative aims to help health care organizations improve blood pressure control rates through the use of the AMA’s evidence-based M.A.P. qual- ity improvement program, and recognizes orga- nizations committed to improving blood pres- sure control. “Making sure our blood pressure is well con- trolled is so important to our overall health,” said David Konur, CIS CEO. “CIS is proud and hon- ored to be the only Louisiana healthcare company to be recognized with an AMA Gold provider award for the work we are doing in managing blood pressure.” GNOF Awards $100KGrant to DCHC for COVID-19 Rapid Testing Program DePaul Community Health Centers (DCHC) recently received a $100,000 grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s (GNOF) Response and Restoration Fund to conduct COVID-19 virus rapid testing for both patients and staff. Dr. Michael G. Griffin, president and CEO of DCHC, believes that GNOF’s financial support is timely. “Nationwide and locally, coronavirus cases have risen significantly over the past several weeks, and are anticipated to continue increasing,” said Grif- fin. “We thank GNOF for its generous funding and its foresight in recognizing the continuous need to combat this pandemic.” DCHC provides COVID-19 virus testing for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. In addition to rapid coronavirus tests, antibody tests are available. DCHC encourages the community to follow rec- ommended coronavirus prevention guidelines as outlined by the CDC, including wearing a mask/ facial covering, washing hands frequently for at least twenty seconds, practicing social distanc- ing, and avoiding large crowds. The healthcare organization also encourages the community to receive a flu shot as soon as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that influenza was