HJNO Jul/Aug 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  JUL / AUG 2021 35 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com mentor and supervisor. Paul and his research partner, Harry Gould, MD, have discovered a novel approach to treating advanced cancers without the severe side effects of current treatments. This grant will also allow them to hire additional lab staff to carry their research forward while at the same time making it possible for them to share with the students the journey of discovering and refining a new medi- cal treatment. Sherman expressed her gratitude for the grant. “I have wanted to do a mentoring project like this for a long time. I am so excited to be able to introduce the students to our work and to help them to develop the skills that they will need for successful careers in science.” The first students began their internship this summer. For more information, contact Sherman at ksherm@lsuhsc.edu , (516) 295-4549. AVALA Establishes Physician Network AVALA, a healthcare provider that offers physical therapy imaging services for patients, announces its establishment of the AVALA Physi- cian Network, a group of physicians. The AVALA Physician Network will be available across St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Jefferson Parishes to provide patients with access to AVALA’s state- of-the-art medical technology and physicians. “Healthcare is stressful. We saw a need in our area to provide patients with a better healthcare experience; one that is focused on a patient’s per- sonalized needs utilizing the most cutting-edge techniques in the area,” said K. Samer Shamieh MD, AVALA medical director. “AVALA’s goal is to cultivate an environment where the patient can truly Trust Healthcare Again.” The AVALA Physician Network will meet out- patient medical needs from neurology and pain management to general surgery in Covington and Hammond, Louisiana. The next specialties in the network will be spine and orthopedics. “As we work to partner and expand the AVALA Physician Network with new specialty physician groups, we will remain focused on one thing, the trust between the physician and the patient,” said Chris Daniel, President, AVALA Physician Network. “It’s exciting to be able to expand our footprint to reach new patients and work to build a more sustainable healthcare presence. Tulane University Rolls Out Graduate Certificate in Sports Medicine The Tulane School of Professional Advance- ment (SoPA) now offers a graduate certificate in Sports Medicine in partnership with the Tulane School of Medicine. The certificate will be offered starting in Summer 2021 and enrollment is now open. “We are very excited to add this stackable cer- tificate to the Master’s program. This is a first- of-its-kind program to help non-medical sports professionals understand the breadth of athletes’ health and well-being,” said Greg Stewart, MD, medical director for the Tulane Center for Sport. The sports medicine certificate provides stu- dents with an introduction to the foundational knowledge and skills important to the recogni- tion, care, prevention, and rehabilitation of ath- letic injury; the assessment and response to emer- gency situations involving athletes; and research into sports performance methods. The sports medicine certificate is offered as a standalone certificate in sports medicine or it can be “stacked” with other sports-focused, gradu- ate-level certificates toward an online Masters in Professional Studies in Sports Studies. The pro- gram follows a multidisciplinary approach that emphasizes a broad set of skills. This allows stu- dents to pursue a variety of roles wherein sports are the central focus. Both the sports medicine certificate and the MPS in Sports Studies are available completely online allowing students to learn at their own pace, whenever and wherever it’s convenient. Cardiovascular Institute of the South Named One of the Best Places toWork in Healthcare Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) has been selected by Modern Healthcare as one of the 2021 Best Places to Work in Healthcare, earn- ing this title for the second year in a row. This award program identifies and recognizes outstanding employers in the healthcare indus- try nationwide. Modern Healthcare partners with the Best Companies Group on the assessment process, which includes an extensive employee survey. “Our physician-led, employee-driven culture has always been the key ingredient in our suc- cess at CIS,” said CIS CEO David Konur, FACHE. “Now more than ever, our team has shown amaz- ing perseverance through these difficult times, and their commitment to our patients has been nothing short of exceptional.” “One year into the pandemic, we’ve seen the industry transform to meet the needs of its patients and employees,” said Aurora Aguilar, Modern Healthcare’s editor. “Time and time again, the most resilient and successful organi- zations show that empathy towards their staff, clear vision and compassion towards the patient buoys teams and sets them up for success. We congratulate the Best Places to Work in Health- care for eliciting loyalty from their workforce and communities during harrowing times.” Cardiovascular Institute of the South will be recognized at the 2021 Best Places to Work in Healthcare awards gala taking place in Septem- ber at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago in conjunction with the Workplace of the Future Conference. Information on the award gala and conference is available at ModernHealthcare. com/BestPlacesGala. W. K. Kellogg Foundation Awards $2.4MGrant to Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) has awarded a $2.4 million grant to Ochsner Health and Xavier University of Louisiana to support the Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research (OXIHER). OXIHER was announced in November 2020 as part of a 10-year, $100 million commitment to address Louisiana’s most critical health needs. WKKF’s generous grant will support OXIHER’s opening and provide critical resources to help fulfill its mission. “We’re honored to have the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s support on such a critical project that will impact our community for generations,” said Warner L. Thomas, president and CEO, Och- sner Health. “We are able to accomplish more and create positive change together. The com- mitment of WKKF to help us understand and