HJNO Jul/Aug 2021

58 JUL / AUG 2021  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Hospital Rounds Children’s Hospital New Orleans Opens Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital New Orleans treats more than 1,100 children with cancer or blood disorders each year. This month, Children’s Hospital completed the expansion of its nationally known hematology/ oncology program, co-locating all inpatient, out- patient, and infusion services into one, compre- hensive center. “The new facilities now match the level of care provided for decades by our expert team of hema- tology oncology physicians and staff here at Chil- dren’s Hospital,” says John R. Nickens IV, presi- dent and CEO of Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “The spacious new center offers a more compre- hensive approach to care, allowing our staff and providers to provide seamless, integrated care for our patients with cancer and blood disorders, in a family-centered environment.” The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Hospital provides treatment and trans- plantation for children with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, and other child- hood cancers and blood disorders. The co-location of space in a custom-built envi- ronment, designed just for kids, now incorpo- rates all specialty clinics into one cohesive space, located adjacent to the inpatient hematology oncology unit. The all-new hematology oncology outpatient clinic comprises 10,880 square feet, and features 16 spacious exam rooms. Connected to the clinic, an all-new infusion center houses nine open infusion bays along with two private infusion rooms for those children who are severely immu- nocompromised or require isolation. “Patients and families are greeted by light, tex- ture and soothing colors inspired by our healing themes of music and nature,” says Lynn Winfield, MBA, BSN, RN, CPHON, director, Hematology Oncology at Children’s Hospital. “Child friendly artwork, and features like televisions in each infu- sion bay, help alleviate some of the stress and con- cern that can occur during treatment.” Children’s Hospital’s cancer program is accred- ited with Outstanding Achievement by the Ameri- can College of Surgeons and is a long-time mem- ber of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a national study group of premier research institutes in the United States and Canada. Since 2008, Chil- dren’s Hospital’s Bone Marrow Transplant Program has served as the only pediatric FACT-accredited program in Louisiana, providing this service to children in Louisiana who may need a stem cell transplant without the need to leave the state. The Pediatric Survivorship and Late Effects Program was established in 2012 and continues to pro- vide multidisciplinary care for all survivors. More recently, Children’s has developed the Adolescent & Young Adult Program for Oncology (AYAO) in collaboration with the LCMC Health adult hospi- tals to deliver state-of-the-art care for this spe- cial subset of patients. Children’s Hospital also received accreditation from the Department of Health and Human Services as a federally recog- nized Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC), to pro- vide comprehensive multispecialty care to Louisi- ana children with all types of bleeding disorders. Similarly, Children’s Sickle Cell Program offers a comprehensive care to the largest pediatric sickle cell population statewide. St. Tammany Health System Adds Fourth Autism- Certified Department St. Tammany Health System Bone and Joint Clinic joins the health system’s pediatric inpatient units, pediatric emergency department, and pedi- atric clinic in earning the Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation, granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). Bone and Joint staff com- pleted autism-specific training and certification to ensure they can better treat and manage the care of autistic patients or patients with sensory needs. “Autism is a complex, multifaceted spectrum that affects everyone differently,” said McCall McDaniel, MD, pediatric orthopedist. “An autistic child may have social communication challenges, difficulty with social interactions, or atypical inter- ests or behaviors. Frequently, these behaviors are misinterpreted by others and may lead to exclu- sion. This new designation is not only important to the community but to my own family as well. It shows our commitment to implement strategies that will accommodate, support, and serve fami- lies better while providing quality care. As a pedi- atric orthopedic surgeon, my training and experi- ence taught me how to employ visual aids, short stories, create a sensory-friendly environment, and adapt my approach to examinations if needed. I am proud to be part of an organization that rec- ognizes the importance in meeting our pediatric patients’ needs and is proactive in making these changes to better serve them.” IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter. com as a free online resource for parents that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organi- zation listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center (CAC) requirements. Jack Khashou is St. Tammany Cancer Center Administrator St. Tammany Cancer Center, a campus of Och- sner Medical Center, announced selection of Jack Khashou as administrator. Khashou has been at the forefront of the part- ners’ cancer endeavors since joining St. Tammany Health System in 2014 and serves as administra- tor of the current St. Tammany Cancer Center. He has more than 20 years of healthcare experience in executive roles for STHS, Ochsner, and Tenet. “Jack’s collaborative leadership style and his piv- otal role leading our existing cancer center make him the strongest choice for administrator in the new center,” said Joan M. Coffman, STHS presi- dent and CEO. “We are excited and grateful to have Jack at the helm as we launch the area’s most comprehensive, integrative cancer facility.” A majority of Khashou’s executive experience is in hospital and ambulatory operations as well as in strategy and business development. Khashou holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in human performance and health promotion and health care management. He is a member of the Ameri- can College of Healthcare Executives. Jack Khashou