HJNO May/Jun 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  MAY / JUN 2021 63 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com and academic partners who make us A+.” LCMC Health was formed in 2009, and today the system includes Children’s Hospital New Orleans, East Jefferson General Hospital, New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, and West Jefferson Medical Center. LCMC Health recently acquired East Jefferson General Hospital, and holds an academic part- nership with University Medical Center, providing increased access to primary care, including a Level 1 Trauma Unit and Burn Center. As a credit-rating agency (CRA), Standard and Poor’s issues credit ratings for the debt of public and private companies and other public borrow- ers such as governments and governmental enti- ties. It is one of several CRAs that have been des- ignated a nationally recognized statistical rating organization by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Mary “Toni” Flowers, MD, Joins LCMCHealth as Chief Diversity and Social Responsibility Officer LCMC Health announced Mary “Toni” Flowers, PhD, DHL, MBA, CCDP, CDM, SEIC, as its inau- gural chief diversity and social responsibility offi- cer. In this capacity, Toni will lead a comprehensive healthcare reform through the Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity & Research. The initia- tives include: • A focus on outcomes and health service research. • Workforce development education to create a diverse and inclusive pipeline of health- care providers and training so that all health- care providers understand the importance of diversity, inclusion and health equity. • The development of population health ini- tiatives that focus on healthcare access and ambulatory care quality metrics, and con- necting patients with community resources they need outside of healthcare. • A focus on community engagement, with the Institute hosting events such as health fairs and workforce development opportunities. • An emphasis on advocacy to work with our government leaders to improve public pol- icy around health. Both new graduate degree programs are in developmental stages. Ochsner and Xavier plan to announce enrollment information once finalized. STQNAnnounces Medical Director’s Award St. Tammany Quality Network presented the 2020 fourth quarter Medical Director’s Award to Fredrick Schouest, MD, for developing and pre- senting a comprehensive presentation on physi- cian wellness, entitled, “Navigating the whirlwind: a blueprint for wellness during pandemics, politi- cal crisis and personal challenges.” “Fred is a dedicated emergency department physician and leader of our physician wellness efforts at St. Tammany Health System,” said Mike Hill, MD, medical director of STQN. “He has been on the forefront of teaching physicians how to deal with the stress of the pandemic, in addi- tion to the everyday issues that arise. Fred dem- onstrated some simple coping mechanisms he uses and provided subject matter experts’ video as well. As a result of his efforts, physicians will lead a more satisfied, productive life and provide better patient care.” Schouest has been on the STHS medical staff for four years. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and holds an associate clinical profes- sorship at LSU Health Sciences Center. He gradu- ated from LSU Medical School and did a residency at the University of Mississippi. LCMCHealth Earns A + Stable Rating fromS&PGlobal Ratings LCMC Health recently announced affirmation by S&P Global Ratings of the System’s A+ credit rating to include a change in outlook from nega- tive to stable. In the report released by S&P Global Ratings on Feb. 25, 2021, it was stated that the rating reflects the healthcare system’s “very healthy operating performance in fiscal 2020 and strong response to COVID-19’s initial surge in New Orleans.” “LCMC Health’s A+ Stable rating is the result of several factors – our focus on operational effi- ciency, our growing market share, and the strength of the system,” said Jenny Sarpalius, CFO, LCMC Health. “In today’s healthcare environment it is exceptional for a healthcare system to achieve such a rating and is a testament to our firm finan- cial footing and continued commitment to pro- viding the best healthcare to the communities we serve, especially during this past year as we dealt with a historic pandemic. It is our staff, physicians, Mike Hill, MD, right, presents Fredrick Schouest, MD, with the St. Tammany Quality Network Medical Director’s Award for the first quarter of 2021.