HJNO Jan/Feb 2023

38 JAN / FEB 2023  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Healthcare Briefs Evening & Weekend Track (EWT). Students can choose EWT courses that meet face-to-face on Saturdays or in the evenings after normal busi- ness hours. They can also choose hybrid courses that offer face-to-face and online instruction, and fully online courses. The expanded pre-nursing and allied health class offerings will be timed with the grand open- ing of the $44 million Ochsner Center for Nursing and Allied Health, which will feature the Delgado Charity School of Nursing and most programs offered by the Division of Allied Health under one roof. Ochsner has committed $20 million for this center, including $10 million toward the new building. The remaining $10 million will be used to cover full-time tuition for Ochsner employees to pursue degrees and credentials in nursing and allied health programs at Delgado. The new building features 120,000 square feet of labs and modern classrooms. It will offer a sim- ulated hospital and will have capacity for 1,500 students. STQN Announces 2022 Third Quarter Medical Director’s Award St. Tammany Quality Network (STQN) pre- sented its 2022 third-quarter Medical Director’s Award to Chris Foret, MD, for his leadership in advancing population health efforts in the tri-par- ish area encompassing St. Tammany, Washington, and Tangipahoa parishes. “Dr. Foret is an incredible physician who com- bines excellent care along with compassion and empathy for his patients,” said Michael K. Hill, MD, in announcing the recognition. “He has also been instrumental in providing leadership in focusing on population health, resulting in increased cancer screenings along with improved hypertension and diabetes control.” Population health focuses on community well- ness. The goals of population health center around early cancer detection, better manage- ment of chronic health conditions, and promo- tion of wellness. Foret and the entire team at the St. Tammany Physicians Network clinic in Folsom “have improved patient compliance with popu- lation health measures across the board over the past several months.” “The success of this program is due to our patient navigators, our front desk medical assistants, our nurse practitioners, and our office manager. This award belongs to each person that works in our clinic,” said Foret. Foret is board-certified in family practice. He has been with the St. Tammany Physicians Net- work for 18 years. He is past president of the Louisiana Academy of Family Practitioners and is currently pursuing an AFP fellowship in physician wellness. He has been involved in STQN popu- lation health committees for the past eight years. He is a graduate of LSU Medical School. Tulane’s Center for Brain Health Partners withMVP Access to quality healthcare often determines how well military veterans and former professional football players transition to a “normal” life after serving in very different professions that are both physically and mentally demanding. Two groups with shared goals and resources, Tulane University’s Center for Brain Health (TUCBH) and Merging Vets & Players (MVP), have formed a national partnership to support and serve these unique individuals. They plan to establish an MVP Chapter in New Orleans to help veterans and former professional football play- ers with educational opportunities, community events and much more. “This will be a true partnership because both groups care for these populations — physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually,” said Greg Stewart, MD, medical director of TUCBH and W. Kennon McWilliams Professor of Sports Medi- cine in Orthopedics. “We are still working hard to get the word out about our programs and how we serve both military veterans and former NFL players. We hope this chapter will bring individu- als together to share their stories and experience with others. Word of mouth is the most power- ful testimonial.” “What we want to achieve at MVP is to expand and grow our narrative and membership and be available to support military veterans and ath- letes across the country,” said Nate Boyer, MVP founder and former Green Beret and Seattle Seahawks player. “Working with a university with such a tremendous reputation as Tulane Uni- versity is a great opportunity. Most of our other Chris Foret, MD, presented with the Medical Director’s Award