HJNO Jul/Aug 2024

72 JUL / AUG 2024  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Hospital Rounds Terrebonne General, CIS Use the NewFDA-Approved Esprit System Terrebonne General Health System (Terrebonne General) and Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) are the first in the Gulf South and only one of five in the country to use the new FDA-approved Esprit BTK (Below the Knee) Everolimus Eluting Resorbable Scaffold System, a first-of-its-kind dissolvable stent to treat chronic limb-threating ischemia in the lower legs. The first procedure was performed by CIS interventional cardiologist Pradeep Nair, MD, on May 16 in the cath lab at Terrebonne General. Manufactured by Abbott, the Esprit BTK System is implanted during a minimally-invasive proce- dure and is designed to keep arteries open while delivering the drug Everolimus to facilitate vessel restoration and protect against future blockages. The system provides support for about three years and then dissolves, as it is made of material simi- lar to sutures or stitches. Up until now, there were no stents or drug- coated balloons in the U.S. that were FDA- approved for use below-the-knee. The standard of care has been balloon angioplasty, where a small balloon is inserted via a catheter to the open the vessel and restore blood flow. However, block- ages treated with balloon angioplasty have mixed short- and long-term results, and in some cases, vessels become blocked again. Margaret Ellender, BSN, RN, CCM, Receives 2024 Excellence Award for Nurse Clinicians Terrebonne General Health System congrat- ulated Margaret Ellender, BSN, RN, CCM, for receiving the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing-Xi Zeta Chapter 2024 Excel- lence Award for Nurse Clinician. The award recog- nizes nurses who consistently practice excellence in a clinical setting, in nursing education, and/or in nursing leadership. Ellender graduated from Nicholls State Univer- sity in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in nurs- ing. She joined Terrebonne General in 2001, work- ing in the Case Management Department as an RN case manager in the Medical Surgical Unit. In 2006, she transitioned to the case management clinical coordinator role. Ellender’s clinical expe- rience prior to Terrebonne General was as a staff nurse in telemetry, critical care, and home health. “My heartfelt congratulations to Margaret for receiving this award and making a profound differ- ence in the lives of others every day,” said Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO. “We are very proud that she is a member of the Terrebonne General family and for the compassion and dedication she has for excellence in nursing.” Christopher Lege, MD, Named Chief Executive Officer of Touros Touro, a member of the LCMC Health sys- tem, announced the appointment of Christopher Lege, MD, as its permanent chief executive offi- cer (CEO). Lege, who has served as Touro's interim CEO and chief medical officer, brings more than two decades of medical expertise and healthcare leadership to his new role. Lege has been an integral part of Touro for 20 years, practicing internal medicine with a commit- ment to excellence and patient-centered care. His journey in medicine began at Louisiana State Uni- versity School of Medicine in New Orleans, where he earned a medical degree. He further honed his skills during his residency at Tulane Medical Center. Before assuming the role of chief medical officer, Lege served as primary care medical director and chief medical officer for Crescent City Physicians. Terrebonne General Health SystemAnnounces New Board Chair, Vice Chair Terrebonne General Health System and South- ern Regional Medical Corporation (SRMC) Board of Commissioners announce the appointment of Earl Eues, Jr. as chairman and Bernadette Rob- inet Pickett as vice chairman of the board of commissioners. Eues joined the board of commissioners in 2019. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biol- ogy from Nicholls State University. Eues is the owner of KEE Environmental Services, L.L.C., an environmental consulting firm located in Houma and established in 2006. He has over 30 years of experience in environmental regulatory, permit- ting, and assessment. Eues also has over 25 years of emergency management experience and cur- rently serves as the director of the Terrebonne Par- ish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Bernadette Robinet Pickett joined the board of commissioners in 2015. She is an assistant district attorney (ADA) for Terrebonne Parish. She gradu- ated from Xavier University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English. Upon graduating from Xavier, she was awarded a fellowship to the University of New Orleans where she pursued a Master of Arts in Urban Government and City Pol- itics. She later attended Southern University Law School, where she was awarded a Juris Doctorate. At present, Pickett is the executive director of the Terrebonne Children’s Advocacy Center. She is the victim advocate for the District Attorney’s Office overseeing the victim’s unit, and she over- sees the operations of the Family Services Unit and the Truancy Reduction Intervention Program. UMC to Hire 100 Nursing Techs in Summer Initiative University Medical Center New Orleans (UMC) announced its intent to recruit and employ 100 nursing technicians this summer. The Nurtur- ing the Future of Nursing Program is a strategic move that aims to bolster the healthcare work- force while simultaneously creating a sustainable pathway into the nursing profession. This program promotes and fosters matriculation from student nurse to staff nurse positions. The goal is to men- tor and educate participants for transition into bedside nursing roles at UMC upon completion of their education and licensure requirements. Nurturing the Future of Nursing is a unique pro- gram with a robust curriculum that is centered around hands-on training and one-on-one men- torship. Graduation scheduled for July 26. Margaret Ellender, BSN, RN, CCM