HJNO Mar/Apr 2024

62 MAR / APR 2024  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Hospital Rounds E.J. Kuiper Announced as NewPresident and CEO of FranciscanMissionaries of Our Lady Health System E.J. Kuiper will become the next president and CEO of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS) beginning in May, replacing Richard R. Vath, MD, who is retiring. Originally from the Netherlands, Kuiper received a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in Florida and a Master of Science in health science and health services administration from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. He is a fellow in the American College of Health- care Executives. Kuiper began his career as a physical therapist in Florida at a Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and advanced to chief operating officer of the facility. He joins FMOLHS from CommonSpirit Health, where he served as CEO of the Midwest Division and was responsible for leading a division of 28 hospitals spanning four states. Prior to that role, he was CEO of the Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters Health System, which included 9 hospitals, a nursing college, and medical group. Gayle BensonMakes Donation for NewHome for Ochsner Children’s Hospital Ochsner Health announced plans for The Gayle and Tom Benson Ochsner Children’s Hospital, made possible through a transformational gift from Gayle Benson. “We are proud to unveil much-anticipated plans for a new home for Louisiana’s No. 1 ranked chil- dren’s hospital,” said Pete November, CEO, Och- sner Health. “Ochsner is deeply grateful for Mrs. Benson and her unparalleled act of generosity, which will significantly impact the lives of count- less families throughout Louisiana and the Gulf South. This facility will enable us to care for more children, retain and attract top pediatric physicians and care teams, and continue to set the standard of care." The donation made for the new home for Och- sner Children’s Hospital will come from the Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation, a private foundation founded in 2007 with the purpose to make the community stronger by giving back and making a positive impact. “We’ve built a premier pediatric program in our region, and our new home will reflect the caliber of care we provide,” said Vincent Adolph, MD, chief medical officer, Ochsner Children’s Hospi- tal, and Ochsner Health board member. Adolph and fellow pediatric specialists worked alongside architects to design the new facility. “This new space will provide an ideal pediatric and family experience that focuses on each child’s personalized medical needs and their emotional and psychological well-being. It will have every- thing for kids in one place, designed just for them and their caregivers,” he said. The Gayle and Tom Benson Ochsner Children’s Hospital is designed to have a child-friendly and welcoming atmosphere with colorful and engag- ing decor, age-appropriate accommodations, and an efficient, easy-to-navigate layout. “The weight of a parent's heart is heavy when they’re caring for a sick child. It's an indescrib- able burden, navigating a storm of emotions while relentlessly fighting for their child’s health,” said Robert Hart, MD, chief physician executive, Ochsner Health, and president, Ochsner Clinic. “This new space will give parents places to rest, recharge, work, and care for young siblings while remaining close by their sick child.” Ochsner Children’s new home will have a chil- dren’s-only emergency department with sig- nificant enhancements to critical care, operat- ing rooms, and imaging capacity and proximity. A level IV surgical neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will enable highly specialized care for babies who need surgery, which is uniquely chal- lenging because of their small size and complex conditions. The new five-story, 343,000-square-foot build- ing will be constructed at Ochsner Medical Cen- ter-New Orleans on Jefferson Highway, next to the existing hospital building. Ochsner Children’s expects to break ground in mid-2024 and open the doors to its new home in late 2027. Terrebonne General Receives Women’s Choice Award Terrebonne General Health System has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for out- patient experience, patient safety, and emergency care by the Women’s Choice Award. These pres- tigious awards recognize Terrebonne General for being one of the top hospitals in the nation that have demonstrated the highest level of quality care to their patients, with a special focus on the female experience. Terrebonne General ranked above the national average in patient experience, patient safety, and quality. “Not all hospitals can say they are the safest in the country, and by identifying those who are, the Women’s Choice Award is helping the female con- sumer identify the hospitals in her community that are dedicated to creating the safest patient expe- rience,” said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. Terrebonne General is one of 510 award recipi- ents representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for patient safety in the U.S. by the Women’s Choice Award. Terrebonne General Health SystemExpands Lymphedema Management Services Terrebonne General Health System announced that it has expanded its lymphedema manage- ment services, aimed at providing support to patients during their cancer recovery. Ali Turner, physical therapist, and Jeni Domangue, occupational therapist, have recently achieved certification in manual lymph drainage and complete decongestive therapy. Both suc- cessfully completed a rigorous 135-hour training program. The certification course, provided by the Acad- emy of Lymphatic Studies, aligns with the edu- cational standards set by the Lymphology Asso- ciation of North America (LANA). The complete decongestive therapy consists of the following four components: manual lymph drainage, com- pression therapy, exercises, and skin care. This comprehensive approach ensures a well-rounded and effective strategy for managing lymphedema. Healthier Northshore Partnership Provides Fresh Produce to Bogalusa Food Bank Healthier Northshore, a community health initia- tive spearheaded by St. Tammany Health System, recently completed its first harvest and distribu- tion of fresh produce for food bank clients at the Bogalusa Help Center. The initiative, which will see such deliveries