HJNO Jan/Feb 2025

DIALOGUE 18 JAN / FEB 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I can't even hire somebody and say, "This is what you better do." It comes from the heart. And through that whole exercise, and still today, people wear it on their sleeves. That part truly was amazing. Editor You have the ears of Louisiana's healthcare industry right now. What are three things we could do immediately to improve healthcare for our citizens? Peoples I think education. Education and prevention are absolutely one. Two is get all of the thought leaders together to be able to figure out how to provide amazing care in a cost-effective way. And I'll go back to communication — listen to your patients. Listen to what their issues are — the provider, the patient — and then collaborate with all the team members, and the cost- based people, and the policy makers, to be able to provide the best care that we can. Editor Thank you. Well said. Does your hospital have plans to grow and evolve in the next few years? Peoples Absolutely. Every day. We're always looking to be the thought leader for healthcare as a community partner. As we continue to evolve, our next thing is we'll continue to expand. We're moving into the digital format. We're moving into telehealth being a much larger, broader thing. We're looking at being able to reach people where they want their care, and now people want it digitally and otherwise. We're also looking at a healthy lifestyle center that will be a shining star in our particular community. That will focus on health and wellness, and community part- nerships — a place where our community can come not just to work out, but for edu- cation and information, for sports, and for schools. In every which way to provide care, it'll become the hub of what we do. We're an advocate for that. We're a major sponsor for our community sports park. The more active you can keep our younger population and our older popu- lation, and the more we can educate them about their current health and preventa- tive care, we're going to make a society that may not be well, but they'll sure be in better shape than where we are today. The other thing is we work with a local food bank, because we recognize food insecurity is a major deal. We also look at teenagers. Sudden Impact is a major pro- gram we do. That's when kids are drink- ing and driving after prom and things, and we take it to the next level. We're in all the schools. We do teach that they come to our organization, but it's not just what bad deci- sions you may make related to drinking and driving, but it brings you to what will hap- pen next. You go to court, you get to be with a judge, you get to see what that entails and how your life totally changes by one bad decision. That has been quite an advocacy for some of our younger population, our teenage population. We have Terrebonne General Connect Bar, and it helps teach some of all that pop- ulation that we mentioned how to get con- nected, how to work their phones, how to get on the computer to look at their chart; so when they're going into our clinic, it's right there. And we have people that'll help them with all the digital format stuff and teach them how to access information for all of that. Editor Thank you for the privilege, Phyllis. We wish you and your teammuch success. Peoples You’re welcome, and thank you. n