HJNO Nov/Dec 2025

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  NOV / DEC 2025 37 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com University of New Orleans and a Master of Social Work from Southern University at New Orleans. She later earned a doctorate in behavioral health from Arizona State University. Johnson Dumas has nearly 20 years of experi- ence in the human services profession, including working with juvenile offenders with emotional disturbances, adults diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illnesses, and child welfare. She has served as a member of the National Organi- zation of Forensic Social Work, is a current mem- ber of the National Association of Professional Women, and facilitates professional presentations and training for the National Association of Social Work Louisiana. Her expertise in the behavioral sciences is regularly featured on programs for the cable network channel TVOne, and her research on integrated healthcare has been published in Social Work Advocates Magazine . Johnson Dumas has also lent her voice locally to social and mental health topics on WBOK-AM. She is an advocate for quality mental healthcare for the underserved, disadvantaged, and disen- franchised populations, which is driven through her work with DePaul Community Health Centers. When Johnson Dumas is not working as a clini- cian or pursuing research interest, she shares her knowledge and love of learning with others as an adjunct instructor and clinical supervisor. Thibodaux Regional Welcomes Jacob Veith, MD, to the Medical Staff Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Jacob Veith, MD, is now seeing patients at Thibodaux Regional Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Clinic in Thibodaux. Veith earned a medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. He completed a surgery internship at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, Veith completed a fellow- ship in plastic surgery research and a residency in integrated plastic surgery at University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Veith specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Thibodaux Regional Welcomes Dedric Clarke, MD, to Medical Staff Cardiac electrophysiologist Dedric Clarke, MD, is now seeing patients at Thibodaux Regional Cardiology Clinic in Thibodaux. Clarke attended Nicholls State University and earned a degree in biology from Xavier University in New Orleans. He received a medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medi- cine in New Orleans and completed a residency in internal medicine at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Additionally, Clarke completed fellowships in cardiology and clinical cardiac elec- trophysiology from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Louisiana Funds New Cardiac Safety Initiative in Schools Statewide The American Heart Association announced that its multiyear effort to implement and fund cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs) in Louisiana schools and at school athletic events has been a success. This effort is part of the asso- ciation’s Nation of Lifesavers movement to dou- ble survival rates from cardiac arrest by 2030. Since 2023, the association and its volunteers have advocated for the following legislative milestones: SB12 (2023), authored by Senator Cleo Fields, marked a first step forward by requiring schools to develop and implement CERPs, ensure school personnel are trained in CPR and AED use, and have an automated external defibrillator (AED) on-site. It also secured $1.5 million for AED pro- curement and implementation. SB12 was signed into law as Act 234 of 2023. SB54 (2024), sponsored by Senator Bill Wheat, made it a requirement for high school coaches to be trained in CPR, AED use, and first aid. The legislation went through the entire legislative pro- cess without a single vote of opposition, making it Act 95 of 2024. HB 1, State Budget (2025), provided funding for CPR and AED training for high school coaches, ensuring they receive two-year certifications in life-saving skills. An estimated 23,000 children under the age of 18 experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital each year in the U.S. In schools where AEDs are available, 70% of children survive car- diac arrest — more than seven times the overall survival rate for children. CPR, when performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chances of survival in a cardiac emergency. Mary Bird Perkins Completes Expansion of Metairie Clinic Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has completed the expansion of its Metairie clinic through the opening of additional space in its current loca- tion. The clinic, which originally opened last year, is located at 2800 Veterans Memorial Blvd. and specializes in the multidisciplinary management and treatment of patients with urologic cancers. The addition consists of a two-story suite across the atrium from the existing clinic at the cancer center’s Veterans Memorial Blvd. location. Its new services include an infusion suite with eight chairs and one private bed, a full pharmacy and a retail pharmacy, five exam rooms, a nurse navigator, a social worker, phlebotomists, and clinical tri- als research. n Jacob Veith, MD Dedric Clarke