chsnersummer 2 01 6

your guide to health and wellness

it takes a village Born at 28 weeks, Celia Lewko had to fight for her life, but Ochsner—and St. Tammany Parish Hospital—brought her home to her mom, Shannon

inside: Ochsner’s bold new hospital expansion will elevate patient care for years to come (page 6). An innovative procedure promises pain relief from neuralgia and migraine headaches (page 10). Strategies to simplify your life (page 16).

> complimentary issue <

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2 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

dear friends,

Healthcare as an industry

is evolving faster than ever

before. Ochsner’s plan

to lead the way through

innovation and growth is

part of our commitment

to always put our patients

first. In this issue, we share

our vision for future growth and expansion of services

to better serve our patients. I firmly believe these

efforts will play a crucial role in the quality of life

available to Ochsner patients, families and loved ones.

Earlier this year, Ochsner unveiled an extensive

plan to create the Ochsner Healthcare Corridor. This

venture, which spans the length of Jefferson Highway

from Causeway to the parish line, will enable Ochsner

to continue to meet the need for highly specialized

care while serving as a catalyst for an incredible

transformation in the greater New Orleans area.

I’m also excited to share how Ochsner is advancing

care throughout the system. From a new cancer

treatment facility in Baton Rouge, to expansion

projects in the West Bank Emergency Department, the

Covington Clinic and Ochsner Baptist facilities, our

efforts to provide every community we touch with the

best possible healthcare options are underway.

In addition, the continued expansion of the Ochsner

Health Network is creating success stories every day.

By collaborating with like-minded healthcare partners

throughout the region, we are able to offer patients

the highest-quality care, no matter where they are.

Shannon Lewko’s story illustrates the importance of

offering excellent care close to home. When Ochsner

and St. Tammany Parish Hospital worked together

to care for Shannon and her newborn daughter, born

three months premature, the family was able to heal

while remaining close to home and to each other. This

is just one example of how the Ochsner Health Network

is changing and saving lives every day.

Warner L. ThomasPresident and CEO

Ochsner Health System

Welcome

we’d like to hear from you! please send comments to magazine@ochsner.org.Copyright © 2016 by Ochsner Health System. Ochsner is published as a community service and is not intended

for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing.

C o v e r : D a y m o n G a r d n e r

#tBt Got ochsner?Help us tell our story by adding to our archives

Ochsner Medical Library is seeking artifacts, documents and photos that reflect

the health system’s 75-year history. If you are an employee, patient or donor, you

may have items that would make helpful additions to our archives or that could be

considered for display. All contributions are appreciated!

to donate, call 504-842-3760, email medicallibrary@ochsner.org, or stop

by the medical library on the first floor of ochsner medical Center on Jefferson

highway. to view our magazine archives, visit www.ochsner.org/magazine.

Alton Ochsner, MD

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 3

The Scoop

MAkeS 4 ServingS

ingredients:

• 9 large egg whites• 3 extra-large whole eggs• 1/4 cup nonfat milk• 1 dash table salt• 1 dash cayenne pepper (optional)• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes• 2 cloves garlic• 1/3 cup onion, chopped• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped• 1 cup zucchini, chopped• 2 tablespoons pecan oil

directions: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large

bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper

and thyme.

Chop up tomato, garlic, onion, bell pepper

and zucchini. Add pecan oil to a cast-iron

skillet on medium heat. Add chopped

vegetables (optional: add one large bunch

coarsely chopped fresh spinach) and cook

thoroughly. Pour the eggs over the mixture.

Pull the edges away from the sides of the

pan with a spatula so the eggs flow to the

bottom. Transfer the pan to the heated oven.

Bake for 10 minutes until puffed and golden.

Per serving: 190 calories, 11.5 grams fat, 2

grams saturated fat, 233 mg sodium, 6 grams

carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 4 grams sugar, 15

grams protein.

FREE Cookbook!➜ Don’t miss this special offer for a collection of recipes that not only taste great, they’re great for you! To learn more, visit www.ochsner.org/magazine. Quantities are limited.

Summer Vegetable FrittataMolly Kimball, registered dietitian with Ochsner’s Elmwood

Fitness Center, has collaborated with area restaurants to create

Ochsner Eat Fit, a partnership that highlights the better-for-

you items on local menus and makes it easy for everyone to

eat nutritiously. This seasonal frittata recipe was developed

by the Eat Fit NOLA team. For a complete list of participating

restaurants in Greater New Orleans and on the North Shore,

visit www.ochsner.org/magazine.

4 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

Safe TravelsPlanning a trip abroad? Take these precautions so you come back with tales of fun

and adventure—not illness and injury.

• Get travel vaccinations. Visit the website of the Centers for Disease Control

(www.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list) to find out which shots are recommended

for your destination.

• Pack a first-aid kit. Include Band-Aids, gauze, an elastic bandage, moleskin for

blisters, aloe gel for sunburns, anti-diarrheal medication, aspirin or ibuprofen,

and a digital thermometer.

• take care when eating and drinking in developing countries. Unclean water and food

can cause traveler’s diarrhea or disease. Eat food that is cooked and served

hot, avoiding street fare. Stick to drinks like bottled water, coffee or tea, and

pasteurized milk.

• Prevent bug bites, which can spread infections like malaria and the Zika virus. Use

an insect repellent that contains at least 20 percent DEET (the most common active

ingredient in insect repellents); natural products like citronella are not as effective.

4 Foods for a Better Night’s SleepDid you know that some foods and beverages can help ease you into dreamland? Here are a few to try.

PASSIONFLOWER TEA

Sipping a cup of this tea one hour before bed

can help you get to sleep faster. Researchers

have found that it reduces anxiety and has a

gentle sedative effect. Choose a tea containing

180 to 200 milligrams of passionflower.

KIWI

Kiwi fruit contains serotonin, a chemical

that promotes good sleep. Research shows

that eating two kiwis about one hour before

bedtime can help you drift off sooner and get

better-quality sleep.

CARB-AND-PROTEIN SNACK

Protein-rich foods like turkey, chicken, eggs

and Greek yogurt contain tryptophan, an

amino acid needed to produce serotonin. To

boost tryptophan’s benefits, pair your protein

with carbohydrates, which further elevate

serotonin. Great protein-carb combos are

crackers and cheese, toast with peanut butter,

or cottage cheese and berries.

SPINACH

A sleep-inducing power player, spinach has

magnesium (to promote falling and staying

asleep) and potassium (for muscle relaxation).

The Scoop

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 5

The Scoop

Quitting Smoking? Here’s Why Your Body Will Thank YouYou’ve heard the bad news about smoking. Now for some good news: When you quit, the body begins to respond quickly.

• Within 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure start to decrease.

• A mere 12 hours after your last cigarette, your bloodstream’s carbon monoxide level falls

back to normal.

• After three months, your circulation and lung function improve.

• At the nine-month mark, you begin to breathe easier and cough less.

• After one year, your risk of coronary disease drops by half.

• After five years as a nonsmoker, your risk of mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder cancer

is cut in half.

• After 15 years, your risk of coronary disease is the same as someone who never smoked.

Need help kicking the habit? Contact our tobacco Cessation Clinic at 844-371-5806 or

tobaccofree@ochsner.org or go to www.ochsner.org/magazine.

THE LATEST ON ZIKA Headlines about the Zika virus, which

is spread through the bite of an infected

mosquito, have caused some anxiety. But

while an infection may cause symptoms—

fever, rash, joint and muscle pain, and

headache—infected people don’t usually get

sick enough for a hospital visit, and deaths are

very rare.

There is no vaccine for the Zika virus, but

you can take steps to avoid infection while

traveling to affected areas of the world. Wear

long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats,

and use insect repellent. Visit www.cdc.gov

for the most up-to-date information on the

countries affected by the virus.

Current CDC guidelines recommend that

pregnant women should postpone travel

to elevations less than 2,000 meters above

sea level in countries and U.S. territories

with active Zika virus transmission. Ask

your physician if it is safe for you to travel

and whether you might need additional

immunizations or other preventive measures.

Ochsner’s construction of a new campus and expansion of existing ones will allow the healthcare system to better serve its patients for generations to come

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New plans to expand the

facilities and services of

Ochsner Health System will

broaden the scope of specialized

services available and further cement

Ochsner’s reputation as not only one

of the top healthcare providers in the

Southeast but also the largest private

employer in the state, growing to more

than 23,000 jobs in New Orleans, the

North Shore and Baton Rouge. The

$360 million expansion project will

include additions to the North and

South campuses and the construction

of a new West Campus, along what

will become a healthcare corridor on

Jefferson Highway in New Orleans.

“We are building on our legacy

as a national and global destination

for healthcare for the Greater New

6 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

a new expansion will double the size of the Gayle and tom Benson Cancer Center.

A New Healthcare Corridor

building, six of which will contain

34 private rooms each, increasing

inpatient capacity from 602 beds to 767

beds. Patients will appreciate that an

additional 39 semiprivate rooms will

be made private, offering safer and

more comfortable stays. And to further

accommodate the growing number

of patients and visitors, the current

parking structure will get a new level

with an additional 300 parking spaces.

“The expansion at our Jefferson

Highway campus will allow us to

continue to offer additional services

to take care of more patients in our

specialized Centers of Excellence—

Cancer, Cardiology, Neurosciences,

Pediatrics and Transplant,” says Robert

Wolterman, CEO of Ochsner Medical

Center. “And a generous gift from

Orleans Region and the Gulf South,”

says Warner Thomas, CEO and

President, Ochsner Health System.

“The next chapter is to create a more

comprehensive healthcare corridor

anchored by Ochsner Medical Center

so we can continue to change and save

more lives.”

growing the Main facility

At the end of 2015, renovations to

Ochsner’s primary New Orleans

hospital on Jefferson Highway, the

South Campus, increased the hospital’s

capacity by adding 40 new inpatient

rooms and five new operating rooms on

the 10th floor, giving Ochsner’s doctors

the ability to perform an additional

1,800 surgeries in 2016. The project will

also add seven floors to the West Tower

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 7

Growth &

Innovation

expansion, the center will get a new

Simulation Lab to ensure that students

and staff receive the most up-to-date

and advanced training available.

coMprehensive inpatient and

outpatient rehab facilities

Ochsner knows how important high-

quality and convenient rehab is to

many patients’ outcomes. Patients’

needs include sessions with physical

and occupational therapists and

access to the equipment and facilities

they need to successfully complete

rehabilitation. A new West Campus,

built at the site of the Jefferson Plaza

Shopping Center, will feature the

Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital and

the Ochsner Outpatient Physical

and Occupational Therapy Clinic.

Gayle and Tom Benson will fund the

expansion of the Gayle and Tom Benson

Cancer Center, doubling its size.”

As a result, the expanded cancer

center will include 100,000 square feet

of oncology clinics across five floors and

more than 50 personalized, semiprivate

chemo infusion stations. In addition, a

new clinical cancer research program

will help research teams undertake a

wide range of clinical studies, including

the testing of promising new cancer

drugs and procedures.

cutting-edge iMaging services

The effective diagnosis and treatment

of patients require convenient access to

cutting-edge digital imaging services

like MRI, CT scans and mammograms.

That’s why Ochsner plans to build

a new imaging center on the North

Campus, just across the street from

the main hospital, where patients and

physicians will have easy access to

these vital services, including three

new MRI machines, along with a

pharmacy and an on-site laboratory for

processing test results.

training the next generation

of healthcare providers

The North Campus is also home

to Ochsner’s Center for Academic

Excellence, the largest nonuniversity-

based physician training center in

the country, which hosts 275 medical

residents and fellows in 24 different

programs every year, along with more

than 2,500 medical, nursing and

allied health students. As part of the

“The next chapter is to create a more comprehensive healthcare corridor anchored by Ochsner Medical Center so we can continue to change and save more lives.”

—warNer thomas, Ceo aNd PresideNt,

oChsNer he alth system

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8 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

Growth & Innovation

more Louisianans and their families

and will offer even more specialized

care than ever before,” says Don

Pierson, Secretary of Economic

Development for Louisiana. “It feels

good to know that those I love can

receive the highest quality of care right

here in Louisiana.”

Ochsner has also worked with the

local government and the Jefferson

Parish Economic Development

Commission to identify how these

projects can contribute to the larger

goals of transforming the Jefferson

Highway corridor into a vibrant, green

and visually pleasing urban space,

with improved housing, shopping and

transportation options.

An economic impact study,

more convenient access to the specialty

services they need but also brings

substantial benefits to the surrounding

community in Jefferson Parish and to

the state overall.

“Today we own or manage 11

hospitals as part of the Ochsner Health

System,” Thomas says. “Together with

our Ochsner Health Network partners—

an additional 17 affiliated hospitals

across Louisiana—we care for more than

1 million patients statewide each year.”

He adds that, in 2015, nearly 9,000

acute and critical care patients were

referred to Ochsner, and the numbers

are growing, highlighting the need for

expanded facilities and services.

“Through these new projects,

Ochsner will be able to care for even

Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital will

be operated in partnership with Select

Medical Corporation, a national leader

in inpatient rehabilitation, and its

construction will increase the number

of inpatient rehabilitation beds from

28 to 60 and add 15 pediatric inpatient

rehabilitation beds. Services will cover

a wide range of conditions, including

spinal cord and brain injuries, stroke,

amputation, neurological disorders and

orthopedic conditions.

good for patients, good for

the coMMunity

The expansion happening at Ochsner

not only helps provide patients from

across Louisiana and beyond with

the highest quality of care and better,

a rendering of the ochsner medical Center west tower expansion, which will add seven new floors.

“Through these new projects, Ochsner will be able to care for even more Louisianans and their families and will offer even more specialized care than ever before.”

—doN PiersoN, seCretary of eCoNomiC

develoPmeNt for louisiaNa

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 9

commissioned by Ochsner, found

that the construction phase of these

projects alone will create 284 new

jobs and increase household earnings

among Jefferson Parish residents by

$135 million. And once complete, the

additions will contribute more than

3,200 local jobs and $1.3 billion in

household earnings.

“Ochsner has been committed to

Jefferson Parish for nearly 75 years,”

Thomas says. “We are dedicated to

growing jobs, being a good community

partner and expanding healthcare

services for years to come. We are so

proud to call Jefferson Parish and the

Greater New Orleans area our home,

and we are here to serve the patients

that trust us to care for them every day.”

a rendering of the outpatient diagnostic imaging Center; the new facilitiy will provide convenient access to comprehensive testing services.

Ochsner’s Jefferson Plaza Developmentas part of its $360 million expansion, ochsner health system announced the construction of a new west Campus located at the old Jefferson Plaza shopping Center at a news conference on feb. 18, 2016.

Clockwise from top left: a helicopter does a flyover of the new location; warner thomas, Ceo and President of ochsner health system, shares his goal of making ochsner a top medical destination worldwide; bystanders watch as an excavator tears down the remains of a restaurant at Jefferson Plaza; suzanne mestayer, Chair of the ochsner health system Board of directors, discusses the expansion.

1 0 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

Pain

Relief

a normal life despite trying numerous

nerve blocks and medications.

“When she came to see me, she was

about to have a surgical procedure that

would drill holes in the back of her

head to give the nerves room to move,”

says Jose Posas, MD, a neurologist

at Ochsner Baptist’s Comprehensive

Headache Center, one of a few centers

in the country currently offering a

cutting-edge treatment for occipital

neuralgia called iovera° cryoneurolysis.

“She decided to try this first. I gave

her the treatment in November. Now

she is off her medications and has

remained headache-free for almost

six months.”

Iovera° is a small, handheld device

with a sharp probe, like a hollow

needle that is closed at the end. The

doctor uses live ultrasound to locate

the nerve and gives the patient an

injection of local anesthetic before

inserting the probe into the tissue

alongside the nerve. Then superchilled

liquid nitrous oxide flows into the

probe, causing ice to form at the tip,

rapidly cooling the tissue around it.

for more than seven years, Ochsner

Baptist patient Natasha Smith

suffered from a condition called

occipital neuralgia, which caused

her to have excruciating headache

pain almost every day. The condition

stems from damage or inflammation

to the occipital nerves, which run

up the back of the neck and head,

causing symptoms similar to migraine

headaches and potentially triggering

actual migraines. Smith’s pain got so

bad that she had to take medical leave

from work, and she could no longer live

A game-Changing Treatment for Nerve PainA minimally invasive procedure offers welcome relief to patients who suffer from neuralgia and migraine headaches

“We are certainly proud to be one of the select few in the country doing this particular procedure, helping to make our program a national destination for the treatment of neurologic disorders.”

—Jose Posas, md, NeuroloGist at oChsNer BaPtist’s ComPreheNsive headaChe CeNter

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 1 1

“It freezes the nerve but leaves the

sheath intact,” Dr. Posas explains. “So

we are essentially destroying the part

of the nerve that sends signals while

keeping the scaffolding in place, which

prevents neuroma [a growth or scarring

of the nerve tissue].” Traditional

treatments for occipital neuralgia

do permanent damage to the entire

structure of the nerve, including the

sheath, either by surgically cutting the

nerves or burning them with a radio-

wave probe, which can cause numbness

or other irreversible complications.

So far, iovera° cryoneurolysis seems

to have lasting effects, though the

relief is not necessarily permanent.

Depending on the patient, the pain

may return after a few weeks, months

or even longer. “The nerves do

regenerate over time, but our hope is

that they won’t send pain signals when

they come back,” Dr. Posas says. “This

is a new approach for dealing with

headaches, and as we continue to do

the procedure, we will be able to gauge

the sustained success of blocking pain

through this method.”

Fortunately for patients who find

relief with iovera° cryoneurolysis,

even if the pain does return after a few

months, the procedure is simple and

minimally invasive enough to allow

for repeat treatments. “Surgery was

going to be extremely painful with a

long recovery,” Smith says. “Instead,

the iovera° treatment was a series

of injections that took less than 30

minutes.”

The iovera° system has been

available since 2013, but it was initially

designed to relieve knee pain. In fact,

Posas started giving the treatment in

the fall of 2013 while working at an

orthopedic clinic in Los Angeles. Only

recently have Posas and a few other

physicians begun applying iovera°

cryoneurolysis to occipital neuralgia.

“This is a good nonopioid way to treat

headaches. Currently, we’re only

treating occipital nerves, but we could

treat other nerves in the future,” Dr.

Posas says. “We are certainly proud to

be one of the select few in the country

doing this particular procedure,

helping to make our program a

national destination for the treatment

of neurologic disorders.”

For Smith, the treatment has proved

to be life changing. “I had lost all hope

until I came here,” Smith says. “When

I came to Ochsner, I was reassured that

my care team knew what I was going

through, and I trusted them enough to

be one of the first patients to have this

done. Now, I am back at work and feel

like I have my life back.”

➜ To learn more about iovera°

cryoneurolysis at Ochsner,

call 504-894-2700.

1 2 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

health systems. Through this new

collaboration, STPH has been able to

expand access to pediatric specialists

on the North Shore and help families

get care for their children close to

home whenever possible.

personalized care

STPH and Ochsner specialists began

collaborating on Celia’s care soon

after she arrived in the STPH Neonatal

Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “We got to

know all of the nurses and pretty much

all of the staff at St. Tammany on a

first-name basis,” says Shannon.

Nurses helped Shannon with

kangaroo care—which allowed her

to bond with Celia while she was

on the ventilator—and later with

breastfeeding. “They went above and

beyond to help me nurse Celia,” says

Shannon.

Celia’s care team began to suspect

there were additional complications

when she remained dependent on

the ventilator at three weeks. She

was diagnosed with patent ductus

arteriosus (PDA), a congenital heart

defect common in infants born

prematurely, and she needed surgery—

at Ochsner—to correct it.

That decision required even closer

collaboration between specialists

at Ochsner and STPH, including a

literal “handoff” of the baby. Ochsner

sent a team of neonatal specialists to

transport Celia to Ochsner Baptist

Medical Center.

Once there, Shannon says the

staff made the Lewkos feel instantly

comfortable. “I could poke my head out

of Celia’s little NICU room and speak to

whichever nurse was there,” she says,

and neonatologist Stacey Soileau, MD,

“explained things to me in a way that I

Celia’s Journey HomeThanks to a strategic partnership between Ochsner Health System and St. Tammany Parish Hospital, Celia Lewko—born at 28 weeks’ gestation—received exceptional care close to home

D a y m o n G a r d n e r

at birth, Celia Lewko weighed just

2 pounds, 10 ounces. She was

whisked away and put on a ventilator

before her mother, Shannon Lewko, had

the opportunity to meet her.

The night before, Shannon—only 28

weeks pregnant—had just put her then-

4-year-old daughter, Meredith, to bed

when she started experiencing what

felt like contractions. Then came heavy

bleeding. “All of a sudden, it felt like

my water broke, but it wasn’t water,”

she says.

With her husband, Josh, traveling

out of state, Shannon called 911 and

was rushed from her home in Bush to

the Emergency Department at

St. Tammany Parish Hospital (STPH).

A few minutes after 2 a.m. on

Dec. 29, 2014, Celia was delivered via

emergency cesarean section. (Doctors

confirmed Shannon had suffered a

serious pregnancy complication called

placental abruption.)

Celia would spend the first 78 days

of her life in the hospital—actually, in

two hospitals. Her long journey home

highlights a central aim of STPH’s

participation in the Ochsner Health

Network, a strategic partnership

among regional hospitals and

Celia and shannon lewko

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 1 3

Power of

Teamwork

“We all agreed that it would be best

for everyone to move her back to STPH

because that would be better for her

family,” Norris says.

Celia’s most exciting breakthrough

came on March 17, 2015, when she went

home with her parents and big sister

for the first time.

Since then, Celia has faced

challenges—including frequent viruses

and an infection that required another

stint in the hospital—but Shannon says

her daughter is thriving. “She receives

therapy through EarlySteps to oversee

her development, but for the most part

she does really well,” says Shannon.

Celia is growing, meeting

developmental milestones and doing

her best to keep up with her big sister,

Meredith, now 5. “Celia will follow her

anywhere,” says Shannon. “They love

to play together.”

➜ To learn more about the Ochsner

Health Network and other partners,

visit www.ochsner.org/magazine.

family for rides—and never missed one

day of visiting Celia at Ochsner.

Meanwhile, Shannon received

hands-on training in caring for her

tiny baby. “I was very nervous to

handle Celia because she was so small

and fragile,” says Shannon. “The

nurses at Ochsner were so supportive.

They encouraged me to touch her and

to change her diaper, which really

helped me get over my fear.”

Once Celia was stabilized and

recovering well, her medical

teams at STPH and Ochsner made

an unprecedented decision. They

transported Celia back to the North

Shore to complete her recovery closer to

home in STPH’s NICU, putting an end

to the exhausting commutes. “Prior to

our partnership, she would not have

come back to us but would have stayed

at Ochsner,” says Nicole Norris, RN,

NICU department head at STPH.

Instead, the neonatal teams at

each hospital got together to discuss

the Lewko family’s needs for the

remaining weeks of hospitalization.

could understand and process.”

Within days of Celia’s surgery—which

took place one month after her birth—

she was weaned off the ventilator. She

still needed supplemental oxygen, but

she steadily improved.

bringing celia back

However, Celia needed time to

recover—and weeks of commuting

between Bush and New Orleans

were taking a toll, especially because

Shannon wasn’t comfortable driving in

New Orleans. She recruited friends and

“I was nervous to handle Celia because she was so small. The nurses at Ochsner were so supportive. They encouraged me to touch her, which helped me get over my fear.”

—shaNNoN lewko

Ochsner Health System patients of all ages were thrilled by recent visits from the Saints and the Pelicans. The staff had a good time with the players as well!

1 4 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

Glimpses

People and Places

above: New orleans saints players stop by the ochsner hospital for Children and the Gayle and tom Benson Cancer Center during the holiday season to brighten the day of several patients.

above and below: New orleans Pelicans players toney douglas and eric Gordon take a break from the court to visit with ochsner patients and employees.

Power in NumbersMore clinical trials are coming to Ochsner, thanks to statewide research collaborations fostered by the Perkin Forum

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 1 5

Community

programs at Ochsner and has also

funded the Perkin Alternative Birthing

Center and the Digital Medicine

Program’s Apple Watch project.

Many of the forum participants—

including Ochsner and Pennington—are

part of REACHnet, a regional research

network established in 2014 by a grant

from the Patient-Centered Outcomes

Research Institute. “The focus of this

funding was to do clinical trials,” says

Sohail Rao, MD, MA, DPhil, Ochsner’s

System Vice President for Research.

“The Perkin Forum allows the

investigators to talk to each other about

the possibility of working together for

existing or future clinical trials.”

Since the launch of the Perkin

Forum in 2014, these exchanges have

been fruitful. “We brought in national

speakers to talk about obesity,” says Dr.

Rao. “We provided ample opportunity

to interact, so when ideas were thrown

around, lots of people indicated that

they would like to participate. That

resulted in a competitive application,

which has now yielded $10 million in

funding.” That study, the Louisiana

Trial to Reduce Obesity in Primary Care,

is based at Pennington and involves

Ochsner and other REACHnet partners.

Other Perkin Forum discussions

led to Ochsner becoming a key player

in another study involving REACHnet

partners: ADAPTABLE, a national

study of aspirin dosage.

“The collaborations [are helping]

to bring better-quality research to

Ochsner,” says Courtney Parke, PhD,

Research Project Manager, REACHnet,

Ochsner Health System. “We strive to

bring patients the newest technology

so that they don’t have to go elsewhere

to get the care that they need.”

“Nicolas Perkin had the vision to

understand what we were trying to

accomplish and had the wisdom to

support it, and look where we are

today,” adds Dr. Rao. “We express our

gratitude to him and to the foundation.”

➜ To learn how you can support this

work, call 504-842-7117 or email

philanthropy@ochsner.org.

What happens when you put

Louisiana’s top medical

researchers in the same room?

Collaborations form, and, eventually,

patients gain greater access to

innovative medical care.

That is the objective—and the result

thus far—of the Perkin Forum, a series

of quarterly forums co-hosted by

Ochsner Health System and Pennington

Biomedical Research Center that bring

together researchers from institutions

including Ochsner, Pennington,

Louisiana Public Health Institute,

Tulane University, Louisiana State

University, Louisiana Cancer Research

Center, Xavier University, Children’s

Hospital, and Baton Rouge General.

“We have tremendous research talent

in Louisiana,” says Nicolas Perkin,

whose family foundation, the Perkin

Fund, initiated the forums to promote

research collaborations. “If we can

get the top minds working together, it

benefits the state more than if everyone

works separately and independently.”

The Perkin Fund supports innovative

Extended Hours for Busy Patients There’s never a good time to get sick, but thanks to Ochsner’s extended hours and

same-day and next-day primary care appointments, you can see a doctor when it’s

convenient for you. Many of Ochsner’s locations provide early and late weekday

appointments, as well as weekend appointments. To view a list of locations with

extended hours, visit www.ochsner.org/magazine.

Ochsner offers easy options for scheduling, too:

• Existing patients with a MyOchsner account can visit my.ochsner.org any time.

• Nonpatients and those without a MyOchsner account can schedule via the Find

a Doctor tool on ochsner.org.

• Call the Ochsner Health Center you wish to visit.

• Contact Ochsner On Call at 800-231-5257.

1 6 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

Body

& Soul

Simplify Your LifeWhen life gets complicated, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and anxious. With simple actions—such as chipping away at that pile of clutter on your desk and taking advantage of Ochsner’s convenient options for managing your health—you can free yourself to focus on what matters most.

A Simple Plan for Stress ReliefWhether you enjoy dancing, reading or relaxing with an adult coloring book, doing things you like relieves stress naturally. The American Heart Association recommends dedicating at least 15 minutes a day to activities you enjoy. Easy-to-implement stress relievers include taking a walk, breathing deeply, meditating, thinking positive thoughts, laughing, spending time with loved ones and learning to say no. Above all, avoiding your known triggers—for example, by leaving earlier to beat the traffic and keeping your distance from people who irritate you—is perhaps the simplest way to help reduce anxiety.

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 1 7

A One-Stop Shop for Health TechnologyAt Ochsner’s O Bar—a spin on Apple’s “genius bar”—

you can find answers to your health questions and try

new technologies to help manage your health.

you don’t need to be a genius to navigate the o Bar, since a specialist is available to

help with technologies including:

➜ iPads loaded with physician-recommended health and wellness apps and an

interactive health library

➜ High-tech monitoring devices including wireless blood pressure monitors and

scales and Bluetooth blood glucose monitors

➜ Wearable activity trackers, including Fitbit and Jawbone

visit the o Bar at two locations: ochsner Center for Primary Care and wellness at

1401 Jefferson highway in New orleans and ochsner health Center – Covington at

1000 ochsner Blvd. in Covington.

/ “Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy.”—Sir Isaac Newton

Basic Techniques for Preventing Sports Injurieskeep safe while working out with these essential injury prevention guidelines

• Don’t be a weekend warrior. Instead, exercise 30 minutes a day, most days of the week.

• Start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and length of your workouts, as well as resistance if you lift

weights. A good rule of thumb: Once the exercise feels too easy, increase activity by increments of no more

than 5 or 10 percent.

• Be mindful of your age and fitness level. Listen to your body and adjust your workout accordingly. Rest at least

one or two days a week.

• Warm up and cool down with light cardiovascular activity, followed by stretching.

• Invest in the right footwear, equipment and lessons to learn proper technique.

• Don’t forget strength training. If you don’t have weights or access to a gym, try body-weight exercises such as

squats, planks and lunges.

• Cross-train. varying your activities will give certain muscle groups and joints a rest and others a workout.

• Stay hydrated and eat well.

1 8 w w w . o c h s n e r . o r g

Navigation Tips

Staying Connected➜ Just call, click or tap!from online appointment booking to ochsner on Call, a 24/7 nurse care line, we make it easy for patients to navigate ochsner health system. here are helpful tools that make our services more accessible than ever.

Ochsner On Call / No matter what time of day or night it is,

connecting with your Ochsner healthcare team has never been easier.

For non-life-threatening issues, you can call Ochsner’s free 24/7 nurse care

line, Ochsner On Call, and speak

with a registered nurse. Our specially

trained nurses will help determine

the best care options for you. Ochsner

On Call provides nurse triage, appointment booking, health education and

advisory services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Call 800-231-5257 or 504-842-3155 to speak to one of our nurses.

3

➜ Visit our appointment page to find phone

numbers, set up a MyOchsner account or book

online at www.ochsner.org/schedule.

➜ Like Ochsner Health System on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/ochsnerhealthsystem.

➜ Follow Ochsner on Instagram at

www.instagram.com/ochsnerhealth.

➜ Check ER wait times at

www.ochsner.org/chooseer.

➜ Bookmark www.ochsner.org on your tablet

or smartphone. Our newly updated mobile

version makes it easy to contact us on the go!

sign up at www.ochsner.org to manage your health online, wherever and whenever you want.

s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 1 9

At a Glance

Myth vs. RealityThe truth about some common health

misconceptions.

myth: Watching TV will ruin your eyes.

reality: Keep on binging those Netflix

shows. According to the American Academy

of Ophthalmology, watching television

won’t cause physical harm to your eyes, even

if you sit too close. Mom’s admonition to

view from a distance goes back to the 1960s

when General Electric sold TVs that emitted

excessive radiation (the sets were recalled and

the issue fixed). Modern devices are perfectly

safe, though too much TV can cause eyestrain

and fatigue. Take a break and get a good

night’s rest and your eyes will feel just fine.

myth: Eating microwaved foods from plastic

containers is harmful.

reality: As long as your Tupperware is

marked “microwave safe,” there’s no danger,

but standard plastic takeout cartons can melt

and leak chemicals into your food. Always

check your dish for a microwave-safe label

before heating up that pasta.

myth: Men don’t go through menopause.

reality: Testosterone levels decline by about

1 percent each year in men after the age of

30; doctors call this process “andropause.”

Low testosterone levels are associated

with changes in sexual function and sleep

patterns, along with declining energy and

even hot flashes.

Sources: www.harvard.edu, www.aao.org

hello, health!Don’t miss Hello Health, Ochsner’s healthcare seminar series for the entire

community. Ochsner physicians and local healthcare experts discuss relevant

health topics and medical trends.

visit www.ochsner.org/hellohealth to find seminars near you or for the

television schedule. to register, call 855-312-4189 (toll-free) monday through

friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sudoku

Fill out the grid so that each row, column, and box

contains only one of each number from 1 to 9.

Answer

417

985

326

563

271

489

982

346

751

762

561

843

358

724

916

614

839

527

234

178

659

897

645

132

165

293

478

1 7

9 5

5 3

4 8 9

6

1

5

4 3

7 4

6 1

9

2

1

8 9 7

1 2

2 3

4 7

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Jefferson, LA 70121

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