North Oaks Community Newsletter - VOLUME 26 • NUMBER 1

A Message from North Oaks Health System President & CEO

I am immensely proud to introduce this issue of North Oaks Community newsletter, highlighting a number of captivating patient stories. They illuminate the personal and transformative impact that our healthcare professionals and support staff have on the lives of our patients in their most vulnerable moments.

Take, for example, the inspiring journey of Benny Latino, Jr., a beloved Hammond resident. After a debilitating stroke, North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital’s medical team of rehabilitative experts played a pivotal role in his regaining the ability to walk and talk – reigniting his zest for life in the process.

In yet another example, we share the Boyd family’s story of perseverance. The birth of their daughter Sutton at North Oaks Medical Center during the 2024 Mardi Gras season was a moment of immense joy and gratitude for new parents and North Oaks’ Emergency Department nurses, Payge and Adam Boyd. Their daughter’s entrance into the world marked a storybook ending to their challenging journey to parenthood and is a testament to the power of hope and the joy of new beginnings.

These stories are heartwarming and aptly illustrate how our team of healthcare professionals is prepared for any eventuality.

Our unwavering dedication to delivering comprehensive healthcare services underscores our commitment to our mission of improving lives every time, every touch, and fuels our continuous growth. As we enter our sixtyfourth year of caring for the Northshore community, rest assured in knowing we will continue to make bold investments that ensure access to the personalized care you and your loved ones depend on so you can live your best and healthiest life.

Sincerely,

Michele Kidd Sutton, FACHE President & CEO

July

20 New Physicians Hired

in Fiscal Year 2023, which brings us to more than 275 skilled physicians in 38 specialties and subspecialties of medicine.

New Services include:

Breast Care Program

Cardiovasular Technology

2,610

Dedicated Team Members

In response to a growing community need, North Oaks expanded its wound care services for patients with acute and chronic wounds of all types. North Oaks Wound Care Center treats patients in an outpatient setting. The certified care team employs advanced treatment therapies and develops comprehensive wound management plans.

In September 2022, North Oaks and Children’s Hospital New Orleans agreed to expand specialized pediatric healthcare services for children and families in Tangipahoa Parish and the Northshore region.

In October 2022, North Oaks began laying the groundwork for a comprehensive Breast Care Program to give patients a defined pathway to breast healthcare. A team of experts was identified to encourage screening and to help patients navigate the challenges of diagnosis, treatment, recovery and support, when cancer is discovered.

In May 2023, North Oaks mobilized healthcare, bringing medical services to the community through the Mobile Care program, which is staffed by its skilled providers who make regular rounds in Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes each month.

Prime Yourself for Wellness in 2024 with a Primary Care Provider

One of the most effective, impactful choices you can make for your long-term health could surprise you. It isn’t a catchy diet, trendy exercise plan or the latest supplement. It’s establishing a relationship with a primary care provider, otherwise known as a PCP.

If you don’t have one, you could dramatically improve your health by selecting one.

A PCP, which could be a physician, nurse practitioner or a physician assistant, can unlock several avenues to wellness. The most important benefit they offer is coordinating and customizing your healthcare, rooting out potential risks and preventing problems before they become hard-to-treat conditions.

The personalization of your care is key. Like a concierge guiding your healthcare, a PCP gets to know you –including what your goals are, what risk factors you might have, what medications you might take and what lifestyle changes you can make to live a longer, healthier life.

After your first visit with a North Oaks PCP, your digital access will be unlocked, making healthcare even more convenient. Established patients can schedule follow-up appointments, ask questions and request refills through the North Oaks MyChart app via their PCP.

“Just as you should keep maintenance on your vehicle, you should keep maintenance on your health.”

– Dr. Howard J. Raphael, primary care provider at North Oaks Family Medicine in Hammond

An additional benefit of having a PCP is that your healthcare costs will typically remain lower. How can having a doctor reduce your costs? Annual wellness check-ups are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and many insurance plans. Once you establish a baseline for your care, follow-up healthcare costs may be reduced as compared to making visits to an emergency room for high blood pressure, for example, or being hospitalized for high blood sugar levels due to uncontrolled diabetes.

Chronic conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes, cannot only be managed more effectively by a PCP, but it’s also less expensive to pay for an office visit than to visit an emergency room once your health has worsened.

Another benefit is that your PCP is going to help you keep your health goals on track with reminders for recommended screenings and appointments, and help you connect with the most highly trained specialists, should a higher level of care be needed to treat a condition. In other words, you don’t have to navigate the healthcare system on your own. You have your own healthcare advocate.

North Oaks Primary Care recommends two steps in selecting a PCP. Start by checking out our skilled medical providers at northoaks.org/primarycare. Then, please call (985) 230-2778 to schedule your first visit.

In addition, North Oaks Mobile Care is another avenue to help manage your health by bringing screenings and risk assessments to you through a schedule of care-on-wheels. Please review the Mobile Care schedule at northoaks.org/ mobilecare to find out when and where North Oaks will be in your community.

Three “Wins” of Having a Primary Care Provider (PCP):

• After your first visit, you can schedule follow-up care and new appointments with your PCP online.

• You can directly message your provider in the North Oaks MyChart app.

• All your wellness and healthcare needs can be coordinated for you.

New Clinic Building Under Construction at North Oaks Medical Center

North Oaks broke ground on the five-story, 95,809-squarefoot North Oaks Clinic Building II* on Nov. 29, 2023, on the medical center campus in Hammond. The project, expected to be finished in spring of 2025, represents a nearly $50 million community investment in design, construction, equipment, furniture and fixture costs.

The construction will help North Oaks expand several services and increase access to care for community members.

Chief Operating Officer Michael Watkins noted, “This facility will significantly increase the space for new providers and services, while ensuring we have room to grow for future needs.”

A prime example is North Oaks Hematology and Oncology Clinic. This clinic will relocate from the second floor of North Oaks Diagnostic Center to the entire fifth floor of North Oaks Clinic Building II. This move is part of the health system’s significant investment in cancer care. Joining this clinic will be Infusion Therapy, which will be relocated from North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital and will expand to offer 32 infusion therapy bays.

All told, North Oaks Clinic Building II will house 12 clinics encompassing 115 patient examination rooms, 47 office spaces and 13 nurse stations. A coffee shop and an exterior canopy joining Clinic Building I to Clinic Building II are counted among the amenities.

In addition, a second floor interior hallway will connect the new building to North Oaks Office Plaza and North Oaks Medical Center. New and extended canopies will create a covered walkway spanning the distance between North Oaks Office Plaza, North Oaks Clinic Building II, North Oaks Clinic Building I and North Oaks Diagnostic Center. It will serve to protect patients, visitors and staff while traveling between the buildings.

“Our investment in this new clinic building and the growing provider network is a testament to our commitment to meet the healthcare needs of this region and that of fulfilling our mission of improving lives –one way is through access to new providers.”

– North Oaks Health System President & CEO Michele Kidd Sutton, FACHE

North Oaks Eye Care Clinic and the Optical Shop, along with North Oaks Prescription Center, will likewise relocate and expand in response to a growing community need.

Other services slated to occupy the new building include primary and specialty care clinics.

Finally, expansion of a portion of Paul Vega, MD, Drive in front of North Oaks Clinic Building I will create a wider drop-off/ pick-up area for patients.

“When we talk about investing in Tangipahoa’s future, one of the premier partners making that happen is North Oaks Health System. This new clinic building represents not only a nearly $50 million investment in our parish’s infrastructure but also an investment in jobs for professionals serving our community,” noted Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller. “Most importantly, it represents an investment in the health and welfare of this community – our friends, families and neighbors. This is one more reason why I always say that Tangipahoa is the best parish in the state.”

Well-known Community Member Says North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital “Saved My Life”

Benny Latino, Jr., is known for his gift of gab. He loves sharing stories.

As the owner of Benny’s Place on West Thomas Street for decades, he’s connected with the Hammond community daily – at church, Southeastern Louisiana University baseball games and Hi-Ho #1 Barbecue.

A stroke in 2010 initially deprived him of these joys.

“I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t do anything,” Latino recalled.

“His mind knew what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t quite get it out. He’d get frustrated.”

– Benny Latino, III, Benny Jr.'s son

North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital came into the picture after his discharge from North Oaks Medical Center. Staffed around-the-clock by highly experienced physicians and nurses, the inpatient rehabilitation facility offers intensive physical, occupational, speech and auditory care.

This was precisely what Latino needed. “They saved my life,” Latino shared.

His successful recovery story is one of many made possible by the care he received at North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital. This excellence stems from a team-based treatment approach, extensive certifications and the amount of time patients spend each day with their care team.

North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital is the only facility in the region to be dually accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and The Joint Commission. Staff members are long-tenured and experienced with one nurse having practiced with the team since 1995.

Medical Director and Physiatrist Rishi Pathak, MD, is at the heart of the treatment team.

“Too often in healthcare, our patients are moved too quickly through the care continuum,” he explained. “We have an advantage in the rehabilitation hospital of having time. The art of physiatry is being able to consider not only the functional mobility, cognition, balance, coordination, endurance and strength of a patient but, almost more importantly, their occupation, familial roles and obligations, and leisure activities.”

Looking at what patients were able to do prior to an illness, injury or other health episode helps the team design a personalized plan of care to get them back to the best possible health and function.

In treating Latino, the team embraced his family and got to know his interests and motivations outside of rehabilitation to help inspire his detailed treatment plan. He was assigned a team of coordinating therapists, doctors and nurses to help him combat the damage his stroke had caused.

“Physical medicine and rehabilitation are a team effort. I would be nothing if not for my exceptional treatment team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, case management experts and nurses,” Dr. Pathak stated. “We discuss each patient’s care daily and once weekly more formally. Additionally, we talk to and incorporate family members, especially in the case of individuals with memory deficits.”

Lisa Latino Tallia, Benny Jr.’s daughter, said the staff greeted her like a member of their family each day she came for lunch when her dad was in treatment.

“They took such great care of him. He gained confidence in his recovery. People often don't recover as well from strokes in older age, but he's had tremendous success, all thanks to North Oaks.”

– Lisa Latino Tallia, Benny Jr.’s daughter

Benny Latino, III with his father, Benny Latino, Jr.

Dr. Pathak and his team are adept at helping patients regain motor and language skills after medical emergencies like accidents or strokes. He came to North Oaks in 2018 from Johns Hopkins Medicine / Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, where he was educated as a fellow in spinal cord injury medicine. The combination of expert training and experience has helped ensure better patient outcomes.

With Latino, the team didn't just work on rehabilitating the pathways in his brain affected by the stroke, but they also connected with him personally, drawing out his resilient spirit.

“He’s a fighter so he took his rehab very seriously, and then what was [unique] were the relationships he built with the people there,” son Benny remembered.

Bit by bit, Latino made gains – and now he’s back where he belongs, talking to people in the community.

North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital, the area’s only dually accredited inpatient rehabilitation facility, treats patients recovering from spinal cord injuries, strokes, amputations, multiple traumas and neurological conditions, among other medical issues. To be admitted, patients must be referred by a physician. Please visit northoaks.org/rehabhospital or call (985) 230-2678 for more information.

“Mr. Benny has once again become a social butterfly. He has rejoined his friend group for morning coffee and conversation at a local establishment in town. He enjoys SLU baseball and never misses an opportunity to cheer on the Lions alongside friends and family. He also takes every opportunity to encourage others who are struggling with deficits sustained from a stroke. He participates in our stroke support group when his very busy social calendar allows.”

– Robin Musfeldt North Oaks speech-language pathologist

North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital is the only facility in the region to be dually accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and The Joint Commission. Staff members are long-tenured and experienced with one nurse having practiced with the team since 1995.

North Oaks Cardiovascular Institute Hits Major Milestone

North Oaks Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) hit a milestone on Nov. 2, 2023. The CVI team performed its 100th transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) case – yet another specialized procedure North Oaks offers to meet the heart healthcare needs of community members.

TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure for people with severe aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve opening). To correct the narrowing, a new valve is installed through a catheter in a vein into the damaged aortic valve.

Once implanted, the valve is inflated – much like a stent –and deploys to look and perform like a natural heart valve. In most cases, TAVR reduces a patient’s recovery time with less pain and trauma to the chest and heart, lowering the risk of infection. The Cardiovascular Institute’s TAVR team – comprising cardiologists, anesthesiologists, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, Cath Lab staff and a perfusionist – is led by two board-certified interventional cardiologists, Dr. Nidal Abi Rafeh and Dr. Georges Khoueiry, as well as board-certified cardiothoracic and peripheral vascular surgeon, Dr. Jose Mena.

North Oaks Cardiovascular Institute provides a complete spectrum of heart healthcare, including:

• Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgical Care

• Diagnostic Cardiology Services

2023 Trauma Symposium Relaunches

In November 2023, North Oaks hosted its first in-person Trauma Symposium for medical providers who play a role in providing trauma care throughout the state. This symposium was relaunched as an in-person event following two years due to the pandemic.

North Oaks’ Shock Trauma Center hosted the 2023 event –“Prepared for the Unexpected” – alongside Southeastern Louisiana University’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the North Oaks Foundation.

More than 135 physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, prehospital personnel and nursing students gathered at the SLU Student Union Grand Ballroom as several local experts, including one international speaker from Canada, Dr. Camilla Wong, who presented on proactive geriatric trauma. Dr. Wong is a geriatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

North Oaks Shock Trauma Program Medical Director Marquinn D. Duke, MD, and North Oaks Shock Trauma Program Manager Jodi Gennusa, MSN, BSN, RN, opened the program, introduced speakers and closed the informative event.

One of the most engaging speakers was not a medical professional, however. Dawn Simmons, who was struck by a drunk driver in 2021 with children in her SUV, made a poignant impression on the audience. Three of her children

• Heart Disease Prevention & Management

• Interventional Cardiology

died in the accident. Simmons and her eldest daughter, Katie DeRouen, 33, are dedicated to honoring the memory of the children by speaking out about the dangers of impaired driving.

“Our victim impact speakers definitely left a mark on the audience and brought to the forefront how a traumatic event, such as a car crash, affects families and the lasting after-effects of their grief,” Gennusa shared.

“We had great speakers this year, and the Trauma team would like to thank them for agreeing to share their knowledge with the community and other healthcare professionals,” she added.

From left: Acadian Air Med John Fortner, NRP, RN; North Oaks Anesthesiologist Kathryn Dorhauer, MD; St. Michael’s Hospital Geriatrician Camilla Wong, MD, FRCPC, MHSC; North Oaks Trauma Manager Jodi Gennusa, MSN, BSN, RN; University Medical Center New Orleans Burn Center Jeffrey Carter, MD, FACS, FABA; North Oaks Shock Trauma Center Medical Director Marquinn Duke, MD; and North Oaks Trauma Education Nurse Ashley Simmons, RN

North Oaks “Miracle” Mardi Gras Baby

The baby in the king cake is a cherished tradition in Southeast Louisiana. However, one baby’s arrival at North Oaks Medical Center during the 2024 Mardi Gras season marked a storybook conclusion to a challenging journey.

Emergency Department registered nurses, Adam and Payge Boyd, had hoped to conceive and start a family.

It took three years, but the Boyds finally found out Payge was pregnant in May of 2023.

For Payge, the joy was mixed with fear, remembering her sister’s loss of a premature baby the previous January.

“I was speechless. It was the best feeling in the world because what we had been wanting – for almost three years at that point – was happening. We found out we were finally going to get it. We spent countless nights praying that we would have a baby, going to the doctor and not getting the results we wanted, crying, all the shots and all the terrible emotions that come with being told, ‘No,’ so much.

Finally, we were told, ‘Yes.’”

– Adam Boyd, registered nurse, Emergency Medicine

“Despite how excited I was, I also was just terrified to even tell anyone because we had all just recently went through the death of my nephew,” Payge remembered.

The pregnancy progressed with minor issues, but the baby remained healthy, and Payge felt well throughout.

Both continued their dedicated work in the ER. Adam had begun his nursing career there. Payge started as licensed practical nurse in general surgery. She became a registered nurse and moved to the Emergency Department, joining her husband on the same team, but they work different shifts that sometimes overlap. The Boyds, married since March 2019, harmoniously worked in the Emergency Department with overlapping shifts until early January.

At the 37th-week check-up, with shifts lined up for the week, the team at Magnolia Obstetrics & Gynecology decided it was time to induce labor.

After a lengthy labor, they welcomed Sutton on Jan. 5, 2024, weighing 6 pounds, 1.2 ounces and measuring 17 inches long. Holding her daughter for the first time, Payge was moved to tears by the culmination of their journey.

“She is everything to us. This is what we have been waiting for all these years,” Payge shared. “I started crying because all the medicines and all the procedures and shots that we went through were for this very moment and then I looked at her, and I was like, ‘Wow, God is good.’”

Sutton was among the many babies born at North Oaks Medical Center during the 2024 Mardi Gras season. In collaboration with the Krewe of Omega, each newborn received a onesie proclaiming, “It’s My First Mardi Gras.”

Sutton’s birth brought a unique joy to the North Oaks family.

“It was the best feeling ever, seeing her and holding her. It was love at first sight,” Adam concluded.

Briefs

North Oaks to Host Inaugural Motherhood and Birth Fair

Welcome, New Providers

Saturday, May 18, 2024

10 am to 4 pm

North Oaks Diagnostic Center

15837 Paul Vega, MD, Drive • Hammond

North Oaks’ commitment to women and children’s healthcare will enter a new phase this spring with a community fair showcasing pre-pregnancy, prenatal, obstetrical and postpartum care, and support services available for new and expectant mothers in the community. Complimentary to the public, the first North Oaks Motherhood and Birth Fair will be held at North Oaks Diagnostic Center, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 10 am to 4 pm.

A number of important healthcare topics will be covered, and local agencies, maternity vendors and key resources for women planning to become pregnant, those who are already pregnant and those with newborns and toddlers, as well as women interested in adopting or becoming a foster parent, also will be onsite. Door prizes will be offered. More event details will be shared in the coming months, but if you or a loved one is planning to become a mother, make plans to attend.

Medical providers have a choice when determining where to practice medicine, and several are choosing North Oaks. We are delighted they have chosen North Oaks to provide high quality, compassionate care to the community. Please join us in welcoming them.

1. Hannah Bass, FNP-C* Urology

Northshore Urological Associates (985) 230-2778

2. Alexandra Battalora, NP* Cardiology

North Oaks Cardiovascular Institute (985) 230-7350

3. Brandon Bean, MD Nephrology Kidney & Hypertension Associates (985) 893-0911

4. Matthew Bruhn, PA-C* Neurosurgery

North Oaks Neurosurgery Clinic (985) 230-2778

5. Brittany Brumfield, FNP-C Pediatrics

North Oaks Pediatric Clinic (985) 542-4950

6. Stefanie Cheang, MD Pediatric Cardiology Children’s Hospital (504) 988-6004

7. Lisa Colon, MD Obstetrics & Gynecology

North Oaks Obstetrics & Gynecology (985) 542-0663

8. Minghua Hao, MD Pediatric Cardiology Children’s Hospital (504) 988-6004

9. Matthew Knouse, MD* Radiology

North Oaks Imaging Associates (985) 230-6700

10. Latonya McMorris, AGACNP-BC* Neurology North Oaks Neurology Clinic (985) 230-2778

11. Carlos Mendoza, FNP-C* Neurology

North Oaks Neurology Clinic (985) 230-2778

12. Darryl Miles, Jr., FNP* Emergency Medicine

North Oaks Medical Center (985) 345-2700

13. Adam Podet, MD* Neurosurgery

North Oaks Neurosurgery Clinic (985) 230-2778

14. Courtney Reid, FNP-C* Internal Medicine

Northshore Internal Medicine Associates (985) 230-2778

15. Alexandra Richards, PA-C* Rheumatology

North Oaks Rheumatology Clinic (985) 230-2778 [APPT]

16. Ryan White, MD* Hospital Medicine

North Oaks Medical Center

Upcoming Mobile Care Locations Offering Free Health Screenings:

March 2024

5 – Rouse’s Market Ponchatoula

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

6 – Bedico Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

7 – Rouses Market, Hammond

11 am to 4 pm

12 – Carter's Supermarket, Livingston

11 am to 3 pm

14 – Rouses Market, Denham Springs

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

19 – Bohning's Supermarket Ponchatoula – 11 am to 4 pm

20 – Planet Fitness, Hammond

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

21 – Planet Fitness, Denham Springs

11 am to 3:30 pm

26 – Carter's Supermarket, Springfield

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

28 – Robert Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

Community Education

Classes for Families & Children

• Body Beautiful I: Puberty for Girls

• Breastfeeding

• Car Seat Fitting Station

April 2024

2 - Bedico Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

3 - Rouses Market, Denham Springs

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

4 - Rouses Market, Hammond

11 am to 4 pm

9 - Loranger Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

10 - Carter's Supermarket, Albany

11 am to 4 pm

16 - Bohning's Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

17 - Rouses Market, Ponchatoula

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

23 - Robert Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

25 - Piggly Wiggly, Independence

11 am to 4 pm

30 - Piggly Wiggly, Hammond

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

May 2024

2 - Rouses Hammond

11 am to 4 pm

7 - Loranger Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

9 - Rouses Market, Denham Springs

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

14 - Carter's Supermarket

11 am to 3 pm

15 - Bedico Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

16 - Planet Fitness, Denham Springs

11 am to 3:30 pm

21 - Bohning's Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

23 - Robert Supermarket

11 am to 4 pm

28 - Carter's Supermarket

10:30 am to 3:30 pm

30 - Rouses Market, Ponchatoula

10:30 to 3:30 pm

All classes and meetings are held in the E. Brent Dufreche Conference Center, located within North Oaks Diagnostic Center, unless otherwise noted.

Diabetes Education Meetings

Feb. 21 - Fiber Foods - 3 to 4 pm

Mar. 20 - Dining Out - 3 to 4 pm

Apr. 17 - Sleep & Stress - 3 to 4 pm

• Prenatal Class: CPR for Family & Friends

• Prenatal Class: Labor & Delivery

• Prenatal Class: Labor Comfort & Support

• Prenatal Class: Newborn Care & Postpartum Recovery

CPR & First Aid Classes

• American Heart Association Instructor-Led Skills Session for Online Courses

• Basic Life Support (BLS)/Healthcare Provider CPR: $50

Support Groups

• Amputee Support Group

• Grief Support Group

• Stroke Support Group of Hammond

• Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Support Group

• Cancer Support Group

• Caregiver Support Group

North

15790

Phone: (985) 230-6647 • Fax: (985) 230-1038

nohs@northoaks.org • Public Information Line: (985) 230-INFO northoaks.org

Community is printed and published by North Oaks Health System with the leadership of the North Oaks Board of Commissioners.

The information in this newsletter is meant to complement the advice of your healthcare providers, not to replace it. Before making any major changes in your medications, diet or exercise, talk to your healthcare provider.

The North Oaks Health System mission is to improve lives, every time, every touch.

northoaks.org

©2024

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