Health Care - New Orleans City Business

Inside:5 Introduction7 2007 honoreesAnimal Care8 Robin Beaulieu8 Joe Dalgo9 Kelly Kreider9 Giselle Moises10 Liz SaylorFirst Responder10 Briana Briscoe11 Ryan Brown11 Jullette Saussy12 Cecile Tebo12 Chris WiltNurse13 Lillian Agnelly13 Sheri Berger14 Shane Brossette14 Bryan Dean17 Anthony DiGerolamo17 Kerry Jeanice18 Brian Mahl18 Joan Rooney20 Debbie Schmidtz20 Stella WrightPhysician21 Milton Anderson22 Nicolas Bazan22 Lisa Bazzett23 Bryan Bertucci23 Daniel Bouchette24 Michael Brothers24 Charles Brown25 Randall Brown25 Jocelyn Tinsley Greely26 Emile LaBranche26 Gabriel Lasala27 Robert Matheney27 Norman McSwain28 Thanh Nguyen28 Eboni Price29 Elmore Rigamer29 Alfred Robichaux30 Ken Roy30 Milton Seiler31 Jim Smith31 Keith Van Meter32 Mark WorkmanProfessional32 Bonnie Arton33 Redfield Bryan33 John Celments34 James Doty34 Bill Fox35 Bob Hawley35 John Lemoine36 Barbara Moffett36 Mark Peters37 Dwayne ThomasVolunteer37 Elsie Olivier38 Philip Olivier38 Theresa Trosclair39 Jessie WilliamsHealth CareHeroes2008Published by the NOPG LLC111 Veterans Memorial Blvd.,Suite 1440, Metairie, La. 70005504-834-9292; Fax: 504-837-2258.Publisher and president: D. Mark SingletaryAssociate Publisher: Lisa BlossmanActing Managing Editor: Greg LaRoseAssociate editors: Christian Moises, Autumn Giusti,Kelly W. Brown, Renee Aragon DoleseArt director: Alex BorgesProduction manager: Julie BernardAccount Executives: Liz Baldini, Jeanne Farrell, CassieForeman, Coco Evans Judd, Colleen MonaghanCONGRATULATIONS TOSlidell Memorial Hospital’sHealth Care Hero Bob Hawley, Jr.Chief Executive OfficerIn appreciation for all you have done to takeSlidell Memorial Hospital to the top of the classin financial stability, technological advancementsand in building a culture of compassion for ourwhole community, we thank you from the bottomof our hearts.New Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 3

commitmentinnovationcompassionDr. Mark J. PetersCEO and PresidentDr. Mark Peters’ selflessdedication to the continuedwell-being of all the hospitalsin our region exemplifies whatcan happen when a leaderlooks beyond and focuses onthe greater good.Dr. Michael BrothersCVT SurgeonDr. Michael Brothers’ innovativesurgical techniques have grownfrom an abundant curiosity,tremendous surgical skill butmost importantly, the desire tohelp his patients achieve thegreatest possible outcomes asquickly as possible.Debbie Schmitz, RNCancer Care NavigatorWorking one-on-one withcancer patients and their families,Debbie Schmitz helps themthrough the most trying battleof their lives with a spirit ofcompassion, joy and empathythat is truly inspirational to herpatients, their families and allAs we celebrateour Healthcare HeroHonorees, we knowthey reflect the effortsof so many others.Commitment,Innovation andCompassion.You will find itthroughoutour hospital.who work with her.EJGHEast Jefferson General Hospital4 Health Care Heroes

IntroductionCityBusiness honors56 Health Care HeroesBy Christian MoisesAssociate EditorTHE AREA’S HEALTH care community hasbeen on life support the past two and a half years.Post-Hurricane Katrina problems — such as alack of money, worker shortages, more severehealth issues, increased patient loads and challengesrecruiting to the area — has driven manyhealth care workers away or made an alreadydemanding field that much more intense for thosewho stayed.CityBusiness’ 2008 class of Health CareHeroes is varied in age, race, gender, ethnic origin,education and experience. But there’s onecommon thread that brings them together —caring for the people of New Orleans.The 56 honorees who make up the classhave proven their commitment to the regionbased on their professional accomplishmentsand perseverance. Health Care Heroes onceagain was one of the most difficult selectionprocesses CityBusiness has faced, as any healthcare worker who has remained in the area sincethe storm is deserving of the honor.Divided among six categories — animal care,first responders, nursing, physicians, professionalsand volunteers — these honorees are thelife support of the post-Katrina Gulf Coast.This year’s five animal care heroes showedtheir commitment to patients who could notdefend themselves or communicate when theyneeded help. Their dedication to the care of animalscontinues to be felt as the recovery continues.The five first responders selected representthe best of health care’s front line, includingfirefighters, emergency medical technicians,paramedics and police.Ten nurses are honored this year for theirdedication to providing care in the face ofadversity, serving as a model of professionalismto their peers.This year’s 22 physician heroes have offereda struggling health care industry the expertiseto continue providing care for the region.Despite seeing more patients and more serioushealth issues, they have shown their dedicationto staying in the area to help their patients.The 10 health care professionals honored thisyear continue to guide the industry back on theright track. They have contributed greatly torebuilding and returning health care to the regionas they fight to fill staff vacancies and seek reimbursementfor uncompensated care post-Katrina.This year’s four volunteer honorees havedevoted their time and specialized skills to helppatients and clinic visitors feel more comfortable.The 2008 honorees continue to help rebuildthe city while rebuilding their own professionaland personal lives. CityBusiness thanks each ofthem for their tireless efforts and the differencethey are making throughout the region to bringlife back to normal.Congratulations to the Health Care HeroesClass of 2008.•Action Heroesaren’t just in the movies.Real life emergencies require men and women of action.Tulane Medical Center’s distinguished medical staff battle at theforefront of medicine every day. It takes speed, courage, intelligence andskill to fight for the life of a critically ill person. Tulane’s heroes,Dr. Norman McSwain and Bryan Dean, R.N. fight daily to protect thehealth of our community.McSwain, trauma and critical care surgeon, is the official surgeon for theNew Orleans Police Department. He donates his services to provide carefor wounded police officers 24/7. A medical visionary, McSwaindeveloped a pre-hospital trauma-life support course that has been usedin 43 countries to train a half-million people in emergency procedures.Bryan Dean, director of Tulane Medical Center’s Emergency Room, toiledtirelessly post-Katrina to open a specialized pediatric emergency unit tomeet the growing needs of the Greater New Orleans area. Dean and hisE.R. team work closely with localEmergency Medical Servicesteams to reduce the time it takesto treat heart attack victims.Tulane Medical Center salutes itsHealth Care Heroes, Dr. NormanMcSwain and Bryan Dean, R.N.504-988-58001415 Tulane AvenueNew Orleans, LA 70112New Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 5

6 Health Care Heroes

Health Care HeroesPast honoreesCongratulations! . . . . . . . . . .2 0 0 7ANIMAL CAREAndrew E. GutterJames M. RiopelleFIRST RESPONDERSSteven BrownMichael GuillotNURSINGPatricia BerryhillLorris J. BouzigardJan HebertAnn KallaunerAlice Craft KerneyPatrice KimballAnna KokesMary MacGregorEvelyn RandolphWayne RauLena RiordanJoan RooneyJennifer SteelSally TusaNathalie WalkerCynthia WarrenRay YakelisPHYSICIANSStephen BardotLionel BourgeoisRoland BourgeoisJay BrooksGerald CohenJoseph T. Crapanzano Jr.Frank CulicchiaKaren DeSalvoRaja DhurandharSander FlormanJuan GershanikJoseph GuariscoVicky HebertKevin JordanRonald J. LiuzzaKevin R. MartinezRichard MeyerPaul NathanSteven RossSwati ShahCharles ThomasNajeeb ThomasGerald VockePROFESSIONALSJames Spencer CampbellBruce W. ClementD. Scott CrabtreeVirginia DavisLes HirschLynn Hobbs-GreenSarah HoffpauirLarry HollierCorey B. MarvelWilliam PinskyPatrick QuinlanWarner ThomasBasil ThoppilLynn WitherspoonRichard E. ZuschlagVOLUNTEERSCheron BrylskiJohn DeCampDavid DiazBarbara HylandCurtis JacobLester W. JohnsonSalvador PazRudy SampeyShirley TueroWe salute these individuals - the 2008 HealthcareHeroes selected for their work at West JeffersonMedical Center. We are pleased to acknowledgethese team members honored with this prestigiousdistinction.Mark Workman, MDPhysicianRyan Brown, EMT-PFirst ResponderElsie OlivierVolunteerwww.wjmc.orgBonnie ArtonProfessionalKerry Jeanice, RNNursePhilip OlivierVolunteerNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 7

ANIMAL CARERobin BeaulieuPosition: shelter director, Animal Rescue New OrleansAge: 46Family: three dogsEducation: bachelor’s degree, University of New Orleansphoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferROBIN BEAULIEU RESCUED her first animal at the age of9, learning how to feed a small, broken-jawed puppythrough a feeding tube. Thirty-seven years later, Beaulieuhas made rescuing animals a full-time job.“I see myself as being a voice for the voiceless,” saidBeaulieu, who serves as the shelter director for AnimalRescue New Orleans.Beaulieu oversees the shelter’s daily operations, includingintake and adoptions. The no-kill shelter in Elmwood ishome to 40 dogs and 150 cats, all abandoned or neglectedand all in need of permanent homes.Finding homes for these animals can be challenging inthe best of times, but in a city short on resources, it can bean insurmountable task.“In a city that has suffered in all areas, there are so manyresources that these animals need and I feel it’s part of mymission to provide the things they need. We work with a lotof volunteer and outreach groups and just try to bring theirplight to everyone’s attention.”And it seems to be working. ARNO works with other nokillshelters throughout the country to help find permanenthomes for dogs and cats. In 2007, ARNO was able to adopt477 cats to no-kill rescues in other parts of the country.Before joining ARNO, Beaulieu divided her timebetween working with the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency’s “Blue Roof ” program and aggressive dogs.Beaulieu also worked with the Louisiana SPCA to conductwater rescue of animals after Katrina before joiningARNO in February 2006. Beaulieu thinks she has foundwhat she was meant to do and intends to help rescue animalsfor some time to come.“This work has ignited a passion in me that I didn’tknow existed.”•— Abby KralANIMAL CAREJoe Dalgo Jr.Position: doctor of veterinary medicine, Barataria Animal HospitalAge: 45Family: wife, Pam; and daughter, Tabitha, 14Education: bachelor’s degree in medical technology, University of Southwestern Louisiana; doctor of veterinarymedicine, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicinephoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferANY MAGICIAN CAN pull a rabbit out of a hat,but very few can tell you how to take care of therabbit and treat it when it gets sick.Dr. Joseph Dalgo Jr., a veterinarian atBarataria Animal Hospital, is known as “Dr. Joe”among local schoolchildren for his entertainingand educational presentations, which combinemagic and animal care.Growing up in the Alexandria area, Dalgostarted doing magic in the Cub Scouts when hewas about 10 and kept it as a hobby.“I later developed an act with my daughter toteach kids what veterinarians do and the instrumentswe use for pet care,” Dalgo said.Each summer Dalgo does a show at theWestbank Regional Library and gets requests forother shows as well.One of his early challenges was communicatingthe knowledge he had to pet owners.“It’s the confidence factor. You need tosound like you know what you’re doing, andthat comes with experience. You have to be apsychologist in some cases. The case may seemminor to you, but it’s not to the client. Someowners feel they should have done more fortheir pet. You have to ease their mind and notlet them beat themselves up.”Dalgo recalled a case where a Bullmastiffpuppy came in with a swollen face.“He had an abscessed tooth. We put him onantibiotics, and he seemed OK, but then thetooth developed a cyst and started to growinternally. He had to have surgery. It was quiteunusual.”Of his 15-year career, Dalgo said the mostrewarding part is educating clients who havebrought their pet to his exam room.“I tell them how to give their puppy or kittenthe best possible life.”•— Lisa Bacques8 Health Care Heroes

ANIMAL CARELiz SaylorPosition: veterinarian, Banfield: The Pet HospitalAge: 45Family: husband, DougEducation: bachelor’s degrees in animal science and agricultural education, Louisiana State University;doctor of veterinary medicine, LSU School of Veterinary Medicinephoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferFOR MANY OF the pet owners who cameto Dr. Liz Saylor for help after HurricaneKatrina, their furry family members wereamong the few things they had left to holdon to.“I guess what was important to everybodyduring that time became more evident,”Saylor said. “We saw people who hadnothing at all, but they had their pets andthey were coming to us, sometimes just toensure their health overall, often withinjuries and illnesses. To be able to helpthem was a big reminder that what we do isimportant in the community.”Saylor practices at the Banfield pet hospitalin Slidell, part of a nationwide chain affiliatedwith PetSmart retail stores. She specializes insmall animals, mainly dogs and cats and anoccasional gerbil or iguana.Saylor took a long and unusual route tobecoming a veterinarian. After earning twobachelor’s degrees at Louisiana StateUniversity, she worked briefly as a scienceteacher in East Baton Rouge Parish and atMandeville High School. She next worked inresearch at Tulane University for a few yearsand spent about seven years in medical equipmentsales before returning to school to gether degree in veterinary medicine at age 34.She credits her husband, Doug, as a majorsource of encouragement in pursuing her lifelongdream of becoming a vet.“I had finally got the point where I realizedthat I did not want to be old someday lookingback on my life and never have given it achance. So I decided I was going to apply onetime, and if I didn’t get in, then I’d move onwith my life and put it aside.”She did get in, and she calls her decision togo back for that degree one of the best she’sever made.•— Sonya StinsonFIRST RESPONDERBriana BriscoePosition: field paramedic, Acadian Ambulance ServiceAge: 37Family: husband, Corey; and sons, Ryan, 7, twins Matthew andDylan, 4Education: state instructor for Bureau of Emergency Medical ServicesAS AN 18-YEAR-OLD working in a coffee shop, St. BernardParish native Briana Briscoe had no particular career goals.“The paramedics would come in and talk about theirday,” Briscoe said. “It sounded exciting. One of them gaveme information about classes at Nunez (CommunityCollege). It was the EMT basic class.”Briscoe became a full-fledged paramedic after takingclasses with Medic One, where she worked for 10 years, andis now employed at Acadian Ambulance Service, where shesaid her main fear was getting lost as she recalled her earlydays in training.“I had to learn the city (New Orleans). I was also shy, andthe job helped me to open up. I had to ask the patients questionsto figure out what was wrong. I spend a lot of time talkingto people. It’s rewarding to see someone smile, and it’simportant to stay calm and not to show panic. Sometimesphoto by Tracie Morris Schaeferwhat they have is obvious, other times it’s a mystery. Wecheck blood pressure and glucose levels, put on the monitor,check heart rate, listen to their lungs, take their pulse andcheck oxygen levels.”Briscoe broke her knee in February but returned to workin a cast and on crutches, filling in for a co-worker who wason maternity leave.Briscoe is an adult adviser to Acadian’s EMS ExplorerPost, which teaches medical and leadership skills to highschool students interested in becoming a paramedic. Thestudents participate in community service projects, such asrebuilding playgrounds, and also go along to help the paramedicsat public gatherings with standby first aid services.•— Lisa Bacques10 Health Care Heroes

FIRST RESPONDERRyan BrownPosition: paramedic field supervisor, West Jefferson Medical CenterAge: 29Family: wife, AshleyEducation: associate’s degree, Delgado Community CollegeBEING A PARAMEDIC is in Ryan Brown’s blood.His father was a paramedic, and Brown followed in hisfather’s footsteps, starting at age 18 as an emergency medicaltechnician basic.In the midst of the chaos after Hurricane Katrina, hereceived a call to treat a patient with a history of congestiveheart failure. He treated the patient to the best of his abilitybut could not transport her to the hospital because it was atmaximum capacity.“Even though I couldn’t take her with me, she was stillvery thankful and offered me some of her limited supply ofwater,” said Brown, adding that he declined the water. “Itstill felt great to know that despite the situation somepatients were in, they were very appreciative of what wecould do for them.”Even outside of events such as Katrina, a paramedic’s jobis never dull.Brown recently received a call to assist a suicidal woman.He arrived in time to see her dash across River Road and upthe levee when she jumped into the Mississippi River andbegan to be taken away by the current.photo by Frank AymamiAfter calling the fire department and Coast Guard, Brownchased her for roughly a quarter of a mile before the womanstarted to go under. Knowing he had to act immediately,Brown dived into the river and swam her back to shore.Brown’s desire to help people is not limited to hisparamedic work. He’s also worked as a volunteer firefighterwith the Luling Fire Department for 10 years and is ahazardous materials technician. But being a paramedic ishis calling.“It’s more than just a job; it’s a commitment. I’m committedto this field and I’m committed to this city.”•— Fritz EskerFIRST RESPONDERJullette SaussyPosition: Emergency Medical Services director, city of New Orleans; medical director, New Orleans FireDepartment; chief medical officer, Office of Homeland Security and Public Safety; and assistant clinicalprofessor of medicine; Louisiana State University Emergency Medicine at Charity HospitalAge: 43Family: divorced; daughters, Katherine, 17, Sarah, 14, Elizabeth, 14Education: bachelor’s degree in sociology, Tulane University; doctor of medicine, LSU School of Medicinephoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferDAYS AFTER Hurricane Katrina, Dr. JulletteSaussy found herself in the midst of the mostmeaningful health care operation she has evercome across in her Emergency MedicalServices career.As director of the city of New Orleans’EMS department, Saussy helped the Armyevacuate about 21,000 New Orleans residentsin a span of eight hours from the ErnestN. Morial Convention Center to variousplaces nationwide so they could receive properhealth care after Katrina.“It’s the most proud moment of my careerfor what our EMS team was able to handleand how they performed during the most tryingand heartbreaking times I have ever seen,”Saussy said. “I remember a little old lady whoasked us to help somebody else out before wehelped her, then we came back for the lady,and she was clapping because she was soappreciative.“Those were the most gracious people Ihave ever met on the job. It made what wewere doing mean so much.”Saussy has been a paramedic and boardcertifiedemergency medicine physician withthe city’s EMS department for 18 years. In2004, she took over as the department’sdirector and medical director. Her administrativeposition, in which she is in responsiblefor 100 workers, calls for less field work, butshe still tries to get out in the field as much asshe can.The 43-year-old said that task hasbecome tougher, since August, when Saussywas diagnosed with uterine cancer. Shebegan chemotherapy in January of this year.“I am working as hard as ever to continueto make our unit one of the best in the nation,and my treatments are going well to help mecontinue that push.” •— Tommy SantoraNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 11

FIRST RESPONDERCecile WattersTeboPosition: crisis unit administrator, New Orleans Police DepartmentAge: 48Family: husband, Balad; and children, Will, 18, Chris, 14, Alex, 12Education: bachelor’s degree in human development, Mount VernonCollege; master’s degree in social work, licensed clinical social worker,Tulane UniversityTHE MURDER OF New Orleans police officer NicolaCotton — reportedly by a man suffering from schizophrenia— shook the entire city, but for Cecile Watters Tebo, theincident hit particularly close to home.Tebo, who is the administrator of the New Orleans PoliceDepartment’s Crisis Unit, spends her days dealing with thecity’s mentally ill, working to prevent mental illness casesfrom developing into criminal cases.For Tebo, Cotton’s murder epitomizes New Orleans’mental health crisis, where many people — particularly thosewho are uninsured — receive mental health care only uponincarceration.“Bernel Johnson, who killed our officer, his family hadbeen trying for 19 years (to get treatment.) He now has asafe, secure place and is medicated every day,” Tebo said.“But he had to kill this precious, beautiful, wonderful policeofficer; he had to kill her for him to get what he needed.That has got to stop.”photo by Tracie Morris SchaeferAbout 355 people with mental illness are incarcerated inOrleans Parish Prison, said Tebo, adding that relying on thecriminal justice system to take care of the city’s mentally ill isinappropriate and ineffective.“Mental illness is a medical disorder, and for whatever reason,it is not being given the same respect as other medical illnesses.So I became this big voice and this big advocate for peoplewith mental illness, because often they don’t have a voice.”Though Tebo primarily works with people suffering withchronic mental illness, she said mental wellbeing is a concernfor the entire post-Hurricane Katrina population. Tebo,who dealt with her own depression after the storm, said copingwith mental illness is particularly tricky for those with noprior mental health history.“That’s not necessarily the group that I’m picking upuntil it gets chronic. So my thing is, don’t let it get chronic,because, guess what, your resources are limited.”•— Leah BartosFIRST RESPONDERChris WiltPosition: fireman, Naval Air Station-Belle Chasse; Motorist Assistance Patrol operatorAge: 37Family: wife Paula; son Chase, 14; and stepson Christopher, 12Education: Louisiana State University Fire and Emergency Training InstituteAS A LOUISIANA Motorist AssistancePatrol operator, Chris Wilt has pulledinjured car accident victims from wreckage,moved stranded motorists off the road andcleaned up truckers’ spills.But one of the most touching incidentsfor him occurred when he simply changed aflat tire.“An elderly female … was broken downon the side of the road on (Interstate) 610,”Wilt said. “She was all upset because shehad her grandson with her and she was onher way to a birthday party. It touched mebecause … she pulled out her last $15, orwhatever she had in her pocket, and shewanted me to have it.”Wilt politely refused the tip.Being a MAP operator is a part-time jobfor Wilt. His main gig is as a firefighter forthe Naval Air Station, and he believes hewas destined for that role from the time hewas a kid when he followed fire trucks onhis bike.In 1985, when he was in junior highschool, Wilt joined the local Junior Firemanprogram, which he explained is “a recruitingtool … like the military and ROTC,” and by18 he was fighting fires.The Department of Transportation andDevelopment’s MAP program contractsmany firefighters like Wilt, who with hispartner patrols an area stretching fromLoyola Avenue to Interstate 510.“The reason why they hire off-duty firemenis because we’re basically trained (in)everything that can happen: hazardousmaterials, car accidents.”The biggest hazard MAP operators faceon the job is getting hit by passing driverswho might be impaired by alcohol or a varietyof distractions.“We are right next to the flow of trafficwhen we’re on the side helping someone,”Wilt said. “One of our guys is disabledbecause he was struck by a drunk driver.”•— Sonya Stinsonphoto by Tracie Morris Schaefer12 Health Care Heroes

NURSELillian AgnellyPosition: emergency department manager, Medical Center of Louisiana at New OrleansAge: 52Family: husband, Keith, 38; and children, Tara, 25, David, 19, Alexis, 12Education: associate’s degree in nursing, Bergen Community College, New JerseyLillian Agnelly, right, emergency department manager at the Medical Center of Louisiana at NewOrleans, reviews a patient chart at University Hospital with registered nurse Angelle Lew.photo by Frank AymamiAS A YOUNG woman in search of a career,Lillian Agnelly took a job at a hospital just tosee how she liked it.“From the very beginning, I was enamoredby watching experienced nurses carefor people with such compassion,” Agnellysaid. “There’s just built-in gratification intaking care of the sick.”After graduating from nursing school in1978, Agnelly was recruited to work atCharity Hospital in New Orleans, where sheserved patients for nearly 28 years. ThenHurricane Katrina presented her with anentirely new challenge. Placed in a managementposition at Medical Center of Louisianaat New Orleans, she soon found herselfbuilding a makeshift emergency departmentin military tents on South Johnson Street.“That was real nursing. People were beingso unselfish in giving their time, and patientswere really appreciative.”Back home at the University Hospitalcampus, re-named Louisiana State UniversityInterim Hospital, Agnelly has led her staffthrough hard times, sometimes with limitedresources, to rebuild the hospital’s facilities. Afar cry from the street tents in 2005, she nowoversees a 53-bed emergency department,20-bed mental health unit and more than 200staff, employees and educators.“I loved doing patient care, but now I getthe same satisfaction from working withemployees who are so dedicated. I’m givingcare through them.”Making rounds every morning, managingthe flow of busy emergency rooms inclose contact with 12 supervisors, physicians,nurses and other professionals,Agnelly exudes the same enthusiasm anddrive that started her career, and her longpath through New Orleans isn’t likely toend soon.Agnelly tried to leave several times duringthe past 30 years, but she has alwaysreturned to her patients and co-workers inthe Crescent City.“There’s something about the communityof people in the health care industry here. Ilove it here.”•— Thomas LeggettNURSESheri BergerPosition: pediatric nurse practitioner, Lakeview Regional Medical CenterAge: 29Family: singleEducation: bachelor’s degree in nursing, University of Alabama;master’s degree in nursing, Vanderbilt UniversityWHEN SHERI BERGER was a child, she knew she wouldbe in the medical field.“I had about seven or eight Cabbage Patch dolls,” Bergersaid. “I would reuse my wraps from gymnastics and putbandages on them.”Now, as a pediatric nurse practitioner, she deals with realchildren, often in serious situations.“When I had been working at Lakeview about threemonths, we had a mildly autistic teenage male come in witha stomach virus. This boy had localized pain in his rightlower quadrant, which is a classic symptom of appendicitis.Many times special needs kids can be people pleasers. Thisboy was grimacing in pain and trying to hide it.”As it turned out, his appendix was about to rupture.“I had just started developing a relationship with the collaboratingphysician, so it was a proud moment for me todiagnose the patient correctly.”Last summer Berger contacted a good friend from college,hoping to plan a girls’ weekend. Instead, the friendpersuaded Berger to join her for a monthlong stay inphoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferTanzania, Africa, where they volunteered at a hospitaltreating HIV/AIDS patients. The experience was eyeopening.“We take things for granted here. In Africa, when apatient was admitted, usually for malaria, they had tocome up with money up front. The family was expected toprovide food and stay with the patient. There were openwards with six or seven patients in a room.”Berger made rounds with the physicians and meant toremain just an observer until she saw a nurse having troubleputting an IV in a child.“She kept sticking him. I asked if I could try, and oncethey saw I could do it easily, I became the ‘IV girl.’”•— Lisa BacquesNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 13

NURSEShane BrossettePosition: clinical manager of the post-anesthesia care unit, Lakeview Regional Medical CenterAge: 40Family: wife, Michelle; and children, Erica, 8, Christopher, 5Education: bachelor’s degree in nursing, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans;master’s degree in nursing, University of Southern MississippiSHANE BROSSETTE made many trips to TouroInfirmary when he was 11 years old to visit hisgrandfather who was dying from cancer.“He was always in a lot of pain because it wasreal bad, but what I remember the most from thattime was the doctors would come in and out withtheir charts and give you the cold, hard facts,which doctors are supposed to do. But the nursesthere would do everything they could to helpraise my grandfather’s comfort level,” Brossettesaid. “That was just embedded in me, and I justknew I eventually wanted to get in the health carefield and become a nurse.”Brossette’s childhood memory spurred what isnow a 23-year health care and nursing career, as he’srisen to the ranks of clinical manager of the postanesthesiacare unit at Lakeview Regional MedicalCenter, a position he has held for seven years.Brossette enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1985 asa medic. After eight years in the military, Brossettewas commissioned as a Navy nurse officer, whichmeans for one weekend out of every month, heprovides medical care to airmen and sailors atmilitary bases throughout the Southeast, includingBelle Chasse Naval Air Station.“We provide any wellness and care that ourmilitary may need. It’s both a responsibility andhonor to care for our heroes.”Brossette has been a clinical faculty instructorsince 1998 at Southeastern Louisiana University,where he teaches classes twice a week.Brossette also volunteers at Head Start centersand senior centers, provides health and wellnesseducation at schools such as Cedarwood Schoolin Mandeville and works with other nurses at thefree Washington Parish Health Fair every October.“I like giving back to the community any way Ican, and I like being experienced enough andtrusted enough to give back to the nursing professionthrough education and by making betterfuture nurses and health care workers.”•— Tommy Santoraphoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferBryan Dean, director of operationsin the emergency and nursingdepartments at Tulane MedicalCenter, examines WilliamSchumacher.NURSEBryan DeanPosition: director of operations, emergency department and nursing department, Tulane Medical CenterAge: 32Family: wife, Natalie; and daughter, Sophia, 16 monthsEducation: associate’s degree in nursing, University of Mobile; four classes away from bachelor’s degree innursing, Loyola Universityphoto by Frank AymamiALTHOUGH IT WASN’T his first careerchoice, nursing is something that has beenbuilt into Bryan Dean’s DNA.“My mom was a nurse, and my grandmotherwas a nurse, so I guess it is somethinginternal,” Dean said. “I was supposed to be aphysical therapist, but I changed majors afterdoing a ride along with EMTs.”Dean said that since moving to NewOrleans in 2001, he has climbed the ladder.He began at Tulane Medical Center as anemergency room nurse, then later worked asan intensive care nurse before becoming clinicalmanager and director of emergency andnursing operations. He is responsible for theemergency rooms at Tulane’s Uptown andLakeside locations.“It’s a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-weekjob. It is a tremendous level of responsibility,but it is something that I could never give up.”Dean said many of his memorable careermoments took place in the aftermath ofHurricane Katrina, when he had a hand inrebuilding and re-staffing Tulane’s emergencyroom. He also helped open a walk-in clinic inthe immediate days after the storm.Dean said a perk of his job is the ability to“take his show on the road” — he was part of agroup who, along with Volunteers of America,volunteered at the medical tent for FrenchQuarter Fest, as well as the second weekend ofthe New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.One of the day-to-day challenges Deanfaces at Tulane is patient satisfaction in theemergency room.“No one likes to go to the ER, and whenthey do have to go, they don’t want to have towait. I spent most of my day dealing with waysto make the ER experience run fluidly.”•— Robin Shannon14 Health Care Heroes

New Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 15

SERVING OUR COMMUNITYOur community clinics provide a full range of health care services designed toenhance each student and community member’s health and well-being.We are working to keep your familyphysically and emotionally healthy byincreasing neighborhood access toquality health and preventive services.LSU-HCSD Community Clinics:Fredrick Douglass Senior High School3815 Burgundy StreetNew Orleans, LA 70117504-942-5950Jackson Barracks6460 N. Claiborne AveNew Orleans, LA 70117504-278-7330Murray Henderson Elementary1911 Hendee StreetNew Orleans, LA 70114504-361-6300Martin Behrman Elementary725 Vallette StreetNew Orleans, LA 70114504-361-6440Medicine ClinicLord and Taylor site1450 Poydras StreetNew Orleans, LA 70112504-903-2373New Orleans East Community Clinic5501 Read Blvd.New Orleans, LA 70127504-245-7951Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.www.lsuhospitals.orgHOP Infectious Disease Clinic & HOP Specialty Dental Clinic136 South Roman St.New Orleans, LA 70112504-903-6959 • 504-903-7322www.hopclinic.org16 Health Care Heroes

NURSEAnthony DiGerolamoPosition: assistant administrator of nursing and chief clinical officer, Louisiana Specialty HospitalAge: 32Family: wife, Kippy; and daughter, Bella, 2Education: bachelor’s degree in nursing, Our Lady of Holy Cross College; master’s degree in nursing,health systems management, Loyola Universityphoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferWHEN HURRICANE Katrina cut off theLouisiana Specialty Hospital’s access toclean water for dialysis, nurse AnthonyDiGerolamo’s creative resourcefulnesssaved lives.“I got patients onto a Navy ship that hadwater and electricity, and they allowed us toset up clinics on the ship to dialyze patients,”DiGerolamo said. “Otherwise they wouldhave expired.”DiGerolamo has worked at theLouisiana Specialty Hospital since 2004,and he was named assistant administratorof nursing and chief clinical officer in late2005. A long-term, acute care facility, thehospital is housed on the seventh floor ofWest Jefferson Medical Center.In a job where the scope is wide-ranging— covering nursing, pharmacy, respiratory,rehab, lab, dietary and more — DiGerolamosupervises an estimated 180 to 200 people.Much of his time is spent talking with staffphysicians about how to improve patient outcomes.For example, he’ll review data withthe infectious disease specialist, consult withthe pharmacist on ways to move patients offtheir medications sooner and work with thesurgeon who directs critical care to getpatients well faster so they can go home. Heis able to provide doctors with first-handfeedback on patients’ progress.“I try to make it a point to round on all ofthe patients every day, to talk with their familiesand just see what needs they may have andhow we can help them.”The continuing shortage of nurses, particularlyin intensive care and critical care, is thegreatest challenge in DiGerolamo’s line ofwork, he said. But the task of assembling hisclinical staff has been one of the most gratifyingaspects of his job.“What I’ve really enjoyed over the lastcouple of years is building my team, reallystrategically picking the people that fit in thisenvironment and can work well together.”•— Sonya StinsonNURSEKerry JeanicePosition: clinical manager for emergency preparedness, West Jefferson Medical CenterAge: 51Family: divorced; son, Jonathan, 16Education: registered nurse, Baton Rouge General School of NursingKERRY JEANICE LEARNED a lot duringHurricane Katrina about being ready for adisaster. Under Jeanice’s guidance, WestJefferson Medical Center’s emergencydepartment is more prepared than ever.Generators have been moved to avoidpotential flooding and supplies have beenstockpiled to last the entire hospital forseven to 10 days. Water wells have beendrilled so the hospital will have fresh waterfor 10 days. Jeanice is also a ham radiooperator, which he can use as backupcommunication.While Katrina provided many memorablestories, Jeanice is particularly proudof one that occurred during HurricaneIvan. A family of six was stricken with carbonmonoxide poisoning because they hadbeen running a generator in their trailer.When people suffer from such poisoning,they are put in a hyperbaric chamber,which pressurizes oxygen to get a higherdelivery into the bloodstream.Jeanice, who was the only qualifiednurse there with hyperbaric training, saidthat experience was “the best I ever felt.”His work is not limited to hurricane preparedness.He traveled to Israel in 2007 todeliver a speech on disaster preparednessand to learn from Israeli experts on how toprepare for a terrorist attack.Recently, West Jeff took part in a disasterdrill that simulated a terrorist attack withnerve agents that would affect more childrenthan adults, something he takes very seriouslyas a father.“When in Israel, I saw video of last year’swar and saw children trained to run forbomb shelters and one child who looked alot like my son at age 10 trapped in a bombshelter for 36 days. Let’s all pray that thisnever comes to America but plan and trainfor the possibility.”•— Fritz Eskerphoto by Frank AymamiNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 17

NURSEBrian MahlPosition: registered nurse, Gulf South Joint Replacement Center at Touro InfirmaryAge: 44Family: singleEducation: associate’s degree in allied health, Delgado Community College; nursingdegree, Delgado-Charity School of NursingBRIAN MAHL IS DEVOTED not just to the carebut also the well-being of patients treated at TouroInfirmary’s Gulf South Joint Replacement Center.“I enjoy the hands-on part of nursing,” Mahl said.“It means a lot to me if I have been able to do somethingthat in one way or another makes a difference insomeone’s stay here.”That dedication compliments the mission of thecenter itself, which offers every incoming patient anorientation program designed to answer all questionsand put them at ease.“They come in, meet the staff and know, afterthey have talked to everyone, exactly what is goingto happen,” Mahl said. “They learn about everythingfrom dressing and catheters to tubing and IVpumps, and that knowledge creates a comfort zonein and of itself.”Dedicated as he is to his patients, Mahl has beenparticularly hard pressed since Katrina.“It isn’t just the typical issue of having a much largerpopulation of new patients with numerous medicalissues and no insurance coverage. It is also what happenedto these patients as a result of the storm, howKatrina so dramatically impacted their lives.“Many of our patients, for example, lost theirhomes and still don’t have a permanent place tolive. So we try very seriously with our case managementand the different social workers to getsuch patients placed in some type of decent livingenvironment and do everything we can think of toprevent them from ending up living out in thestreet and sleeping under a bridge.”Despite the additional challenges, Mahl saidthe typical joint replacement patient “can undergosurgery on a Monday and be discharged fourdays later. When people realize how easy thewhole thing is, they usually say that they wishthey had done it earlier.”It is easier because of medical advances, butalso because of the post-op care, which is whereMahl comes in.“The nursing care, the physical therapy, dressingchanges, pain control — those are the thingsthat make a huge difference in how quickly apatient recovers. And when someone tells me thatI helped make that recovery more enjoyable, itmeans a lot to me.”•— Garry Boulardphoto by Frank AymamiBrian Mahl, a registered nurse with the Gulf South Joint Replacement Center at TouroInfirmary, helps knee replacement patient Bernadette Harris prepare for lunch.NURSEJoan RooneyPosition: director of education and staff development, sexual assault nurse examiners, MedicalCenter of Louisiana at New OrleansAge: 40Family: partner, Melody Pritchard; and son, Jude, 2Education: associate’s degree in nursing, Delgado Charity School of Nursing; bachelor’s degree incommunication and women’s studies, Loyola University; master’s degree in nursing, Loyolaphoto by Frank AymamiWHEN DISCUSSING her work as an educatorand director of staff development atMedical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans,Joan Rooney is reluctant to take all the credit.“I’m working with a great team of employees,”Rooney said. “They make it easy for me.”In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,Rooney was instrumental in re-establishingforensic nursing services for sexual assault survivors,starting the rebuilding process inmakeshift tents in a parking lot. Since then,she’s made patient literacy a key aspect of hertraining curriculum.“It’s a human rights issue, making surepatients understand what’s happening tothem. As health care providers, we have tohonor that right.”Rooney worked as a sexual assault nurse forseven years, responding to calls at all hours, soshe knows what her students will face on thejob. The biggest challenge, she said, is the tragicnature of this branch of health care.“It’s never good to be called for this kind ofnursing, but it’s positive to know the patient’sgoing to get the best possible care so he or shecan start the healing process. Nurses can experiencesecondary trauma, so we have to teachthem to take care of themselves as well.”Rooney has contributed her expertise as apresenter and consultant at more than 20 seminars,workshops and other events throughoutthe southeast since 2005. In moving fromhands-on nursing to educating new nurses,Rooney is aware of the impact she still has onpatients. As new nurses learn from her in theclassroom, they carry her experience withthem into the line of duty.“I’m not physically touching patients anymore,but I know I’m still touching them.”•— Thomas Leggett18 Health Care Heroes

What would you doto make the world abetter place?It takes a lot of commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.What fuels the commitment is a strong belief that things can change andpeople’s lives can improve. UnitedHealthcare salutes the outstandingmen and women selected as the CityBusiness 2008 Health CareHeroes for their dedicated actions to make this belief a reality.unitedhealthcare.com© 2008 United HealthCare Services, Inc. Insurance coverage provided by or through United HealthCare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Health plan coverageprovided by or through United HealthCare of Louisiana, Inc. UHCLA372822-000New Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 19

NURSEDebbie SchmidtzPosition: cancer care navigator, East Jefferson General HospitalAge: 56Family: husband, Henry Schmidtz Jr.; and children, Gerard, 30, Ramsey, 29Education: bachelor’s degree in arts education, St. Mary Dominican College; bachelor’sdegree in nursing, William Carey College School of Nursingphoto by Frank AymamiTHE MOMENT A physician informs apatient they have been diagnosed with canceris a life-changing experience. The patientmay feel hopeless and lost, not knowing howthey will get through the experience.That’s where Debbie Schmidtz comes in.Since 2002, Schmidtz has worked withcancer patients and their families, recentlyaccepting the position of Cancer CareNavigator at East Jefferson General Hospital.From the moment patients are diagnosedwith cancer, Schmidtz works with them, theirfamilies and support groups.She coordinates their care, expeditingaccess to all of the teams in EJGH’sOncology Services department. She helps byexplaining tests and treatments, answeringquestions and simply listening as theyexpress fear, concern and hope.Schmidtz’s patients remember her longafter they have finished their treatments. Shehas seen cancer survivors and their families inpublic, where many have given her a hug orjust told her how much she helped them.But it saddens Schmidtz to see patientstraveling the cancer journey alone, withoutfamily or friends. For those patients, shestrives to fill a supporting role.“I’m determined to make somebody’s lifea little bit happier and easier while they’regoing through this process,” Schmidtz said.“Whatever I can do to help facilitate comfortand peace and bring a smile to everybody.… I feel like my life here has partiallybeen fulfilled.”Schmidtz, who has been a nurse for 31years, is able to sympathize. Her mother diedof lung and colon cancer, her father had skincancer, her sister had endometrial cancer, heraunt has survived breast cancer twice andbeen diagnosed with lung cancer, her cousinwas diagnosed with breast cancer and heruncle was diagnosed with metastatic cancer.These highly personal experiences withcancer have helped shape Schmidtz’sapproach. “I have a much more personalinvested interest in helping cancer patients.”•— Christopher SnizikNURSEStella WrightPosition: critical care, clinical nurse specialist, Touro InfirmaryAge: 54Family: singleEducation: bachelor’s degree in biology, Tulane University; bachelor’s degree in nursing, Louisiana State UniversityMedical Center in New Orleans; master’s degree in cardiovascular nursing, University of Alabama at BirminghamAS A LONGTIME nurse and nurse trainer,Stella Wright thought she had encountered nearlyevery big-city public health problem imaginable,until Hurricane Katrina pushed throughNew Orleans and almost obliterated the city’shospital infrastructure.“Katrina really presented to us a whole mosaicof health care issues that we have never seenbefore, and those issues were all serious and allneeded to be addressed at the same time,” saidWright, who besides her nursing duties at TouroInfirmary has taught a critical care course andassisted countless numbers of staff nurses thoughan Intensive Care Unit internship at Touro.“The storm caused a great upheaval for us notonly in terms of the patient load, which was to beexpected, but also with our staffing. Because hundredsof our staff left because of the storm, we endedup with about 1,200 new employees coming in.”And with that many new people coming in, it isessentially like starting a new hospital, she said.“Each person comes on board with a differentexperiential background and is accustomed to differentprocesses and procedures, all of which is agreat challenge when it comes to trying to create acohesive functioning unit.”At the same time, Wright has been trying toaddress the needs of a larger patient populationthat came to Touro in the days and weeks afterKatrina, when most of the city’s other hospitalswere closed.“There has been a great concern about providingcare for indigent patients. Many area hospitalshave not been reimbursed for the services they areproviding in this area and are currently appealingto Congress for help.”Meanwhile, Wright is determined to push on.“A nurse is trained to care, and that’s whatyou do, no matter what the problem is, or, as inthe case of our ongoing response to Katrinarelatedissues, how long the problem lasts.”•— Garry Boulardphoto by Frank Aymami20 Health Care Heroes

photo by Frank AymamiFor SubscriptionInformationPHYSICIANMilton AndersonPosition: section head of child and adolescent psychiatry, Ochsner Medical CenterAge: 45Education: bachelor’s degree in English literature, Washington University; doctor of medicine,Washington University School of Medicine; internship and three-year residency in general psychiatry,Walter Reed Army Medical CenterWHILE WORKING IN Somalia duringOperation Restore Hope, Milton Andersonsaw things that would forever change hislife. As a medical officer supporting the U.S.Marines, he performed medical surveillanceof troops and did supportive functionswhen things went wrong.Anderson was moved by some of thethings troops were dealing with, but he wasreally affected by the children he saw growingup in a war-ravaged, lawless society.“I came back (from Somalia) with emotionalbaggage that I worked through overthe next six months and part of that was totry to participate in a solution by gettingfurther training in child and adolescentsociety,” Anderson said.Anderson has been active in the communitysince coming to New Orleans in 1998but has taken an especially hands-on rolepost-Katrina. With the help of a few otherphysicians, he began working with theUniversity of New Orleans’ charter schoolsto help students who had experienced traumafrom the storm. Anderson helped developtools to identify students most at risk,educating school personnel and principalsin how to manage the affected children andestablished a link between schools and communityresources.“We tried to develop a model for doingneeds-based intervention rather than havinga program that was pre-made and deliveredto each place with a one-size-fits-allapproach.”Growing up in a small town outside ofBaltimore, Md., Anderson was alwaysinterested in becoming a physician afterseeing the role a community doctorplayed in everyone’s lives. Outside ofwork he enjoys cooking and gardening,which offers fast and concrete results,unlike his work with medicine, whichcomes gradually.“My real objective is to have kids whoare happy in school and want to go.Success can come naturally from anempathic environment but it can be a 10-to 20-year challenge.”•— Craig GuillotCall(800) 451-9998New Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 21

PHYSICIANNicolas BazanPosition: professor and director, Louisiana State University Neuroscience Center for ExcellenceAge: 65Family: wife, Haydee; and children, Patricia, 40, Andrea, 39, Nicolas III, 38, Hernan, 34, Maria, 29Education: bachelor’s degree in general humanities, College of Salpa, Argentina; doctor of medicine, PucumanUniversity Medical School, Argentina; post-graduate training, Columbia University College of Physicians andSurgeons and Harvard Medical SchoolAT THE START of the new millennium, NicolasBazan, an accomplished research neuroscientist, venturedoutside the laboratory to become a businesspioneer.In 2000, Bazan founded St. Charles Pharmaceuticals,New Orleans’ first pharmaceutical company, whichfocuses on developing and marketing pain medications.Working with a group of chemists in Spain, Bazan developeda new analgesic, or painkiller, that is non-addictiveand non-toxic to the kidney and liver.Bazan said his involvement in the pharmaceuticalsbusiness follows a new “translational” approach toresearch, “where you translate discoveries into medicinesfor the benefit and health of patients.”With the help of new funding from the NationalInstitutes of Health, St. Charles Pharmaceuticals isregrouping from the sudden setback of Katrina. “Thelast two years have seen a tremendous slowdown in thedevelopment of the company,” Bazan said.A native of Argentina who has lived in NewOrleans since 1981, Bazan is a full-time researcher,although he also has a medical degree. His work hasresulted in 19 patents for the Louisiana StateUniversity Health Sciences Center.“The reason I am in neuroscience is because I believethe greatest challenge for medicine today are the diseasesthat affect the brain — for example, Alzheimer’s, stroke,epilepsy, depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease.”Every one of these ailments, he said, is incurable.“That’s why I believe that the greatest challengetoday is to understand the human brain and to be ableto conquer brain diseases.”Bazan also is interested in diseases that causeblindness, such as macular degeneration and retinitispigmentosa.One of the most outstanding feats for Bazan and hisresearch team was the 2004 discovery of a new molecule— which they dubbed Neuroprotectin D1 — that helpsthe brain defend itself against neurological diseases.“It is an alarm that the brain turns on to counteractthe diseases.”•— Sonya Stinsonphoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferPHYSICIANLisa BazzettPosition: staff and teaching physician, gynecologic oncologist, Ochsner Medical CenterAge: 40Family: singleEducation: bachelor’s degree in biology, University of Michigan; doctor of medicine and training inobstetric gynecology, Wayne State University; gynecologic oncology training, University of Louisvillephoto by Frank AymamiMANY OUTSIDE THE health care professionbelieve physicians have depressing jobsbecause they spend so much time dealingwith sickness and death.As a gynecologic oncologist, Dr. LisaBazzett oversees the treatment of womenwith malignancies of the female reproductiveorgans, including cancers of the ovary,uterus, vagina and vulva. Dealing with cancerfor a living isn’t a downer but an excitingjob for Bazzett.“People think of it as a depressing field butto me it is really the opposite. I have an opportunityon a daily basis to meet amazing patients.People who are faced with a life-threatening illnesstend to have a different outlook on life andit changes yours as well,” Bazzett said.The 40-year-old joined Ochsner in 2000and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecologiconcology and is a fellow of theAmerican College of Obstetricians andGynecologists. Bazzett is also on the board ofdirectors of the New Orleans MedicalMission Services and has gone on numerousmedical missions to help perform charitablesurgeries for patients in Africa and LatinAmerica. She enjoys traveling and has at leastfive overseas trips planned throughout 2008.“Every place you go has something sodifferent to offer, but Zambia has been oneof my most memorable trips. I workedwith an orphanage and got the opportunityto meet a lot of people in the communitywhile I was there.”Bazzett also takes a strong interest inpublic speaking on health-related topicsand has given speeches and presentationsat universities and health fairs. By speakingabout preventative medicine, shehopes to prevent some patients from comingher way in the future.“I think people need to know more aboutpreventative medicine and try to avoid thecancers that I treat. I enjoy opportunities to letpeople know what the warning signs are.”•— Craig Guillot22 Health Care Heroes

PHYSICIANBryan BertucciPosition: coroner, St. Bernard ParishAge: 57Family: wife, Ruth; children, Theresa, 28, Bryan, 26, Stephen, 23, Nicholas, 22, Matthew, 20; and grandchildren,Brandon, Camille-Claire, Elizabeth-RuthEducation: bachelor’s degree in biology, Springhill College; physician’s assistant degree, University of Alabama;doctor of medicine, Louisiana State University School of Medicinephoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferDR. BRYAN BERTUCCI recalls the week he spentcaring for patients and evacuees in the parish jailturned-emergency-hospital,treating everythingfrom dehydration to heart failure, where a babywas born and hundreds of evacuees sought refuge.St. Bernard Parish has come a long way sincethe 2005 hurricanes, he said. But Bertucci, thecoroner of St. Bernard Parish, said medicalresources in his community remain inadequate.To solve that, he’s fighting to open a full-sizehospital in the parish, which he believes is essentialto bringing back its displaced residents.“I don’t want to wear a white coat again untilmedicine is well. And medicine won’t be well untilwe get a hospital,” Bertucci said.For now, Bertucci, who is also a family practicephysician, operates out of the St. Bernard HealthCenter — a series of trailers in a Wal-Mart parkinglot. Bertucci said that of about 150 doctors beforethe storm, the clinic now has eight. He estimatesthey see 100 to 150 patients per day.While Bertucci’s efforts have exceeded hisresponsibilities of the elected coroner position, hisdedication to improving the community’s health issimply “the right thing to do.”“What made me stay was that I had a hospitalbackground. How I got thrown into so many differentroles, I have no idea.”Approaching the three-year Katrina anniversary,Bertucci is still in awe of the storm’s continuingeffects on his personal life.“Sometimes I look in the mirror and I miss myold self. The skills that you learn are tremendous,but you do miss who you were. I mean, I kindaliked myself back then. I thought I was a nice guy.”He paused and added, “I still think I’m a niceguy, but it’s different.”•— Leah BartosPHYSICIANDaniel BouchettePosition: family practice physician, Crescent City Physicians Inc. at Touro InfirmaryAge: 53Family: wife, Louisianne; and children, Phyllis, 22, Daniel, 21, Tonya, 18Education: medical degree, University of Haiti School of MedicineWHEN DANIEL BOUCHETTE first establisheda practice in the Ninth Ward in theearly 1990s, he felt an emotional attachmentto a part of the city home to many residentsliving below the poverty line.That’s why he said it was easy for him todecide to return to the Bywater afterHurricane Katrina.“I just felt that I had to get back and dowhat I could to help out,” Bouchette said.When Bouchette saw that his former St.Claude offices had been flooded, he set upshop at another Crescent City Physicians’office in Mid-City until his former workplacecould be renovated.“I really cannot imagine working anywhereelse. I have known most of my patients foryears and years and just feel a need to be therefor them. A lot of my older patients were notable to come back after the storm, while someof the younger ones moved to Texas and onlyreturned to this area of the city when theywere checking on their houses.”Bouchette, who is also a long-time familyphysician in the Army Reserves, has alsoprovided free care at area health fairs forlow-income residents.“It has been a lot of work, mainlybecause of the shortage of other neighborhoodphysicians.”And it’s been busy, as Bouchette has feltthe impact of the shortage of physicians withthe more than 50 percent increase in his dailypatient load.“Before Katrina I was seeing about 20patients a day. Now it is more like 30 a day.So obviously there is very much a need.”•— Garry Boulardphoto by Frank AymamiNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 23

PHYSICIANMichael BrothersPosition: physician and cardiothoracic surgeon, East Jefferson General HospitalAge: 58Family: wife, SuzanneEducation: bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering, North Carolina State University; doctor of medicine, Universityof North Carolina; residency in cardiothoracic surgery, University of Texas Southwestern and Parkland MemorialAffiliated Hospitalsphoto by Frank AymamiDESPITE CLOSING in on his fourth decade inprivate practice, Dr. Michael Brothers is notoverly concerned about his eventual retirement.Instead, he anticipates the future of videoassistedthoracic surgery, or VATS, and theevolving ways minimally invasive surgeries canhelp patients.With the enthusiasm of a new medical studentwho is just beginning to realize his hands,eyes and mind can heal others, Brothers is breakingnew ground with VATS.“A patient coming to me today could ask,‘What’s in it for me?’” Brothers said. “First of all,less pain. Secondly, your survival rate improveswith this type of surgery. Also, you’ll be able togo back to work sooner, to resume your life.”Brothers regularly uses video-assisted surgeriesto perform muscle-sparing thoracotomies, enteringthe chest and performing delicate operationsthrough tiny incisions. The days of cuttingthrough chest muscles and spreading the ribsapart to make a hole big enough for the surgeon’shands and equipment are gone for most patients.“The open conventional, legacy, classic thoracotomyis the most painful surgery a person canhave. And I don’t do those anymore, exceptrarely in select cases.”But for Brothers, the most exciting aspect ofthis emerging surgical technology is in cardiacarrhythmia surgery. Currently, he said, doctorshave very limited options when treating patientswith intermittent atrial fibrillation, an abnormalrhythm of the heart characterized by episodes thatoccur with varying frequency and last for a variableperiod of time before spontaneously stopping.“People take very expensive, somewhat dangerousdrugs and blood thinners all their lives.But until now there has been no cure for (atrialfibrillation).”Using minimally invasive VATS surgery,Brothers is developing techniques that, so far, aresuccessful in treating atrial fibrillation.“This is exciting. This is about innovation.It’s not me, it’s what we’ve done, what thesetechniques will allow me to do.”•— Christopher SnizikPHYSICIANCharles BrownPosition: professor of public health, Louisiana State University HealthSciences CenterAge: 78Family: wife, Harriet Avery; children, Hyland Justice, Charlie BrownIII, Marilyn Brown, Thomas Brown, Ben Springgate, Betsy Jayasuriya;and six grandchildrenEducation: pre-medicine, Tulane University; doctor of medicine,Tulane University School of Medicinephoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferDR. CHARLES BROWN’S 47-year career working in medicinecombines 37 years as a hematology-oncology physicianand 10 as a professor of public health at Louisiana StateUniversity Health Sciences Center. Throughout his ongoingdistinguished career, however, Brown’s most memorableexperience has been the 30 years he spent as the medicalconsultant for the New Orleans Saints.“I had the opportunity to work with professional athletesand to see how a highly organized professional sport is presentedto the public,” Brown said.During that time, he also participated in the initialdevelopment of a national level program for drug abuseand alcohol in professional sports. Although Brown nolonger serves as the Saints’ medical consultant, he is stillinvolved with the National Football League’s Program forDrugs of Abuse.Brown’s medical career began in 1953 when he graduatedfrom Tulane University School of Medicine. Since his fatherhad also been a physician in New Orleans, he was introducedto the profession at an early age.“I was always fascinated by medicine and scientifically oriented.I decided that it would be a good way to live my life.”Today, Brown advises young medical professionals who arejust entering the field not to “become too specific early on.Look at the entire field (of medicine). Think about the people,not the specific illnesses.”Brown’s own career as a medical professional has led himto become a public health advocate. He oversaw the developmentof a tobacco prevention plan in Louisiana, and he leadsthe statewide steering committee that oversees the TobaccoFree Living program.Today, the Charles L. Brown Jr. M.D. Award is presented toa person in the state who has made significant contributions totobacco control.•— Amy Ferrara Smith24 Health Care Heroes

PHYSICIANRandall BrownPosition: medical director, Baton Rouge Rape Crisis Program and SexualAssault Nurse Examiner ProgramAge: 54Family: wife, Deborah; and daughters, Ashley, 25, Allison, 23, Kimberly, 21Education: attended Louisiana State University, majoring in English andzoology; doctor of medicine, LSU Medical Schoolphoto courtesy Randall BrownAS A RESIDENT 30 years ago, Dr. Randall Brown wasexamining a patient in a Jacksonville, Fla., emergency roomwhen he heard someone crying in the next room.“Of course, people come into the emergency room crying— it’s not unusual — but this was a different type of a cry; itwas really a wail,” Brown said. “So I went next door andlooked, and it was a poor young girl who had just been sexuallyassaulted and beaten brutally.”The rape counselor had not yet arrived, so Brown satdown and talked to the girl. As she shared her story, Brownhad something of an epiphany that would lead him to focushis practice on the treatment of sexual assault victims.“This is a moment in (the patients’) life where they are aslow as they probably are ever going to get, and if you are evergoing to do a lot of good, that’s the time that you need to bethere for someone,” said Brown, medical director of theBaton Rouge Rape Crisis Program.Brown is the nation’s only board-certifiedobstetrician/gynecologist who is a member of the AmericanAcademy of Forensic Scientists. He’s also the only boardcertifiedOB/GYN with training and credentials as a forensicodontologist, someone who analyzes bite marks for criminalinvestigations.For the past decade, the American College ofObstetric/Gynecology has used a training video Brown createdto teach physicians how to do evidentiary examinationsof rape victims. He also implemented the first sexual assaultnurse examiner program in Baton Rouge.For all that he’s accomplished, Brown said his kids oftentease him about one missing element in his career bio.“I actually never graduated college. It’s a long story, butback in those days, if you had the right grade point … (medicalschools) would accept you before you finished college.”•— Sonya StinsonPHYSICIANJocelyn Tinsley GreelyPosition: obstetrics and gynecology staff physician, Crescent City Physicians Inc. at Touro InfirmaryAge: 37Family: husband, Efrem; and children, Jordan Woods, 13, Jillian Greely, 3Education: bachelor’s degree in science and mechanical engineering, Howard University; doctor ofmedicine, University of Texas at Galveston School of Medicine; residency training, Tulane UniversitySchool of MedicineIN A PART of the city that was defined in theweeks after Hurricane Katrina by reports ofdeath and destruction, Dr. Jocelyn TinsleyGreely today regards eastern New Orleans as aplace of birth and life.“When I first came back to this area, afterhaving a private practice, I was continuallyreconnecting with young mothers I had knownbefore who were expecting and have had theirbabies since Katrina,” said Greely, who operatedout of a 3,000-square-foot temporary medicalmobile unit as renovations to the Crescent CityPhysicians’ office at 9801 Lake Forest Blvd. werebeing completed.Greely, who returned to New Orleans last summer,almost instantly realized eastern New Orleanswas still lacking in basic hospital and medical clinicalternatives nearly two years after the storm.“When we first set up out in this area, entirestreets were completely abandoned, with differentbusinesses boarded up. It was depressing becauseit seemed no one lived in this part of town anymore and that no one cared about it either.”But within days, Greely realized there werestill thousands of people, and in particular,young expectant mothers who not only continuedto call eastern New Orleans home but whoneeded medical attention.“I kept hearing of young women who had totake these different buses to get to the nearest clinicand how glad they were now that they couldbasically just walk to our offices. That really madeus all feel that we were doing the right thing.”Katrina-related challenges remain.“A large number of our patients have been ina state of transition since the storm. They aremoving here and there, trying to get back to thelives they had before. And the fact that some ofthese people are also women who are far along intheir pregnancies makes it even more importantthat we be here for them during a crucial time.”•— Garry Boulardphoto by Frank AymamiNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 25

PHYSICIANEmile LaBranchePosition: physician, Crescent City Physicians Inc. at Touro InfirmaryAge: 61Family: wife, Anne; and children, Steven, 42, Sheri, 40, Erin, 23, Evan, 16Education: bachelor’s degree in economics, Xavier University; doctor of medicine, Louisiana StateUniversity School of Medicinephoto by Frank AymamiTREATING HUNDREDS of patients whowere a part of his practice in eastern NewOrleans before Hurricane Katrina, as well asthe new patients who have turned to himsince the storm, Dr. Emile LaBranche hasbeen particularly taken with the medicaleffects of the storm.“Almost all of those who went throughKatrina ended up suffering from post-traumaticstress disorders,” said LaBranche, wholost his house and office in the storm. “Theywere completely stressed out, both because ofthe storm itself as well as its aftermath. In fact,some were near death because of the stress.”And that kind of ongoing stress, LaBranchesaid, “causes severe headaches, problems withblood pressure and diabetes if it’s not controlled— the list just goes on and on.”In the summer of 2006, LaBranche, determinedto return to his patients, teamed upwith Crescent City Physicians, a subsidiary ofTouro Infirmary. He initially worked out of a3,000-square-foot mobile medical unit nextto his old offices at 9801 Lake Forest Blvd. —the first permanent family practice in the area.“I just felt that my patients needed me andthat I had to come back and do what I couldto help. Many parts of the East may still beabandoned, but that did not mean that thereweren’t people here who didn’t need help.”LaBranche said about 80 percent of thepatients he had before Katrina havereturned.“You like to feel that you are making adifference. But when your patients tell youhow grateful they are that you are there, youknow you are making a difference.”•— Garry BoulardDr. Emile LaBranche, a physician with Crescent City Physicians Inc. at Touro Infirmary, examinesMike Alexander at the center’s eastern New Orleans facility.PHYSICIANGabriel LasalaPosition: medical director, TCA Cellular Therapy and LifeSource CyrobankLLC; president, Tchefuncte Cardiology Associates; medical director of thecardiac catherization lab, Lakeview Regional Medical CenterAge: 47Family: wife, Rechel; and children, Florencia, 23, Julie, 21, Nicholas, 14,Caroline, 11Education: doctor of medicine, University of Cordoba in ArgentinaTHE OFT-USED generalization of a mad scientist doctorspending long nights with little sleep in a lab while he performsextensive, cutting-edge research for groundbreakingmedical therapies is an image that might describe Dr. GabrielLasala’s work ethic.“On average, I get about four hours of sleep a night,”Lasala said. “We’re always researching and testing something,and when we think we find a solution, we test it again.”For the past eight years, Lasala has spent most of his timeresearching adult stem-cell therapies to help advance his cardiologypractice.In 2000, Lasala traveled to Chile and met with Dr. JoseMinguell, who was conducting several large animal trialswith stem cells. Lasala was so impressed by the trialresearch that he brought it back to Covington. After yearsof further findings and advancement on adult stem-celltherapies, he opened two private stem cell-related businesses:LifeSource Cryobank and TCA Cellular Therapy,which launched in October. TCA Cellular is the researchphoto by Tracie Morris Schaefercompany affiliated with LifeSource Cryobank.The centers are conducting three Food and DrugAdministration clinical trials related to stem cell treatment ofmyocardial injuries and limb ischemia.LifeSource is the only cryopreservation facility in theGulf South and the first facility in the United States toaccept adult stem cells from bone marrow along with themore traditional umbilical cord blood storage. TCACellular is the only private company in the United Statesparticipating in FDA protocols related to stem cellresearch.“It’s unbelievable that we’re actually doing this kind ofextensive and high-profile research in our own backyard, andthe potential economic impact from stem cell storage is almostas unlimited as the potential of stem cell therapy itself.”Lasala plans to expand his research to include stem celltherapy for neurological diseases and spinal cord injuries.•— Tommy Santora26 Health Care Heroes

PHYSICIANRobert MatheneyPosition: president-elect, Greater Southeast Affiliate Board, American Heart AssociationAge: 48Family: wife, Beverly; and son, Aaron, 22Education: bachelor’s degree in zoology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; doctor of medicine,University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; resident fellowship, Tulane University School of Medicinephoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferCARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE continuesto be the leading cause of death in the UnitedStates, according to studies by the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention. Andgiven its widespread nature, coming up withsolutions proves challenging.Dr. Robert Matheney said the key iscatering to cultural specificities while maintainingthe same standards and aiming forthe same outcomes across the board.“The same message that we want toreach the entire group has to be targeted alittle differently to specific groups than tothe mainstream,” said Matheney, a volunteercardiologist with the American HearthAssociation and president-elect of the organization’sGreater Southeast Affiliate Board.“Culturally specific groups, like theAfrican-American population or peoplewho may be economically disadvantaged,just need education and just need moreresources available to them.”Matheney has been involved with theAmerican Heart Association in New Orleansfor 15 years and in that time has come upwith several creative approaches to hearthealth care for the city’s diverse communities.Matheney has focused on educational outreachin the African-American community,working through churches to reach people atrisk high for heart disease. Matheney alsohelped launch the “Hooks for Hearts” fishingcontest last year as a fundraiser for theAmerican Heart Association that raisesawareness about dietary health by emphasizingthe health benefits of eating fish.While targeting health initiatives to culturallyspecific groups, Matheney realizesNew Orleans is distinct, though sufferingthe same high rates of cardiovascular diseaseas the rest of the country.“We talk about a minority group, but tome, this entire area is culturally unique.”•— Leah BartosPHYSICIANNorman McSwainPosition: professor of surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine; trauma director, Charity HospitalAge: 71Family: daughter, Merry McSwainEducation: bachelor’s degree in biology, Sewanee, The University of the South; doctor of medicine,University of Alabama School of Medicine; residency, North Carolina Baptist Hospital and Emory UniversityNORMAN MCSWAIN was absolutely certainhe was going to be a physician since he was8, living a life of helping others feel better.“I think it is just one of those things thatyou know is going to happen,” McSwainsaid. “I never saw myself as anything otherthan a doctor.”McSwain received certification for surgicalpractice from the American Board ofSurgery in 1972 and now splits his timebetween two jobs — teacher and operator.Half of his time is spent at TulaneUniversity of Medicine School, where he isa professor of surgery. McSwain said hehandles classes on general surgery, as well astrauma and critical care surgery.“I really enjoy teaching residents. I takegreat pride in watching them absorb the vastknowledge it takes to practice surgery.”In addition to his educational responsibilities,McSwain is also head of the traumadepartment at Charity Hospital.“I mostly deal with automobile accident victims,and patients with gunshot wounds. I lovethe challenge of working on a gunshot wound.I find they are more fun than car accident victims,because there is an extensive amount ofoperation involved with any gunshot wound. Ilike seeing my patients get better.”McSwain said he has seen many accomplishmentsin his nearly 40 years in themedical field, but one of his more recentendeavors was a pre-hospital life supportcourse he started in 1991.“We trained more than half a millionpeople from 43 countries, most of whom donot work in a hospital setting. The courseshowed people how to deal with traumacases before medical responders arrive.”•— Robin ShannonNew Orleans EMS paramedic Ryan Hageman, left, reviews a patient record with Dr. Norman McSwain,professor of surgery at Tulane University School of Medicine and trauma director at Charity Hospital.photo by Frank AymamiNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 27

PHYSICIANThanh NguyenPosition: cardiologist, Crescent City Cardiovascular Associates at Touro InfirmaryAge: 38Family: wife, Chi; and children, Brittany, 8, Brooke, 5Education: bachelor’s degree in zoology, Louisiana State University; doctor of medicine, LSU School of Medicinephoto by Frank AymamiDR. THANH NGUYEN was in his first yearof practice as a cardiologist when he got acase that sent his own heart pounding.“The father of one of my best friends had aheart attack,” Nguyen said. “I had known hisfather since I was 16, when he used to driveme to high school. … The fact that I had totake care of him was an added stress for me.But fortunately we were able to take care of hisproblem, and actually he’s still doing welltoday. That was my proudest moment.”Nguyen had been a student at theLouisiana School for Math, Science andArts in Natchitoches when he first met hisfriend’s father. Born in Saigon, Vietnam,Nguyen fled to the United States with hisfamily in 1979, living in San Francisco fortwo years before moving to Baton Rougeand then to Natchitoches.Nguyen often conducts free healthscreenings and educational sessions targetingthe Vietnamese population, and he hasprovided free cardiac care at health fairs ofthe local Boat People SOS chapter.“I enjoy doing the health screenings andteaching them about how to prevent heart disease.I really like the prevention part of it.”While his primary practice is at Touro,Nguyen also treats patients in the easternNew Orleans and West Bank offices ofCrescent City Physicians Inc. These satellitelocations make him more accessible tohis Vietnamese patients, whose culturesometimes makes them reluctant to visitdoctors, especially if they have to go outsidetheir neighborhoods.“They don’t like to leave their comfortarea. That’s a reason I decided to go out tothe West Bank and to New Orleans East. Ifound that in my first few years of practice,they never came Uptown.”•— Sonya StinsonDr. Thanh Nguyen, a cardiologist with Crescent City Cardiovascular Associates at Touro Infirmary,examines Howard Alexander.PHYSICIANEboni PricePosition: medical director, Tulane University Community Health Centerat Covenant HouseAge: 34Family: singleEducation: bachelor’s degree, University of Notre Dame; doctor ofmedicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; master’s degree in publichealth, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public HealthDR. EBONI PRICE lives by the belief everyone should beentitled to high-quality health care. As medical director forTulane University Medical Center’s Community HealthCenter at Covenant House, she tried to make that a reality.The center is one of several neighborhood health centersTulane medical school residents established afterHurricane Katrina.“The residents wanted a way to better serve the public thatremained in the city after the storm,” Price said. “These centersserve as a great teaching tool on how to provide communitycare to the citizens of New Orleans.”Price identified stark differences between working in alarge hospital and working in a small community clinic,saying doctors and residents have to understand and discoverthe community’s needs and tune in to the circumstancesof each patient.“One of the real challenges of working in a clinic like this isphoto by Frank Aymamibeing able to make some of these patients understand what ishappening to them. Many of these patients have a low literacylevel or little or no education, and you have to explain a complexmedical problem like diabetes, for example, to them. It issometimes very difficult to make them understand what theyhave to do to get better.”Price said the health center has set up programs gearedtoward teaching medical residents how to deal with patientswith little education. She said there are also programs for dealingwith non-English speaking immigrants, which, she said, isanother common roadblock.Price said that although the neighborhood clinics mostlyserve the uninsured and underserved, it does not mean thetreatment is substandard.“We firmly believe in excess care for these patients. Patientsare in and out quickly and given the best care available. Noone would ever be turned away from our care.”•— Robin Shannon28 Health Care Heroes

PHYSICIANElmore RigamerPosition: medical director, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New OrleansAge: 67Family: wife, Marianna; and children, Catherine, 38, Elizabeth, 40Education: doctor of medicine, Louisiana State University School ofMedicine; residency in psychiatry, New York Hospital-Cornell University;master’s degree of public administration, Harvard UniversityWHEN DR. ELMORE Rigamer returned home to NewOrleans after nearly two decades of counseling terrorism victimsabroad, he figured that was the end of it.“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d use, in thiscountry, the same psychological programs that I developedto use overseas in Afghanistan or Beirut,” saidRigamer, who worked as the State Department’s medicaldirector in the Middle East, India, Pakistan, EasternEurope and the Soviet Union.Trained in psychiatry, Rigamer focused his work on mentalhealth, in particular helping people with post-traumaticstress disorder. Those ended up being useful skills duringthe Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina.“What’s so interesting is that after Katrina, the psychologicalmodel for dealing with trauma is the same … dealingwith the shock and the possibility of developing posttraumaticstress.”The scope of Rigamer’s work in New Orleans, however,is much wider. Rigamer now works as the medical directorphoto by Tracie Morris Schaeferof Catholic Charities and has launched a number of community-basedprograms designed to meet social and medicalneeds. These programs include the Behavioral HealthAction Network, which has influenced Gov. Bobby Jindal’srecent health reforms, as well as the Program of All-inclusiveCare for the Elderly in Greater New Orleans, which providesmedical and social care for the elderly within theircommunities instead of in nursing homes.“If it’s really patient-centric, which is what health careshould be, and if you think about what’s best for the patient,then it’s easy to figure out what to do,” Rigamer said of theholistic, “barefoot doctor” approach to medicine.“I think right now, it’s a wonderful time to be in NewOrleans. Every assumption that we had that things were working,”he said, “those assumptions have to be challenged.”•— Leah BartosPHYSICIANAlfred RobichauxPosition: chairman, obstetrics and gynecology, Ochsner Medical CenterAge: 55Family: wife, Patty; and daughters, Jennifer, 22, Lauren, 21, Katie, 20Education: bachelor’s degree in biology, Spring Hill College; doctor of medicine, LouisianaState University Health Sciences Center; obstetrics and gynecology residency, Ochsner HealthSystem; maternal medicine fellowship, George Washington School of MedicineDr. Alfred Robicheaux,chairman of obstetricsand gynecology atOchsner Medical Center,performs an ultrasoundon Jennifer Rachel.HAVING HELPED deliver a few thousand babies,the miracle of life can become an everyday eventfor a physician such as Alfred Robichaux whoserves as chairman of the obstetrics and gynecologydepartment at Ochsner Health System.Once in a while, big surprises do come along.Ochsner delivered two sets of triplets and one setof quadruplets within 36 hours in December. Itwas a historic moment but Robichaux will neverforget when he helped deliver twins more thanthree months apart in 1994.“I believe that record still holds and I think thatis the first time twins that survived have been deliveredthat far apart. Usually twins are born one afterthe other but the first twin was born prematurely,”Robichaux said.Because of the lack of hospitals deliveringbabies, births at Ochsner have increased more than100 percent and Robichaux has led the expansionof the OB/GYN department to meet the need. Hehas grown Ochsner’s Women’s Center by addingnearly a dozen more postpartum rooms and hiring11 new physicians to its obstetrical staff.Robichaux is also credited with bringing deliveryservices back to Kenner when Ochsneropened the maternal child services center andlabor and delivery unit in 2007 at OchsnerMedical Center-Kenner.“We were able to recruit some of the bestOBGYNs out there and literally doubled our staff.We got the unit back in order and are buildinganother group of physicians from our residencyprogram who have a great desire to be out inKenner.”Robichaux is involved with several medicalsocieties including the Society of Maternal FetalMedicine, Orleans Medical Society, the LouisianaState Medical Society and the American MedicalSociety. He was also appointed by then-Gov.Edwin Edwards to serve on the LouisianaPerinatal Commission.•— Craig Guillotphoto by Frank AymamiNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 29

PHYSICIANKen RoyPosition: medical director, Addiction Recovery Resources of New Orleans; medical staff,East Jefferson General HospitalAge: 65Family: wife, Patricia; and children Darci, 45, Darryl, 36, Alex, 21Education: bachelor’s degree, University of Houston; doctor of medicine, Tulane UniversitySchool of Medicine; fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicinephoto by Frank AymamiFOR DR. KEN ROY’S patients, HurricaneKatrina’s effects have been compounded by ahealth care system still in shambles.“The health care system is broken and peopledon’t have access to appropriate treatmentfor addiction,” Roy said. “A lot of people whowere stable on medications for the treatment ofaddiction and of (additional) psychiatric illnesslost access to their medications.”Roy is a specialist in addiction treatment andis on the medical staff at East Jefferson GeneralHospital. However, his primary focus is on thepatients at Addiction Recovery Resources ofNew Orleans, a nonprofit outpatient and residentialtreatment center in Metairie that he foundedand where he serves as medical director.“There has been an awful lot of relapse forpeople in good, stable recovery because of thecommon themes that are so prominent, of displacementloss of family members, loss of alocal support system.”Nearly three years after the storm, addictionsto legal drugs are one of the biggestproblems facing doctors like Roy.“There are still ‘pain clinics’ that serve onlyto prescribe narcotics and the holy trinity ofpain pills, Xanax and Soma.”With prescription drugs, the easy availabilityincreases the chance a person willbecome addicted.“The amount of drugs that are available toindividuals and on the street is just huge.”However, despite all the difficulties, eachvictory over addiction is a personal victoryfor Roy.“It’s so fulfilling. I couldn’t begin to describethe satisfaction and humility I feel with someonein a follow-up visit, whose life was in a shamblesjust months ago, (and) who’s back in the workplaceand in a relationship and learning to be abetter parent,” Roy said. “There are two types ofdoctors that get to see miracles every day. Thoseare obstetricians and recovery specialists.”•— Jason SaulPHYSICIANMilton SeilerPosition: partner, Hematology/Oncology Specialists; president,BioPharm; president, OncologyRxAge: 61Family: daughter, Statira, 36Education: bachelor’s degree, Tulane University; doctor of medicine,Louisiana State University School of Medicine; hematology fellowship,Baylor College of Medicine; oncology fellowship, Ochsner Health SystemTIMES HAVE CHANGED in the treatment of cancer sinceDr. Milton Seiler began practicing medicine 30 years ago.Years of research and development have combined with newtechniques in genomics to produce powerful therapies tailoredto individual patients.“Right now there is an exponential explosion,” Seiler said.“This is just the beginning of a phenomenally great time. It’shard to keep up (and) it’s challenging, but the promise thatwas made 30-something years ago when I decided to becomea hematologist/oncologist is now, finally, almost a half-centurylater, being fulfilled.”These treatments often come with a hefty price tag, withsome medications costing close to $400,000 a year. Seiler saidprivate-practice physicians and hospitals are often caught inthe middle of providing for their patients and recoupingexpenses from insurance companies and the government.“Affordability, that’s a societal issue. There’s an awful longconversation we need to have about what’s appropriate andphoto by Tracie Morris Schaeferwhat we need to do to make these things available. Otherwisethere are going to be two classes of people: those who live andthose who don’t.”Aside from the difficulties surrounding high health carecosts and despite frustrations that come with dealing with governmentand insurance bureaucracies, Seiler finds practicingmedicine and the one-on-one with patients and family membersstill brings him satisfaction.“I’ve known some of these women for 30 years, andthey’ve become friends. I think that’s really wonderful.Sometimes it’s very sad to lose a friend, especially whenyou’re the treating physician. I used to think it was a sign offailure, but I realize that I do the best I can and that I’m notalways able to hit a home run, but often enough that it keepsme in the business.”•— Jason Saul30 Health Care Heroes

PHYSICIANJim SmithPosition: staff cardiologist and board member, Louisiana Medical Center and Heart HospitalAge: 53Family: wife, Sumathi; and children, Greer, 27, Audrey, 25, Zachary, 22, Luke, 21, David, 19, Rachael, 17, James, 15Education: bachelor’s degree and doctor of medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Centerphoto courtesy Michael Palumbo PhotographyDRAMATIC STORIES ABOUND regardingpost-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, but duringthe week of the disaster, when most peoplewere watching in awe from other states or workingin the recovery, Jim Smith was performingcritical surgeries.As one of the few hospitals open during thetime, Louisiana Medical Center and HeartHospital in Lacombe was performing surgeriesas usual. In the first week after Katrina, Smithperformed seven open-heart surgeries, 21orthopedic procedures, and angiograms andangioplasties.“We actually did a surgery on the day ofthe hurricane. The dedication of the staff andthe whole way this team just stayed togetherand performed day after day without muchsupport was amazing,” said Smith, one of thefounders of the Louisiana Medical Center andHeart Hospital, which opened five years agoin Lacombe.Having performed the first angioplasty onthe North Shore in 1985, he points to the hospital’sopening as one of the defining momentsin his career. Enjoying the challenging environmentand technological equipment involved incardiology, he said he has the opportunity toregularly make a difference in the lives of criticallyill patients.“In some cases we might save someone’s lifebut you really don’t know until you go in thereand assess the situation. Sometimes that happensbut in almost every case you’re drasticallyimproving someone’s life and can see immediateresults.”Born and raised in Kansas, Smith was workingon a factory line as a young man beforedeciding to go into medicine. He lives on a farmin Bush, is the father of seven children andenjoys riding motorcycles, fishing, traveling andspending time with his family.•— Craig GuillotPHYSICIANKeith Van MeterPosition: section head, emergency medicine department, Louisiana State Universityschool of medicine; medical director, Keith Van Meter & AssociatesAge: 63Family: wife, Mary; and children, Garth, 30, Mike, 28, Sasha, 25, Ashley, 23Education: bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Miami University; doctor of medicine,George Washington University School of MedicineRESUSCITATION HAS BEEN a recurringtheme in Dr. Keith Van Meter’s work.Van Meter, who heads emergency medicine atthe Louisiana State University Medical School,has spent more than 20 years researching hyperbaricmedicine, primarily through his experienceresuscitating off-shore divers suffering decompressionsickness.Now, it’s about resuscitating health care inNew Orleans.Despite the post-Katrina closure of CharityHospital, Van Meter remains committed to providingaffordable and quality health care to NewOrleans’ citizens.Though the politics surrounding Charity’sclosure continues to be tense, Van Meter said hetries to focus on the individual patients he treats.“I’ve tried to take solace in taking care ofpatients and stay away from (the politics),” said VanMeter, who works up to 120 hours a week in theemergency room and training the school’s medicalresidents. “I go to work and I talk to the patients,enjoy them immensely and try to fix them up. Andthat gets me (through) any angst that I have aboutany of the conditions or events that are going on.”Van Meter was among the health careproviders who rode out the storm in CharityHospital, where they stayed for a week workingwith no electricity, no air conditioning and noinstruments to care for critical care patients, mildcare patients and each other.“To me, I think I was preconditioned by havingto be in the Gulf, inside a can decompressionchamber five days in a row with horrible temperaturesand horrible isolation with divers thatwere about ready to kick the bucket.”Among the stress and exhaustion associatedwith emergency medicine, Van Meter still findshis work invigorating.“It isn’t exactly a vacation, but it’s a gift of asituation to make me happy that I’m on earth.”•— Leah Bartosphoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 31

PHYSICIANMark WorkmanPosition: physician adviser, case management for West JeffersonMedical Center; private practice in infectious diseasesAge: 57Family: wife, Barbara; and children, Sarah, 21, Elliott, 18Education: bachelor’s degree in biology, University of Virginia; doctor ofmedicine, Medical College of VirginiaDR. MARK WORKMAN lived at West Jefferson MedicalCenter for three weeks after Hurricane Katrina.As an expert on infectious diseases, Workman went onthe radio, advising citizens about risks of infection from thewater and other hazards in the days immediately after thestorm. He advised citizens to get vaccinations for diseaseslike tetanus and hepatitis A.“It was extremely successful,” said Workman, adding thathe saw very few tetanus and Hepatitis A cases after thestorm.Aside from the immediate benefits, the vaccinations hadlong-term bonuses as tetanus vaccines are good for 10 years.Katrina prompted people to get these vaccinations.“A lot of people might not have gotten vaccines if notfor Katrina.”photo by Frank AymamiIt’s the variety infectious diseases offer that stimulatesWorkman.“Even the same disease can’t always be treated in thesame way.”A patient’s age or allergies to different medications mayalter the way an infection is treated. In addition to this,Workman enjoys what he calls “the detective work” necessaryin figuring out what infection is troubling an individualpatient.The infections themselves are widely varied. In a coastalcommunity with a lot of commercial fishermen, Workmantreats many people who get infections from catfish or shrimpspine punctures. He once treated a man who got an infectionbecause his fishing camp shower used water from a bayou.More exotic infections work their way into the city aswell, which has had Workman treat a case of central nervoussystem malaria, as well as a few cases of dengue fever.•— Fritz EskerPROFESSIONALBonnie ArtonPosition: retired director of information technology, West Jefferson Medical CenterAge: 55Family: single; dogs, Carly, Twister and AnnieEducation: bachelor’s degree in accounting, Loyola University; master’s degree in business administration, Loyolaphoto by Frank AymamiBONNIE ARTON WAS a victim of polio in1955 at the age of 3. She recovered after anine-week stint at Charity Hospital, an experiencethat made an indelible mark on her.“That experience got me interested inhealth care and made me want to give somethingback,” Arton said.Arton became a Renaissance woman in thehealth care field, spending 15 years in nursing.“My first love will always be nursing,”Arton said.In the intensive care unit, she cared fora 12-year-old boy who was in a bicycleaccident and comatose for six months,three spent in Arton’s care. The boyrecovered and his father took him toArton’s house to thank her. Arton calls theexperience one of the most rewarding inher career.Even though she loved nursing, Artonsaid she became exhausted after 15 years anddecided she needed a change.“You’re on your feet 12 hours a day,constantly pushing heavy stretchers andheavy patients.”Arton earned a degree in accountingfrom Loyola University and passed theCPA exam. She helped open the first familyphysicians clinics at West JeffersonMedical Center and spent seven years inthe materials department, working withpurchasing and contracts.“Being a nurse gave me a better understandingof the products and their value.”Arton eventually became head of informationtechnology, where she made it her missionto improve hospital processes throughtechnology. She helped usher in electronicrecords so physicians can access recordsfrom home and medical personnel can accessthe same record simultaneously.Arton is now retired and lavishes attentionon her three dogs.“I’m now taking care of my four-leggedfriends instead of my two-legged ones.”•— Fritz Esker32 Health Care Heroes

PROFESSIONALRedfield BryanPosition: special consultant, Franciscan Missionaries of OurLady Health System, St. Bernard Health ServicesAge: 70Family: wife, Carol Ann; and daughter, Kelly, 48Education: bachelor’s degree, Louisiana State University;doctor of medicine, LSU School of Medicinephoto by Jason BrownSURVEYING THE devastation of St.Bernard Parish after Hurricane Katrina,Redfield Bryan was reminded of the challengeshe saw at a Franciscan Missionariesof Our Lady Health System clinic in Haiti.“The conditions were very much likewhat you would expect to encounter in athird-world country,” said Bryan, who inthe weeks after the storm tried to coordinatebasic medical services for a parish thathad nearly been submerged by Katrina’sfloodwaters.“We had to get the electricity in, we hadto have our X-rays wired over the Internetto Baton Rouge in order to be read, whileall of our lab work was also daily travelingto our clinic in Baton Rouge and backagain. None of the assumptions about howthings should work, at least in the beginning,applied.”But Bryan, after talks with state andcommunity leaders, was able to establish aFranciscan Missionaries of Our LadyHealth System clinic in St. Bernard thatwas eventually headquartered in a 22,000-square-foot facility made “of trailers thatwere put together by FEMA (FederalEmergency ManagementAdministration).”Initially serving up to 60 patients perday, the St. Bernard clinic is now averaging150 to 200 patients daily.“We now have five doctors and aretreating everyone, including the indigentand those on Medicaid. And we can doour own X-rays, ultrasound and give ourown shots. We are doing more in this clinicthan you would normally see in a doctor’soffice primarily because we don’t have ahospital here,” said Bryan, adding that hehas been gratified to be “just a small part inbringing this parish back to what it wasbefore the storm.”•— Garry BoulardPROFESSIONALJohn ClementsPosition: professor and chairman of the department of microbiology andimmunology, Tulane University School of MedicineAge: 60Family: wife, Elaine; and children, David, 27, Rachel, 26Education: bachelor’s degree in microbiology, University of Texas atArlington; doctorate in microbiology, University of Texas HealthSciences CenterBEING A PROFESSOR of microbiology and immunology,John Clements spends a great deal of time working withgerms and finding ways to keep them from infecting people.His research programs at Tulane University School ofMedicine focus on developing vaccines to protect againstvarious bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases.Clements said his laboratory team has studied the use oflong and narrow forms of bacteria as a system of delivering vaccinesthroughout the body. His lab was among the first toemploy this technology with genetic substances within the bodythat stimulate the production of antibodies, or disease fighters.Clements said his research has helped create vaccines forchildren in developing countries, many of which do notrequire needles.“We have been developing vaccines that can be deliveredthrough mucus, as well as some that can be administeredtransdermally, or through the skin,” Clements said.“Eliminating needles lowers the cost of production anddelivery of these vaccines to mere pennies, and you don’tphoto by Frank AymamiDr. John Clements, professor and chairman of the department of microbiology and immunology at Tulane University School ofMedicine, studies vaccines with post-doctoral fellow Sabena Uddowla.need a specially trained physician to administer it.”Clements is also part of a team of investigators that hasconducted the first human trials demonstrating the practicaland affordable use of edible vaccines. The trials used specificfoods as vaccine delivery systems.“There are certain plants that one can eat and becomevaccinated. It’s easy to produce and very affordable.”Before joining Tulane University in 1982, Clements saidhe completed a National Research Council Associateship atWalter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington,D.C. He also worked on the faculty at the University ofRochester School of Medicine.In 2003, Clements was trained as a weapons inspector inthe 7th United Nations Monitoring, Verification andInspection Commission training program in Vienna. He wasa member of the Iraq survey group seeking out weapons ofmass destruction in Baghdad.•— Robin ShannonNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 33

PROFESSIONALJames DotyPosition: director, Memorial Hospital Center for Neurosciences inGulfport, Miss.Age: 52Family: wife, Maria; and children, Jennifer, 26, Sebastian, 4Education: bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, University ofCalifornia at Irvine; doctor of medicine, Tulane University School ofMedicineMANY PEOPLE say they always keep their word. However,most people don’t have that sentiment tested the way Dr.James Doty did.Doty had accomplished a lot. Growing up, his family wason welfare. His father was an alcoholic and his mother wasan invalid. Still, he managed to earn a medical degree andbecome an accomplished neurosurgeon. Not only was he askilled doctor, but he made millions in investments and hadserved as a CEO of Accuray, a company that provides nonsurgicalradiosurgery for cancer patients.Upon retiring, Doty planned to buy a villa in Tuscany, anapartment in San Francisco and a private island in NewZealand. He would split time between these locations andvarious third-world countries, where he would volunteer toperform charity neurosurgery work. On top of this, hevowed to put his Accuray stock into a charitable trust.However, in 2000, when the dot.com bubble burst, Dotylost $78 million in six weeks.“The only asset I had remaining was the stock in(Accuray),” Doty said.photo courtesy Tulane UniversityDespite his fortune evaporating, Doty still used thestock to fill the trust, even though it meant he would beunable to retire.“I felt I had to honor that commitment.”In total, $37 million went into the trust, with $4.4 milliongoing to Tulane University for a distinguishedendowed chair for the new dean of the medical school. Ascholarship fund was also created for economically disadvantagedstudents.Doty took a job at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, Miss.,after Hurricane Katrina. Under his guidance, MemorialHospital now has three neurosurgeons and three neurologistsand is the only stroke-certified hospital in Mississippi.•— Fritz EskerPROFESSIONALBill FoxPosition: former CEO, Louisiana Medical Center and Heart HospitalAge: 52Family: wife, Teri; and children, Jason, 28, Will 24, Justin, 23, Monica, 23Education: bachelor’s degree in health care administration, Western Kentucky University;master’s degree in health care administration, Trinity Universityphoto courtesy Michael Palumbo PhotographyHAVING SERVED as chief operating officer ofMethodist Hospital during Hurricane Katrina, BillFox said it was the most memorable moment of hiscareer. During the disaster, Fox was responsible forensuring patients were taken care of and helped withthe evacuation of more than 750 people from thehospital’s rooftop.“I think anybody that was in the city for Katrinagot the chance to see the best and worst of humanityat the same time. I’m not in a big hurry to do it a secondtime but I am glad that I was there,” Fox said.Post-Katrina, Fox went to the North Shorewhere he took the reigns as CEO of the LouisianaMedical Center and Heart Hospital in Lacombeuntil March. During his tenure there, he focusedon expanding and improving hospital’s services tomeet the needs of the growing population in St.Tammany Parish.Fox led the effort to expand the hospital bybreaking ground on a new 109,000-square-foot,four-story patient tower with 120 private rooms.After the $33-million project is complete, the hospitalwill have 178 rooms. Fox said expanding the hospitalin the wake of the storm was necessary to meetthe population explosion.“After the storm, there was a significant shift inpopulation and the North Shore went from200,000 to 300,000 overnight. All of a sudden,there weren’t enough pediatricians or generalpractitioners.”The hospital originally opened in 2003 as theLouisiana Heart Hospital. To recognize itsexpanded service capabilities after Katrina, it wasrenamed as the Louisiana Medical Center &Heart Hospital.Under Fox’s leadership, the hospital achievednumerous rankings and awards for excellence inits cardiac care and surgery programs.Motivated by a desire to serve the community,Fox said the region’s health care professionals arenow more important than ever.“What really motivates me is trying to buildinfrastructure for the community and to make surethat the people are receiving the best health carethey can get.”•— Craig Guillot34 Health Care Heroes

PROFESSIONALBob HawleyPosition: CEO, Slidell Memorial HospitalAge: 61Family: wife, Freida; and children, Robert, Chuck, Jessica, Joey and JimmyEducation: bachelor’s degree in political science, University of Oklahoma; master’s degreein business administration, San Diego State Universityphoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferWHEN BOB Hawley Jr. became CEO ofSlidell Memorial Hospital in 2000, he wasdetermined to help the health care facilityrecover from a $12.8-million deficit.Within five years, Hawley had not onlyhelped the hospital pay off its debt, but alsogained the local community’s support toinvest in technology and additional facilities.The hospital’s financial recovery andimplementation of new technology has alsohelped Hawley focus on his primary goal ofimproving patient satisfaction and safety.“We went from recovery mode to serviceand quality mode,” Hawley said. “Ifthey are satisfied, we feel the patients willcome back.”Dedication to patient comfort hashelped the hospital earn for two consecutiveyears the Distinguished Hospital Award forPatient Safety. The recognition of goodwork, said Hawley, helps Slidell Memorialmaintain its edge in a competitive market.“Our greatest challenge is to continueto grow the hospital in the face ofsignificant hospital construction (on theNorth Shore).”A former U.S. Navy naval aviator,Hawley tries to maintain SlidellMemorial’s positive reputation on theNorth Shore by encouraging his employeesto continue to grow as professionals.He requires they complete 30 hours peryear of mandatory and elective training,and he established the Slidell MemorialHospital Leadership Institute, an academicprogram for managers.Originally from Ohio, Hawley hasserved as chief financial officer of St.Joseph Regional Medical Center in PoncaCity, Okla., CEO of Perry MemorialHospital in Perry, Okla., and CEO ofBolivar Medical Center in Cleveland, Miss.“If I do the job well, I enable otherswho provide patient care a good environmentand the tools they need.”•— Amy Ferrara SmithPROFESSIONALJohn LemoinePosition: chairman of the board of directors, Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Co.Age: 67Family: wife, Deborah; and children, Emile, 43, Lewis, 41, Alyce, 38Education: bachelor’s degree, Spring Hill College; doctor of medicine, Louisiana State University School of MedicineDR. JOHN LEMOINE knows the future of thehealth care community hinges on retainingcertain key players: doctors.Lemoine has dedicated himself to makingLouisiana a more physician-friendly environmentthrough his work with LouisianaMedical Mutual Insurance Co., or LAMMI-CO, a physician-led medical malpracticeinsurer based in Metairie.Lemoine, who practiced family medicine for30 years, has been involved with LAMMICOsince shortly after its founding in 1981, servingas CEO and president from 2000-07 and continuesas chairman of the board of directors.In regard to the company’s goal of attractingand retaining medical experts inLouisiana, Lemoine said protecting physiciansfrom frivolous lawsuits is in everybody’sbest interest.“That’s why we’re constantly trying toimprove to make things better,” Lemoine said.LAMMICO was created in response to anincrease in frivolous lawsuits and the weakdefense of existing insurance companies in thelate 1970s and early ’80s.Lemoine has also influenced several piecesof state legislation designed to improve themedical environment.One law, for instance, requires plaintiffs topay a simple filing fee prior to litigation.“A lot of non-meritous claims were beingfiled because of the ease of filing in Louisiana.We were spending a lot of money defendingthose non-meritous claims.”Lemoine also worked to help pass what’sknown as “I’m Sorry” legislation, designed toimprove communication between patients anddoctors, especially when it comes to discussionsabout bad health outcomes.“Physicians were afraid to express sympathyor sorrow because they were afraid itwould be perceived as guilt. Most every claimhad to do with communication.”•— Leah Bartosphoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 35

PROFESSIONALBarbara MoffettPosition: director of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences,Southeastern Louisiana UniversityAge: 58Family: husband, Randy; children, Jeff, 32; Melissa, 30, Julie, 27;and three grandchildrenEducation: bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing,Northwestern State University; doctor of philosophy in educationresearch methodology, Louisiana State UniversityNURSING SHORTAGE — two words every nursing collegeadministrator hears most often, and two words that havebecome part of the daily vocabulary of Barbara Moffett, thedirector of Southeastern Louisiana University’s College ofNursing and Health Sciences.“We’re always trying to answer that million-dollar question,and there is a tremendous amount of pressure placed on allnursing programs in this state to solve the problem,” saidMoffett, who has been director of Southeastern’s nursing collegesince 2001 and a faculty member at the school for 32 years.“My question is, ‘Where do they all go?’ We have two tothree applicants for every nursing spot available, and ouracceptance and graduation numbers have continuallyincreased, which leads me to believe there may be a retentionproblem among nurses after they graduate.”“Our job as administrators and faculty is to not onlyround these students into top, quality nurses, but to doenough to encourage them to stay in the industry and alsophoto by Tracie Morris Schaeferhelp out with the shortage in the state.”With close to 40 years in the nursing industry, Moffetthas done her role.During her time as director, Moffett has introduced anaccelerated track for registered nurses seeking a bachelor’sdegree, obtained additional funding from the LouisianaBoard of Regents to allow the admission of additional studentsinto the program, secured a Board of Regents grant todevelop online orientation modules for new and part-timeclinical faculty and secured a grant from the National StudentNurses’ Association for development of standardized patientsfor teaching assessment skills and more clinical space.“It’s very gratifying to my personal and professionalcareer that we have built a strong nursing program here atSoutheastern. We have a very strong faculty that turns out alot of outstanding nurses, and a lot of my job now is workingwith new faculty who come on board. I want to be comfortablewith the fact that whenever I do leave and retire, I amleaving the nursing program in good hands.”•— Tommy SantoraPROFESSIONALMark PetersPosition: physician, president and CEO, East Jefferson General Hospital; chairman, MetropolitanHospital Council of New Orleans; director, board of the Coalition of Leaders for Louisiana HealthcareAge: 54Family: sons, James, 31, Brad, 27Education: bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Valparaiso University; doctor of medicine, Ohio StateUniversity; residency in family practice, Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, Ohiophoto by Frank AymamiMARK PETERS IS a leader.He is president and CEO of East JeffersonGeneral Hospital, chairman of theMetropolitan Hospital Council of NewOrleans and director of the board of theCoalition of Leaders for Louisiana Healthcare.But rather than boast on his own achievements,Peters gives credit to the peoplearound him for bringing EJGH and the NewOrleans health care community back fromKatrina.“East Jefferson has the same number ofbeds, the same amount of staff and the samegrouping of services that we had pre-storm,”Peters said. “I think that’s a great tribute tothis staff, whether that’s the housekeeping personor the dietary person or the person in theback office that most people don’t see.”Peters is especially grateful his staff hasstayed and worked under circumstances that,at times, have been less than ideal.“There isn’t a health care worker whodoesn’t have other opportunities, either locallyor elsewhere. The fact that we’ve been able tomaintain our quality, to provide the full gamutof services under those circumstances … Ithink everyone should be congratulated.”In addition to leading EJGH, Peters is interestedin improving the state’s health care system.Through COLLAH, he and his colleaguesintend to develop a health system redesign thatwill serve as an example for the nation.“I appreciate the ability to be part of agroup of people who are saying, ‘How do wedo things better?’ We’re not just interested inreturning to how we’ve always done things.”But Peters knows COLLAH faces sizeablechallenges and is realistic in his expectations.“I know we won’t solve everything. But wecan at least provide a format for thought anddiscussion.”•— Christopher Snizik36 Health Care Heroes

PROFESSIONALDwayne ThomasPosition: CEO, Medical Center of Louisiana at New OrleansAge: 50Family: children, Brandon, 23, Dana, 19Education: bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Dillard University; doctor ofmedicine, Louisiana State University School of Medicine; master’s degreein medical management, Tulane University School of Public HealthFOR MANY PEOPLE, career choices start coming intofocus in the teenage years or even adulthood. But for Dr.Dwayne Thomas, the decision occurred much earlier.“In second grade, I had to have a tonsillectomy, so mymother brought home a book about kids going to the doctor,”Thomas said. “That became the spark, and soon I wasasking for chemistry sets for Christmas.”After completing internal medical training with OchsnerHealth System, Thomas went to the University of Florida forpulmonary and critical care training, eventually teaching andserving as assistant dean of minority relations. In 1995, hereturned to New Orleans, where he helped develop the ErnestN. Morial Asthma, Allergy & Respiratory Disease Center, thefirst comprehensive center of its kind in Louisiana.In 1997, Thomas accepted an offer to become medicaldirector of Charity Hospital, where he became CEO inJanuary 2002.After Hurricane Katrina, Thomas faced the biggest challengeof his professional life — rebuilding an entire medicalcare facility from the ground up.First, Thomas and his colleagues confronted the problemof providing health care from military tents on Southphoto by Frank AymamiDr. Dwayne Thomas, CEO of the Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans talks Dr. John Hunt, trauma critical care, atUniversity Hospital.Johnson Street, reworking everything from setting up registrationsystems to managing patient care. After expandingservices and moving into the Morial Convention Center -New Orleans, personnel became another difficult issue.In building a new facility at the University Hospital campus,Thomas, like many in New Orleans, was left at themercy of contractors and construction crews. When problemsarose, people turned to Thomas for guidance.“Sometimes, I think people assumed I was a descendentof David Copperfield and could magically make things happen.The expectations of my staff were tremendous, but weeventually made everything work.”Looking back on his post-Katrina accomplishments withan optimistic eye to the future, Thomas keeps an appropriateChinese symbol on his door that translates, “Out ofchaos comes order.”“That symbol captures what we’ve gone through. For meit’s always been about the patients, and now it’s great to seepatients smiling and getting the care they need.”•— Thomas LeggettVOLUNTEERElsie OlivierPosition: surgery hostess, West Jefferson Medical CenterAge: 80Family: husband Philip; and children, Gwyn, 59, Philip, 54, Farley, 51WHEN SERIOUS surgery is required, it is scaryfor the person undergoing the surgery, and theirloved ones. The patient is sedated and oftenunconscious, while the loved ones remain in thewaiting room, sometimes for hours, waiting tohear if the operation went well.Since 1976, Elsie Olivier has volunteeredher time as a surgery hostess at West JeffersonMedical Center, offering comfort and companyto those awaiting the results of a lovedone’s operation.She provides a sympathetic ear and conversation,while other times it is a drink and asnack. She even joins families in prayer.And the wait can sometimes be so stressfulfor the families that the people waitingcan become physically ill, which is whenOlivier escorts them to the emergency room.Olivier also brings messages to the families.The news varies.“We go through a lot of happy times andsome sad times, too,” said Olivier, a WestBank resident since 1955 who began volunteeringafter the birth of her first child. Herhusband, Philip, joined her as a volunteer in1986.While Olivier has volunteered to comfortothers for 30 years, her efforts have not goneunnoticed by the people she helps.Several years ago, a family was so gratefulfor her kindness they treated her and her husbandto a three-day weekend at Beau RivageHotel and Casino in Biloxi, Miss.But more often than not, the volunteeringprovides its own reward.“We help out families. It’s the most rewardingthing.”•— Fritz EskerVolunteer Elsie Oliver gives good news to Don Victoriano about his wife who had surgery at WestJefferson Medical Center.photo by Frank AymamiNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 37

VOLUNTEERPhilip OlivierPosition: volunteer, West Jefferson Medical CenterAge: 84Family: wife, Elsie; and children, Gwyn, 59, Philip III, 53, Farely, 51Education: attended L.H. Marrero High School before joining theArmy in 1942, received his general education degree after his dischargefrom the ArmySINCE RETIRING FROM Chevron in 1990, Philip Olivierhas dedicated his time to helping families cope with criticalsurgery procedures at West Jefferson Medical Center. Oliviersaid he began his volunteer work helping his wife, Elsie, inthe Women’s Auxiliary at the hospital.“I was the first male member of the auxiliary before theyopened it up completely to men,” Olivier said. “It felt a littlefunny at the time, being the only guy in a group ofwomen, but I didn’t let it bother me. I felt like I was reallydoing something meaningful.”Olivier said volunteering is his new full-time job. Heworks an eight-hour shift behind the desk of the critical surgerycare center.“The main part of my day is taking care of families whohave relatives or friends that are undergoing some type ofserious surgery. My job is to make them feel as comfortableas possible.”Olivier said he comes in contact with a range of peoplephoto by Frank Aymamiwith a variety of quirks and said it takes a specific type ofpersonality to deal with some of these people.“Oftentimes, people are not acting like themselves. It issometimes very difficult for some family members to dealwith what is happening because there are occasions wherethe patients don’t make it. It’s all about keeping themcomfortable.”Olivier said he has spent 18 years on the job because hegets great joy from helping other people, and it gets him outof the house on a regular basis.“I would just rather be on the giving end then on thereceiving end. I tell people that if you are a person who isretired and all you do is sit at home and stare at four walls,you’re just waiting for the undertaker. You got to get outand do something.”•— Robin ShannonVOLUNTEERTheresaTrosclairPosition: coordinator, Catholic Chaplaincy Team volunteers; PastoralCare department, Touro InfirmaryAge: 85Family: children, Brenda, 67, Mark, 58, Beth, 55; seven grandchildren;and eight great-grandchildrenEducation: chaplain training, Baptist Hospital38 Health Care Heroesphoto by Frank AymamiTouro Infirmary volunteer Tessie Trosclair visits with patient Ron Cheek.FOR THE PAST 28 years, Tessie Trosclair has made the55-mile roundtrip ride from Norco to New Orleans threetimes a week to provide care for those who most need it —and it hasn’t earned her a dime.As a key part of Touro’s Pastoral Care department,Trosclair has logged more than 6,000 volunteer hourssince 1989, working with the Rev. Doug Brougher,Touro’s Catholic chaplain. But when it comes to hours,Trosclair isn’t counting.“Sometimes you just wind up where you know you’reneeded,” Trosclair said.Ministering to long- and short-term patients often facingserious and distressing health circumstances, she visits peopleat all hours of the day, sometimes even making house calls.With each patient, the number of people in need of careincreases exponentially. Often, it’s the families of patients whoneed the most care.“The other day some teenagers’ mother had died, andthey were in the hallway beating on the walls. They neededsomeone to tell them it was going to be OK.”Trosclair’s colleagues have recognized her for her limitlessenergy and tireless commitment. Named Touro’sVolunteer of the Year in 2003 and recipient of the NewOrleans Saints’ Quarterback Award for Volunteerism in2004, she’s still motivated by a simple guiding principle.“I always try to put myself in the other person’s shoes.I talk to people, encourage them and tell them the Lordwill take care of them.”At age 85, Trosclair quotes the Book of Jeremiah whenspeaking of the future and harbors only one fear. Asked ifshe ever feels reluctant to make the long trip into the cityfor work that offers no financial reward, she defined herefforts as a calling God provides her the strength to continue.“I dread the day I can’t go to Touro anymore to do thiswork, but I know the Lord will take care of that part, too.”•— Thomas Leggett

VOLUNTEERJessie WilliamsPosition: retired nurse, Harry Tompson CenterAge: 78Family: widow; children, Norva, 56, Harold, 54, Dallas, 47,Bridgette, 44Education: registered nurse, Charity Hospital School of NursingFOR JESSIE WILLIAMS, a volunteer intake and triagenurse at the Harry Tompson Center, the question that oftenreveals a client’s greatest need isn’t “Where does it hurt?”but “Where do you live?”“You ask for the address and they’ll say, ‘Well, I’m homeless.I live right over there under the bridge,’” said Williams,a retired registered nurse who worked for 30 years in localhospitals.Next to getting prescriptions filled, help with finding aplace to live is probably the most common request amongthe people Williams sees at the center, which provides a varietyof services for the poor and homeless in downtown NewOrleans, from laundry facilities to referrals for legal aid. Sobesides getting patients’ medical histories, taking their bloodpressure and other vital signs, and preparing them to see theonsite nurse practitioner, Williams often refers clients to thesocial worker on duty for housing assistance.Many of those who walk through the center’s doors arealso looking for a compassionate listener.“Sometimes when they come in, they want to talkphoto by Tracie Morris Schaeferabout what’s bothering them.”Williams, mother-in-law of the center’s executive director,Don Thompson, began volunteering there a couple ofmonths after it opened Sept. 11.Before her retirement, Williams spent six years as alicensed practical nurse at Charity Hospital before returningto school for her registered nurse credentials. She then spent24 years at the Veterans Administration Hospital.What makes her happiest about the work she does now issimply “to say that maybe I’m making a difference — helpingsomebody.”•— Sonya StinsonArriving dailyon your computer!FREEDaily UpdateRegister todaywww.neworleanscitybusiness.com/dailyupdate.cfmNew Orleans CityBusiness — May 26, 2008 39

WHY ARE WE HERE?BECAUSE TODAY’SNEW ORLEANS NEEDSTOMORROW’SBEST HEALTH CAREAT TOURO, WE’RE NOTWAITING FOR TOMORROW.Touro Infirmary congratulates the 2008 CityBusiness Health Care Heroes. Thank you to all of ouremployees, physicians and volunteers for continuing our 155-year legacy of service. Touro is proudto lead the way to tomorrow’s health care.Daniel Bouchette, MDJocelyn Greely, MDEmile LaBranche, MDBrian Mahl, RNThanh Nguyen, MDTessie Trosclair, volunteerStella Wright, RNJOIN THE TOURO TEAM.FOR MORE INFORMATION,CALL 504-897-8340OR VISIT WWW.TOURO.COM.40 Health Care Heroes