exchange summer 2012 reading spreads flat

Exchange, Second Quarter 2012 • ## www.BRGLinkin.org

©2012 Capital City Pre

ss

87th year, No. 342

WEDNESDAYJUNE 6, 20

12

BATON ROUGE

theadvocate.com

75 cents

INDEX

GOOD MORNING,

LOUISIANA

PEOPLE

BR designer,

others showcase

collections in BR

ä PAGE 1D

SPORTS

LSU’s Nola

goes to Marlins;

Goody drafted

by Yankees

ä PAGE 1C

NATION

Wis. governor

survives recall

challenge

ä PAGE 2A

BUSINESS

Gross domestic

product up in La.

ä PAGE 6B

THE

ADVOCATETH E I ND E P END EN T VO I C E O F SOU TH LOU I S I A NA

TODAY’SWEATHER

Showers.

High: 92.Low: 70.

DETAILS: 10B

H

Business6B

Classified1E

Comics 5D

Deaths7A

Movies3D

Notices7E

Opinion8B

People 1D

Puzzles4D

Sports1C

Television3D

Weather10B

BOSSIER CITY—Will

iam “Bil-

ly” Bretherton, sta

r of the

A&E reality TV s

how “Billy

the Exterminator,”

was ar-

rested ondrug pos

session

chargesin Bossie

r City.

City spokesmanM

ark

Natale said Tuesda

y that a

warrantwas

issued last

week for

Bretherton

and his wife,

Mary, after

items recov-

ered from

their hotel

room tested

positive for synthe

tic mari-

juana.They sur

renderedto

authorities Friday

, posted

$6,000 bond each a

nd were

releasedlater that

day, Na-

tale said.

The reality show f

ollows

Bretherton, a pes

t-control

specialist in north

Louisiana,

as he responds to

calls to

wrangle,trap or k

ill various

critters and pests,

among

them bees, snakes

and cock-

roaches.

A&E didnot reply

to a re-

quest forcommen

t.

By The Associated

Press

Reality show star

faces drugcharges

Bretherton

Fiscal hawks not disc

ouraged

LouisianaHouseRe

publicans

who fashioned the

mselvesas

fiscal hawks during

the recent

session said Tuesd

ay that they

are not discourag

ed by their

failure topurge on

e-time mon-

ey from the state b

udget.

Roughlythree doz

en Repub-

licans held up the

budget de-

bate fortwo days

and inspired

a poemtitled “F

iscal Hawk

Ride.” However, i

n the waning

days of the sessio

n, they lost

their battle over th

e budget.

“We’re not going

anywhere.

We’re going to ke

ep plugging

away. We have a

lot of new,

fresh blood,” stat

e Rep. John

Schroder, R-Covin

gton, saidon

Tuesday.

The 2012Legislati

ve session

endedMonday nig

ht.

The budget disput

e is raising

questionson wheth

er the clash

with theRepublic

an governor

will result in a pol

itical gutting

of committee vic

e chairmen

who opposed him.

Gov.BobbyJindal

saidhewill

leave that decisi

on to House

SpeakerChuck K

leckley,R-

LakeCharles, and

SenatePresi-

dent JohnAlario, R

-Westwego.

“I respect those th

at came to

themicrophone,ev

en those that

disagreed with us

, even those

that voted differe

ntly fromthe

way wewould ha

ve wanted,”

the governor said.

Kleckley, who pre

sides over

the chamber in wh

ich the bulk

of the defiance oc

curred, re-

fused to speculate.

“I’m notgo-

ing to comment o

n that atthis

time,” hesaid.

The self-descri

bed fiscal

hawks clashed wi

th Jindalon

how to balance the

$25.6 billion

state spending pla

n for thefis-

cal year that starts

July 1.

At issuewas whe

ther to use

one-timedollars to

pay expens-

es that must be m

et year after

year. With state re

venue short

of the amount nee

ded to keep

servicesat their c

urrent level,

Jindal wanted to

sell property

and gather dollar

s from funds

scatteredacross st

ate govern-

ment to fill in the g

aps.

BY MICHELLEMILLHOLL

ON

Capitol news bure

au

Source: The Leapfr

og Group

Advocategraphic

Hospital grades

BATON ROUGE AREA

Baton Rouge Gene

ral Medical Center

A

OchsnerMedical

Center—

Baton Rouge

B

Earl K. Long Med

ical Center

C

Lane Regional Me

dical Center C

Our Ladyof the La

ke Regional

MedicalCenter

C

St. Elizabeth Hosp

italC

Woman’s Hospital

C

LAFAYETTE AREA

The Regional Hea

lth System

of Acadiana

A

Our Ladyof Lourd

es Regional

MedicalCenter

B

LafayetteGeneral

MedicalCenter C

University Medica

l CenterC

Dauterive Hospit

alC

Baton Rouge Gene

ral Medical Center

Baton Rouge

Earl K. Long Med

ical Center

Lane Regional Me

dical Center

St. Elizabeth Hosp

ital

LafayetteGeneral

MedicalCenter

University Medica

l Center

WASHINGTON – Sen.

Mary

Landrieu, D-La

., and other

Democratswho pu

shed forleg-

islation to more e

asily litigate

for equal pay in t

he workplace

were defeated Tue

sday by Sen-

ate Republicans.

As expected, the

Paycheck

FairnessAct legis

lation seek-

ing to amend the

Fair Labor

Standards Act

of 1938fell

short of the neede

d 60 support-

ers in a 52-47 part

y-line vote.

Sen. David Vitter,

R-La., like

other Senate Repu

blicans, vot-

ed against the me

asure.

Republicans ar

gued the

legislation was

unnecessary

since appropriat

e protections

alreadyare in p

lace andthe

bill added extra

burdenson

businesses.

“This bill is about

rewarding

trial lawyers for

filing law-

suits,” SenateMin

ority Leader

Mitch McConnell

, R-Ky, said.

“We have a joble

ss problem.

We havea debt p

roblem.We

have a deficit prob

lem. Wegot

a lot of problems

. Not enough

lawsuitsis not on

e of them.”

Asked ifhe was c

oncerned

about alienating

women with

a GOP filibuster

, McConnell

said themeasure

opened the

door to more laws

uits against

employers.

Democrats argu

ed in favor

of creating more

remediesfor

workplace discrim

ination in a

nation where wo

men receive

77 centson the d

ollar com-

pared with men

for the same

work.Earlier i

n the day, Landr

ieu

took tothe Sen

ate floor to

speak infavor of

the legisla-

tion, while also n

oting pay in-

equitiesin Louisi

ana.

She called the b

ill an “eco-

nomic developme

nt issue.

“Wage discrimin

ation based

on gender is parti

cularly prob-

lematic in my sta

te, according

to the Joint Eco

nomic Com-

mittee report,” La

ndrieu said.

“Womenin Louis

iana don’t

earn 77cents. T

hey earn69

cents forevery do

llar paidto

men,which is sign

ificantlyless

than thenational

average.”

Landrieu said t

he legisla-

tion is about helpi

ng American

families.

“Thereare wom

en nowat

the highest ranks

of corporate

America,” Landri

eu said. “The

problemis, when

you lookat

the wage gap, u

nfortunately,

it still exists. And

, with women

now in many inst

ances being

the major brea

dwinners in

their families, thi

s reallyis a

family issue.

“It’s paying som

e families

much less than oth

ers basedon

the factthat ther

e is a woman

as the breadwinn

er instead of

the man,” she sai

d.

BY JORDAN BLUM

AdvocateWashingt

on bureau

U.S. Senate

rejectsequal paylegislation

Baton Rouge Gen

eral Medi-

cal Center was t

he lone area

hospitalto get an

A in Hospi-

tal Safety Score,

a Leapfrog

Group-created ran

king of hos-

pitals nationwide.

The grades are ba

sed on pre-

ventablehospital

conditions,

such as infections

, medication

errors, acquired i

njuries such

as bedsores, and ot

her sources

of harm,includin

g falls, that

can often be fata

l, according

to the report.

OchsnerMedical

Center-Ba-

ton Rouge receive

d a B, while

the other Baton

Rouge-area

hospitalsreceived

C’s, accord-

ing to thereport.

Some local hosp

itals com-

plainedof not re

ceivingthe

report orknowing

how grades

were calculated an

d what they

mean.“We’re n

ot sayingthat som

e-

bodywhogot aBor

aC is ahor-

rible hospital. We

’re not,”said

DavidKnowlton, p

residentand

chief executive of

ficer of the

New Jersey Heal

thcare Qual-

ity Institute and

chairman of

The Leapfrog Gro

up’s Patient

Safety Committee.

“We’re say-

ing we want ever

ybody toget

A’s.”“Really

there are two el

e-

ments toyour car

e. The first

elementis finding

a physician

and a team that’s

going topro-

vide optimal care

…,” Knowl-

ton said.“But the

n the other

component that e

ncompasses

themajority of ca

re in thehos-

pital is what syste

ms the hos-

pital hasin place t

o make sure

the hospital is a sa

fe place and

to ensurethat no h

arm is done

to you byvirtue of

you beingin

the hospital.”

For example, a pa

tient goes

into a hospital f

or a hipre-

placement, the s

urgeon does

a wonderful job

and theop-

eration isa success

, Knowlton

said. Butwhile in

the hospital,

the patient picks

up an infec-

tion andspends m

onths fight-

ing it offor, worse

, dies from

the complications.

Patientsshould co

nsider the

second element o

f care inde-

ciding where to g

et care,he

said.The Leap

frog Group, whos

e

membership incl

udes various

large corporations

and public

agenciesthat buy

health ben-

efits, uses empl

oyer-buying

power topush the

health in-

dustry to make

big leaps in

improving health-

care safety,

quality and custo

mer value,

according to its w

ebsite.

The ideais to get

people to

ask questions, Kn

owlton said.

Consumers may

completely

trust their docto

rs, but still

be able to tell the

ir physician

they’re uncomfor

table being

sent to aC hospita

l.

BY TED GRIGGS

Advocatebusiness

writer

1 BR hospital gets

A on national list

Baton Rouge General t

ops in safety; Ochsne

r gets B

Photo provided b

y CHARLESBREARD

The Bellemont Hote

l, built in1946 at Airline

Highwaynear Gre

enwell Springs Roa

d, is being

demolished for salvag

e. The accompanying

50,000-square-foo

t Great Hall conve

ntion center,

bottom right, faces the sa

me fate. Itwas built

in 1984.

A massive tinkli

ng chande-

lier still hangs abo

ve the black-

and-white, marbl

e-tiled lobby

of the Bellemont H

otel’s Great

Hall — at least, fo

r now.

Like therest of t

his vestige

from Airline High

way’s glory

days, the chand

elier will be

coming down.

Crews are poundi

ng through

walls, recovering

bricks along

with copper wiri

ng andthe

other salvageab

le building

materials that v

andals have

not already carte

d off, asthey

demolishthe hotel

complex.

The jobshould b

e done in

about five weeks,

said Patrick

Jeansonne, of B

ayou Corne,

who’s completing

the job with

his brother Cha

rlie Hayden

andworkcrews. A

fter that,the

18-acresite that

once housed

more than 250 h

otel rooms,

swimming pools, p

arking spac-

es and the 50,000

-square-foot

Great Hall conve

ntion center

BY SKIP DESCANT

Advocatebusiness

writer

Landmark hotel

Bellemont leveled

Advocatemap

N

ChoctawDr.

Winbourne A

ve.

Prescott Rd. Airline

Hwy.

GreenwellSpringsRd.

Bellemont

Hotel

äSee EQUALPAY, page 4

A

äSee SAFETY, page 5A

äSee BELLEMONT, pag

e 5A

äSee HAWKS, page 4A

ä Governor vetoes three items,

urged to veto another. 4A

Second Quarter, 2012

Baton Rouge General and General Health System Employee Newsletter

ExchangeA Satellite Campus of

Tulane University School of Medicine

One Vision 2

Cancer Awareness 6

In the Spotlight 8

Nurse Excellence Awards 9

Tulane Graduates 9

Summer Safety 14

Employees Getting FitSee BRGFit! Page 4

BRG Patient Safety Is Front Page News! See Page 2

2 • Exchange, Second Quarter 2012 www.BRGLinkin.org

No matter where we are, we are representatives of Baton Rouge General, and it’s important that we feel a sense of pride regarding the positive changes, opportunities and growth taking place on both of our campuses.

Although we embrace the uniqueness of our two campuses, we are one hospital with one mission.

Being able to draw upon the strengths, skills, talents and technology of two facilities ensures that we can deliver consistent, high-quality care and achieve superior outcomes for our patients.

One Mission. One Vision. One BR General.

Go to www.BRGLinkin.org to read the complete Advocate story.

Leading the WayA message from Bill Holman, President and CEO

©2012 Capital City Press87th year, No. 342

WEDNESDAYJUNE 6, 2012

BATON ROUGEtheadvocate.com

75 cents

INDEX

GOOD MORNING,

LOUISIANAPEOPLE

BR designer,others showcasecollections in BRä PAGE 1D

SPORTS

LSU’s Nolagoes to Marlins;Goody draftedby Yankeesä PAGE 1C

NATION

Wis. governorsurvives recallchallengeä PAGE 2A

BUSINESS

Gross domesticproduct up in La.ä PAGE 6B

THEADVOCATETH E I ND E P END EN T VO I C E O F SOU TH LOU I S I A NA

TODAY’SWEATHERShowers.

High: 92. Low: 70.

DETAILS: 10BH

Business 6BClassified 1EComics 5DDeaths 7AMovies 3DNotices 7E

Opinion 8BPeople 1DPuzzles 4DSports 1CTelevision 3DWeather 10B

BOSSIER CITY—William “Bil-ly” Bretherton, star of theA&E reality TV show “Billythe Exterminator,” was ar-rested on drug possessioncharges in Bossier City.City spokesmanMarkNatale said Tuesday that a

warrant wasissued lastweek forBrethertonand his wife,Mary, afteritems recov-ered fromtheir hotelroom tested

positive for synthetic mari-juana.They surrendered toauthorities Friday, posted$6,000 bond each and werereleased later that day, Na-tale said.The reality show followsBretherton, a pest-controlspecialist in north Louisiana,as he responds to calls towrangle, trap or kill variouscritters and pests, amongthem bees, snakes and cock-roaches.A&E did not reply to a re-quest for comment.

By The Associated Press

Reality show starfaces drug charges

Bretherton

Fiscal hawks not discouragedLouisianaHouseRepublicanswho fashioned themselves asfiscal hawks during the recentsession said Tuesday that theyare not discouraged by theirfailure to purge one-time mon-ey from the state budget.Roughly three dozen Repub-licans held up the budget de-bate for two days and inspireda poem titled “Fiscal HawkRide.” However, in the waningdays of the session, they losttheir battle over the budget.“We’re not going anywhere.

We’re going to keep pluggingaway. We have a lot of new,fresh blood,” state Rep. JohnSchroder, R-Covington, said onTuesday.The 2012 Legislative sessionendedMonday night.The budget dispute is raisingquestions on whether the clashwith the Republican governorwill result in a political guttingof committee vice chairmenwho opposed him.

Gov.BobbyJindal saidhewillleave that decision to HouseSpeaker Chuck Kleckley, R-LakeCharles, andSenatePresi-dent JohnAlario, R-Westwego.“I respect those that came tothemicrophone,even those thatdisagreed with us, even thosethat voted differently from theway we would have wanted,”the governor said.Kleckley, who presides overthe chamber in which the bulkof the defiance occurred, re-fused to speculate. “I’m not go-ing to comment on that at thistime,” he said.

The self-described fiscalhawks clashed with Jindal onhow to balance the $25.6 billionstate spending plan for the fis-cal year that starts July 1.At issue was whether to useone-time dollars to pay expens-es that must be met year afteryear. With state revenue shortof the amount needed to keepservices at their current level,Jindal wanted to sell propertyand gather dollars from fundsscattered across state govern-ment to fill in the gaps.

BY MICHELLE MILLHOLLONCapitol news bureau

Source: The Leapfrog Group Advocate graphic

Hospital gradesBATON ROUGE AREABaton Rouge General Medical Center AOchsner Medical Center—Baton Rouge BEarl K. Long Medical Center CLane Regional Medical Center COur Lady of the Lake RegionalMedical Center CSt. Elizabeth Hospital CWoman’s Hospital C

LAFAYETTE AREAThe Regional Health Systemof Acadiana AOur Lady of Lourdes RegionalMedical Center BLafayette General Medical Center CUniversity Medical Center CDauterive Hospital C

Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton RougeEarl K. Long Medical CenterLane Regional Medical Center

St. Elizabeth Hospital

Lafayette General Medical CenterUniversity Medical Center

WASHINGTON – Sen. MaryLandrieu, D-La., and otherDemocratswho pushed for leg-islation to more easily litigatefor equal pay in the workplacewere defeated Tuesday by Sen-ate Republicans.As expected, the PaycheckFairness Act legislation seek-ing to amend the Fair LaborStandards Act of 1938 fellshort of the needed 60 support-ers in a 52-47 party-line vote.Sen. David Vitter, R-La., likeother Senate Republicans, vot-ed against the measure.Republicans argued thelegislation was unnecessarysince appropriate protectionsalready are in place and thebill added extra burdens onbusinesses.“This bill is about rewardingtrial lawyers for filing law-suits,” SenateMinority LeaderMitch McConnell, R-Ky, said.“We have a jobless problem.We have a debt problem. Wehave a deficit problem. We gota lot of problems. Not enoughlawsuits is not one of them.”Asked if he was concernedabout alienating women witha GOP filibuster, McConnellsaid the measure opened thedoor to more lawsuits againstemployers.Democrats argued in favorof creating more remedies forworkplace discrimination in anation where women receive77 cents on the dollar com-pared with men for the samework.Earlier in the day, Landrieutook to the Senate floor tospeak in favor of the legisla-tion, while also noting pay in-equities in Louisiana.She called the bill an “eco-nomic development issue.“Wage discrimination basedon gender is particularly prob-lematic in my state, accordingto the Joint Economic Com-mittee report,” Landrieu said.“Women in Louisiana don’tearn 77 cents. They earn 69cents for every dollar paid tomen,which is significantly lessthan the national average.”Landrieu said the legisla-tion is about helping Americanfamilies.“There are women now atthe highest ranks of corporateAmerica,” Landrieu said. “Theproblem is, when you look atthe wage gap, unfortunately,it still exists. And, with womennow in many instances beingthe major breadwinners intheir families, this really is afamily issue.“It’s paying some familiesmuch less than others based onthe fact that there is a womanas the breadwinner instead ofthe man,” she said.

BY JORDAN BLUMAdvocate Washington bureau

U.S. Senaterejectsequal paylegislation

Baton Rouge General Medi-cal Center was the lone areahospital to get an A in Hospi-tal Safety Score, a LeapfrogGroup-created ranking of hos-pitals nationwide.The grades are based on pre-ventable hospital conditions,such as infections, medicationerrors, acquired injuries suchas bedsores, and other sourcesof harm, including falls, thatcan often be fatal, accordingto the report.Ochsner Medical Center-Ba-ton Rouge received a B, whilethe other Baton Rouge-areahospitals received C’s, accord-ing to the report.

Some local hospitals com-plained of not receiving thereport or knowing how gradeswere calculated and what theymean.“We’re not saying that some-bodywhogot aBor aC is ahor-rible hospital. We’re not,” saidDavidKnowlton, president andchief executive officer of theNew Jersey Healthcare Qual-ity Institute and chairman ofThe Leapfrog Group’s PatientSafety Committee. “We’re say-ing we want everybody to getA’s.”“Really there are two ele-ments to your care. The firstelement is finding a physicianand a team that’s going to pro-vide optimal care …,” Knowl-

ton said. “But then the othercomponent that encompassesthemajority of care in the hos-pital is what systems the hos-pital has in place to make surethe hospital is a safe place andto ensure that no harm is doneto you byvirtue of you being inthe hospital.”For example, a patient goesinto a hospital for a hip re-placement, the surgeon doesa wonderful job and the op-eration is a success, Knowltonsaid. But while in the hospital,the patient picks up an infec-tion and spends months fight-ing it off or, worse, dies fromthe complications.Patients should consider thesecond element of care in de-

ciding where to get care, hesaid.The Leapfrog Group, whosemembership includes variouslarge corporations and publicagencies that buy health ben-efits, uses employer-buyingpower to push the health in-dustry to make big leaps inimproving health-care safety,quality and customer value,according to its website.The idea is to get people toask questions, Knowlton said.Consumers may completelytrust their doctors, but stillbe able to tell their physicianthey’re uncomfortable beingsent to a C hospital.

BY TED GRIGGSAdvocate business writer

1 BR hospital getsA on national list

Baton Rouge General tops in safety; Ochsner gets B

Photo provided by CHARLES BREARD

The Bellemont Hotel, built in 1946 at Airline Highway near Greenwell Springs Road, is beingdemolished for salvage. The accompanying 50,000-square-foot Great Hall convention center,bottom right, faces the same fate. It was built in 1984.

A massive tinkling chande-lier still hangs above the black-and-white, marble-tiled lobbyof the Bellemont Hotel’s GreatHall — at least, for now.Like the rest of this vestigefrom Airline Highway’s glorydays, the chandelier will becoming down.Crews are pounding throughwalls, recovering bricks alongwith copper wiring and theother salvageable buildingmaterials that vandals havenot already carted off, as theydemolish the hotel complex.The job should be done inabout five weeks, said PatrickJeansonne, of Bayou Corne,who’s completing the job withhis brother Charlie Hayden

andwork crews. After that, the18-acre site that once housedmore than 250 hotel rooms,swimming pools, parking spac-es and the 50,000-square-footGreat Hall convention center

BY SKIP DESCANTAdvocate business writer

Landmark hotelBellemont leveled

Advocate map

NChoctaw Dr.

Winbourne Ave.

Prescott Rd.

AirlineHw

y.

Greenw

ellSpr

ings R

d.BellemontHotel

äSee EQUAL PAY, page 4AäSee SAFETY, page 5A

äSee BELLEMONT, page 5A


ä Governor vetoes three items,urged to veto another. 4A

©2012 Capital City Pre

ss

87th year, No. 342

WEDNESDAYJUNE 6, 20

12

BATON ROUGE

theadvocate.com

75 cents

INDEX

GOOD MORNING,

LOUISIANA

PEOPLE

BR designer,

others showcase

collections in BR

ä PAGE 1D

SPORTS

LSU’s Nola

goes to Marlins;

Goody drafted

by Yankees

ä PAGE 1C

NATION

Wis. governor

survives recall

challenge

ä PAGE 2A

BUSINESS

Gross domestic

product up in La.

ä PAGE 6B

THE

ADVOCATETH E I ND E P END EN T VO I C E O F SOU TH LOU I S I A NA

TODAY’SWEATHER

Showers.

High: 92.Low: 70.

DETAILS: 10B

H

Business6B

Classified1E

Comics 5D

Deaths7A

Movies3D

Notices7E

Opinion8B

People 1D

Puzzles4D

Sports1C

Television 3D

Weather10B

BOSSIER CITY—Wil

liam “Bil-

ly” Bretherton, sta

r of the

A&E reality TV s

how “Billy

the Exterminator

,” was ar-

rested ondrug pos

session

chargesin Bossie

r City.

City spokesmanM

ark

Natale said Tuesd

ay that a

warrantwas

issued last

week for

Bretherton

and his wife,

Mary, after

items recov-

ered from

their hotel

room tested

positivefor synth

etic mari-

juana.They sur

renderedto

authorities Friday

, posted

$6,000 bond each a

nd were

releasedlater tha

t day, Na-

tale said.

The reality show

follows

Bretherton, a pes

t-control

specialist in north

Louisiana,

as he responds to

calls to

wrangle,trap or k

ill various

critters and pests,

among

them bees, snakes

and cock-

roaches.

A&E didnot reply

to a re-

quest forcommen

t.

By The Associated

Press

Reality show star

faces drugcharges

Bretherton

Fiscal hawks not disc

ouraged

LouisianaHouseR

epublicans

who fashioned th

emselves as

fiscal hawks duri

ng the recent

session said Tues

day thatthey

are notdiscoura

ged by their

failure topurge on

e-time mon-

ey fromthe state

budget.

Roughlythree do

zen Repub-

licans held up the

budget de-

bate fortwo days

and inspired

a poemtitled “F

iscal Hawk

Ride.” However,

in the waning

days ofthe sess

ion, theylost

their battle over t

he budget.

“We’re not going

anywhere.

We’re going to ke

ep plugging

away. We have a

lot of new,

fresh blood,” stat

e Rep. John

Schroder, R-Covin

gton, saidon

Tuesday.

The 2012Legislati

ve session

endedMonday ni

ght.

The budget disput

e is raising

questions on whe

ther theclash

with theRepublic

an governor

will result in a po

litical gutting

of committee vic

e chairmen

who opposed him.

Gov.BobbyJindal

saidhewill

leave that decis

ion to House

SpeakerChuck K

leckley,R-

LakeCharles, and

SenatePresi-

dent JohnAlario,

R-Westwego.

“I respect those th

at cameto

themicrophone,ev

en those that

disagreed with u

s, even those

that voted differe

ntly fromthe

way wewould ha

ve wanted,”

the governor said

.

Kleckley, who pr

esides over

the chamber in wh

ich the bulk

of the defiance

occurred, re-

fused tospeculate

. “I’m not go-

ing to comment o

n that atthis

time,” hesaid.

The self-descri

bed fiscal

hawks clashed w

ith Jindal on

how to balance the

$25.6 billion

state spending pla

n for thefis-

cal yearthat star

ts July 1.

At issuewas whe

ther to use

one-timedollars to

pay expens-

es that must be m

et year after

year. With state r

evenue short

of the amount nee

ded to keep

servicesat their c

urrent level,

Jindal wanted to

sell property

and gather dollar

s from funds

scatteredacross st

ate govern-

ment to fill in the

gaps.

BY MICHELLEMILLHOLL

ON

Capitol news bure

au

Source: The Leapf

rog Group

Advocategraphic

Hospital grades

BATON ROUGE AREA

Baton Rouge Gene

ral Medical Center

A

OchsnerMedical

Center—

Baton Rouge

B

Earl K. Long Med

ical Center

C

Lane Regional M

edical Center

C

Our Ladyof the La

ke Regional

MedicalCenter

C

St. Elizabeth Hos

pitalC

Woman’s Hospital

C

LAFAYETTE AREA

The Regional He

alth System

of Acadiana

A

Our Ladyof Lourd

es Regional

MedicalCenter

B

Lafayette Genera

l Medical Center

C

University Medic

al Center

C

Dauterive Hospit

alC

Baton Rouge Gene

ral Medical Center

Baton Rouge

Earl K. Long Med

ical Center

Lane Regional M

edical Center

St. Elizabeth Hos

pital

Lafayette Genera

l Medical Center

University Medic

al Center

WASHINGTON – Sen.

Mary

Landrieu, D-La

., and other

Democratswho pu

shed forleg-

islation to more e

asily litigate

for equal pay in t

he workplace

were defeated Tu

esday bySen-

ate Republicans.

As expected, the

Paycheck

FairnessAct legis

lation seek-

ing to amend th

e Fair Labor

Standards Act

of 1938fell

short ofthe need

ed 60 support-

ers in a 52-47 part

y-line vote.

Sen. David Vitter

, R-La., like

other Senate Rep

ublicans, vot-

ed against the me

asure.

Republicans a

rguedthe

legislation was

unnecessary

since appropriat

e protections

alreadyare in p

lace andthe

bill added extra

burdenson

businesses.

“This bill is abou

t rewarding

trial lawyers for

filing law-

suits,” SenateMin

ority Leader

Mitch McConnell

, R-Ky, said.

“We have a joble

ss problem.

We havea debt p

roblem.We

have a deficit pr

oblem. We got

a lot of problems

. Not enough

lawsuitsis not on

e of them.”

Asked ifhe was c

oncerned

about alienating

womenwith

a GOP filibuster

, McConnell

said themeasure

openedthe

door to more laws

uits against

employers.

Democrats argu

ed in favor

of creating more

remedies for

workplace discr

imination in a

nation where wo

men receive

77 centson the d

ollar com-

pared with men

for the same

work.Earlier i

n the day, Landr

ieu

took tothe Sen

ate floor to

speak infavor of

the legisla-

tion, while also n

oting pay in-

equitiesin Louisi

ana.

She called the b

ill an “eco-

nomic developme

nt issue.

“Wage discrimin

ation based

on gender is parti

cularly prob-

lematic in my sta

te, according

to the Joint Eco

nomic Com-

mittee report,” L

andrieusaid.

“Womenin Louis

iana don’t

earn 77cents. T

hey earn 69

cents for every

dollar paid to

men,which is sig

nificantly less

than thenational

average.”

Landrieu said t

he legisla-

tion is about helpi

ng American

families.

“Thereare wom

en nowat

the highest rank

s of corporate

America,” Landr

ieu said.“The

problemis, when

you lookat

the wage gap, u

nfortunately,

it still exists. And

, with women

now in many inst

ances being

the major brea

dwinners in

their families, thi

s reallyis a

family issue.

“It’s paying som

e families

much less than ot

hers based on

the factthat ther

e is a woman

as the breadwinn

er instead of

the man,” she sai

d.

BY JORDAN BLUM

AdvocateWashing

ton bureau

U.S. Senate

rejectsequal paylegislation

Baton Rouge Ge

neral Medi-

cal Center was t

he lonearea

hospitalto get an

A in Hospi-

tal Safety Score

, a Leapfrog

Group-created ran

king of hos-

pitals nationwide

.

The grades are ba

sed on pre-

ventablehospital

conditions,

such as infection

s, medication

errors, acquired

injuriessuch

as bedsores, and

other sources

of harm, includi

ng falls,that

can often be fata

l, according

to the report.

OchsnerMedical

Center-Ba-

ton Rouge receive

d a B, while

the other Baton

Rouge-area

hospitalsreceived

C’s, accord-

ing to thereport.

Some local hosp

itals com-

plainedof not r

eceivingthe

report orknowing

how grades

were calculated a

nd whatthey

mean.“We’re n

ot sayingthat som

e-

bodywhogot aBor

aC is ahor-

rible hospital. We

’re not,”said

DavidKnowlton, p

residentand

chief executive o

fficer ofthe

New Jersey Hea

lthcare Qual-

ity Institute and

chairman of

The Leapfrog Gr

oup’s Patient

Safety Committe

e. “We’resay-

ing we want ever

ybody toget

A’s.”“Really

there are two el

e-

ments toyour car

e. The first

elementis findin

g a physician

and a team that’s

going topro-

vide optimal car

e …,” Knowl-

ton said. “But th

en the other

component that e

ncompasses

themajority of ca

re in thehos-

pital is what syste

ms the hos-

pital hasin place

to makesure

the hospital is a s

afe placeand

to ensurethat no h

arm is done

to you byvirtue of

you being in

the hospital.”

For example, a pa

tient goes

into a hospital f

or a hipre-

placement, the s

urgeon does

a wonderful job

and theop-

eration is a succe

ss, Knowlton

said. Butwhile in

the hospital,

the patient picks

up an infec-

tion andspends m

onths fight-

ing it offor, worse

, dies from

the complications

.

Patientsshould c

onsider the

second element o

f care inde-

ciding where to

get care, he

said.The Lea

pfrog Group, who

se

membership incl

udes various

large corporation

s and public

agenciesthat buy

health ben-

efits, uses empl

oyer-buying

power topush the

health in-

dustry to make

big leaps in

improving health

-care safety,

qualityand cus

tomer value,

according to its w

ebsite.

The ideais to get

people to

ask questions, Kn

owlton said.

Consumers may

completely

trust their doct

ors, butstill

be able to tell the

ir physician

they’reuncomfo

rtable being

sent to aC hospita

l.

BY TED GRIGGS

Advocatebusiness

writer

1 BR hospital gets

A on national list

Baton Rouge Genera

l tops in safety; Ochsn

er gets B

Photo provided b

y CHARLESBREARD

The Bellemont Hote

l, built in1946 at Airline

Highwaynear Gre

enwell Springs R

oad, is being

demolished for salvag

e. The accompanying

50,000-square-f

oot Great Hall co

nventioncenter,

bottom right, faces the sa

me fate. Itwas built

in 1984.

A massive tinkli

ng chande-

lier stillhangs ab

ove the black-

and-white, marb

le-tiled lobby

of the Bellemont

Hotel’s Great

Hall — at least, fo

r now.

Like therest of t

his vestige

from Airline Hig

hway’s glory

days, the chand

elier will be

coming down.

Crews are poundi

ng through

walls, recovering

bricks along

with copper wi

ring andthe

other salvagea

ble building

materials that v

andals have

not already carte

d off, asthey

demolishthe hotel

complex.

The jobshould b

e donein

about five weeks,

said Patrick

Jeansonne, of B

ayou Corne,

who’s completing

the job with

his brother Cha

rlie Hayden

andworkcrews. A

fter that, the

18-acresite that

once housed

more than 250

hotel rooms,

swimming pools, p

arking spac-

es and the 50,00

0-square-foot

Great Hall conv

ention center

BY SKIP DESCANT

Advocatebusiness

writer

Landmark hotel

Bellemont leveled

Advocatemap

N

ChoctawDr.

Winbourne A

ve.

Prescott Rd. Airline

Hwy.

GreenwellSpringsRd.

Bellemont

Hotel

äSee EQUAL PAY, pag

e 4A

äSee SAFETY, page 5A

äSee BELLEMONT, pag

e 5A


ä Governor vetoes three items,

urged to veto another.4A

The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Wednesday, June 6, 2012 n 5A

will lookmuch lik

e it did be-

fore themotor ho

tel was built

in 1946.Glenda

Calloway, 61, th

e

hotel’s current o

wner would

have liketo have r

eturnedthe

Bellemont to the

eleganceshe

remembers. Cal

loway grew

up in thearea, and

in themid-

1980s bought the

Pines Motel

across the highwa

y from the

Bellemont.

In 2009,after the

Bellemont

hotel had long si

nce stopped

accepting guests

, the hotel

and conference c

enter were

purchased byCall

oway’s fam-

ily for $535,000, a

ccordingto

an Advocate new

s report.

Calloway wante

d to return

the Great Hall to

its original

splendor, capabl

e of accom-

modating 2,500.

“I would have

broughtit

back thesame wa

y,” she said

Tuesday. The ro

oms would

have been trans

formedinto

extended-stay a

partments,

often used by co

ntract work-

ers, sheadded, m

uch likeher

currentproperty

Crown Ef-

ficiencyApartme

nts, which

used to be the Pin

es Motel.

At the time, Ca

lloway es-

timatedit would

have cost

about $200,000 t

o renovate

the Great Hall. T

hat wasbe-

fore vandals ran

sackedthe

place. Now, who

knows what

it wouldcost, she

said. It was

built in1984 for

about $5.8

million.“They t

ore thewalls ou

t,

and ripped thewi

ring out,and

all the copper ou

t of theair-

conditioning,” C

allowaysaid,

recallingthe vand

al-inflicted

damageacross al

l of the prop-

erty. “And I didn’

t know what

to do, and I didn

’t knowhow

to stop it.

“So now, it’s ju

st too far

gone,” she added.

The non-paying g

uests have

even made the B

ellemont’s

demolition som

ewhat of a

challenge, said Je

ansonne.

“The biggest thin

g has been

the homeless peop

le thatwere

staying here in un

safe areas,

and the crackhead

s,” she said.

“They just took

it over,”

Jeansonne conti

nued. “I’ve

been jumped four

times since

I’ve beenhere.”

As for the future

of what’s

left of the hotel, w

hat can be

salvaged will b

e sold,said

Jeansonne.

Other memorab

ilia, like

signedphotos

of former

guests such as G

eorge H.W.

Bush and Stevie

Wonder,will

be donated, thoug

h no organi-

zation has been n

amed.

The Bellemont l

ives in the

memories of ne

arly anyone

who haseven a p

assing con-

nectionto Baton

Rouge, said

CarolynBennett

, executive

directorof the Fo

undationfor

Historical Louisi

ana.

“The Bellemont

was cer-

tainly the hot spo

t for social,

political, conven

tion andcul-

tural gatherings

prior tothe

existence of the

Riverside

Centroplex and

the I-10and

12 hotels,” said B

ennett.

A volunteer with

the Foun-

dation for Histo

rical Louisi-

ana remembers

that theBel-

lemontwas the

first motel

in the city with

a swimming

pool, said Benne

tt.

“You had frater

nity things

there,” she adde

d, recalling

the hotel’s storie

d past. “You

had sorority (eve

nts.) Youhad

all the balls. It w

as just,the

place. And a lot of

bands came

and played there

in the club.”

“The Bellemont

was like

what you call, e

legant and

formal,”said Ca

lloway.“I

mean when you w

alked in, it

was tablecloths

…; theyhad

pretty silverwar

e; they had

just pretty ever

ything.Ev-

erythingin there

was justel-

egant allthe way.

”

News accounts r

ecall Clark

Gable booked in

to the Pan

American Suite

at one time

while hewas film

ing a movie

in the area. The

room even

includedits own

swimming

pool, “unheard

of in those

days,” said Benne

tt.

As for the chan

delier still

hangingamid ru

bble and

overturned ban

quet chairs

in the Great Ha

ll, Calloway

plans tokeep it

for herself

and maybe insta

ll it in the

lobby ofher own

extended-

stay apartment b

uilding.

“I’d haveto make

a big, big

lobby,” she said.

“But I think

it wouldbe gorge

ous.”

BELLEMONT

Continuedfrom page 1A

Bellemont Hotelthrough th

e years

1946: Built by A.C. Lewis Jr.

and former Lt. Gov. Jamar Ad-

cock, of Monroe. Room-rates

for the original 36 rooms were

$2.50 a night.

1958: Bellemont is sold to

Fields’ Louisiana Corp. for $3.5

million. After several legal dis-

putes regarding unpaid prop-

erty taxes, ownership returned

to Lewis.

1984: The 50,000-square-foot

Great Hall is built for $5.8 mil-

lion.1985: Lewis dies.

1986: Property enters bank-

ruptcy proceedings.

1992: Bellemont goes to Hiber-

nia Bank in bankruptcy court

settlement.

1993: Bellemont was pur-

chased by World Plan Execu-

tive Council for $1.325 million.

2009: Bellemont was pur-

chased by T. Joseph Calloway

for $535,000.

2012: Bellemont and Great

Hall are being demolished for

salvage.

Source: Advocate

news reports

Advocate staff photo by ARTHUR D. LAUCK

The Bellemont Hotel on Airline Highway is being stripped of its brick, copper and wiring as it is demolished. The owner said

vandals had already taken enough materials to eliminate any chance of renovating the property.

Doing sowill gen

erate two

results,Knowlto

n said. Doc-

tors willput pres

sure onthe

hospitalto do mo

re to protect

againsterrors,

and hospital

administrators

will realize

they have to pay

more atten-

tion to patient sa

fety or risk

losing their phys

icians.

“Everytime you

take data

and make it tran

sparent,you

bring about chan

ge and that’s

what we’re try

ing todo,”

Knowlton said.

In an email, Dr. F

loyd Rob-

erts, Baton Rou

ge General’s

chief medical off

icer, saidthe

hospitalwas ple

ased byits

grade.“Patient

safety and quali

ty

are Baton Roug

e General’s

highestprioritie

s and this

is reflected in th

e culture of

safety that we h

ave created

at our hospital,” h

e said. “We

take a collaborati

ve approach

by engaging our

physicians,

frontlineclinician

s and staff

in continuously e

nhancingour

processes to prov

ide the saf-

est, highest-qual

ity carefor

our patients,” Rob

erts said.

Amy Delaney,

a spokes-

woman for Ochsn

er, saidthe

hospital’s admin

istrationand

quality personnel

had not got-

ten thereport a

nd couldnot

comment.

“Since we have n

ot seen the

Leapfrog Group

’s Hospital

Safety Scorecard

, and donot

know the source

of the data,

we are unable to

respondto

these scores,” Te

ri Fontenot,

Woman’spresiden

t and chief

executive office

r, said in a

preparedstatemen

t.

Knowlton said Le

apfrog had

shared the datawi

th the hospi-

tals three weeks

ago.

However,Woman

’s andOch-

sner arenot alon

e in saying

they hadnot seen

the report.

According to the

American

Hospital Assoc

iation,The

Leapfrog Group

had commu-

nications proble

ms, so many

hospitalswere not

able to see

their own scores

, had no infor-

mation on how th

e scoreswere

calculated or wha

t the scores

might mean.

Terrie Sterling, th

eOurLady

of the Lake’s ch

ief operating

officer,said the

hospitalhas

participated in

a number of

other databases

that measure

quality of care bu

t this was its

first time to par

ticipatein a

LeapfrogGroup d

atabase.

She is not sure t

he hospital

will continue to d

o so.

The Lake was p

leased by

some ofthe resu

lts, she said.

The Lake’s nursi

ng scorewas

100 percent and i

ts leadership

rankingwas also

very strong.

But thehospital

does have

questions about o

ther areas of

the report, Sterli

ng said.

Parts ofthe rank

ing were

based on hospit

als’ self-as-

sessments, she sa

id. The Lake

graded itself str

ingently, but

it’s possible oth

er facilities

took a different a

pproach, she

said.The Lak

e’s analytics’ sta

ff

has taken a curso

ry look at the

report but will d

rill downinto

the datafor a mo

re detailed

review, Sterling s

aid.

Sterlingsaid the h

ospitalwas

concerned that so

me Leapfrog

participants, like t

heCleveland

Clinic, have opted

out.

The Lake suppo

rts trans-

parencyand help

ing consum-

ers make inform

ed decisions,

Sterlingsaid. Th

e Leapfrog

rankingsare just

one source

of information.

If consumers wa

nt updated

information — Le

apfrog used

data from 2008

and 2010 —

they canfind it o

n the Lake’s

website, www.o

lolrmc.com,

she said.

Consumers will

be ableto

access the Leap

frog ratings

beginning Wedne

sday onhos-

pitalsafetyscore.o

rg.

SAFETYContinued

from page 1A

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Contact Us

TEMPE, ARIZ. — An

SUV found

burningin the de

sert withfive

bodies inside was

registered to

the homeof amiss

ing family of

five, including th

ree children,

police inthe Phoe

nix suburb of

Tempe saidTuesda

y.

Anacquaintanceo

ftheButwin

family toldpolice

onMondayhe

was concerned ab

out themaf-

ter receivinganote

fromJames

Butwinwith instru

ctionsonhow

tooperatehis cons

tructionbusi-

ness without him,

Tempe police

Sgt. JeffGlover sa

id.

Investigators wen

t to the Bu-

twin home and fo

und “suspi-

ciousandconcerni

ng”evidence,

but not the Butwin

s, and began

treatingthe case

as a murder-

suicide.Thefamily

’swhiteFord

Expedition alsowa

s gone.

Glover declined

to specify

what theevidence

was but said

nomurderweapon

was found in

the home.

Meanwhile, the P

inal County

Sheriff’sOffice w

as investigat-

ing the discovery

of five bodies

found burned bey

ond recogni-

tion in awhite Fo

rd Expedition

in the desert 35 m

iles south of

Phoenixon Saturd

aymorning.

Glover said the S

heriff’s Of-

fice notified them

the SUVwas

registered to the

Butwin fam-

ily’s home.

He saidalthough

they can’t

be certain the Bu

twins arethe

same five people

found inthe

SUV, investigator

s are sosure

they’redead they

aren’t looking

for themand belie

ve thereare

no outstanding su

spects.

Glover said Jam

es and his

wife, Yafit Butwin

, were expe-

riencingfinancial

difficulties;

court records sh

ow YafitBu-

twin filed for div

orce in Sep-

temberand the

processwas

ongoing.

Two of the coupl

e’s children

were teenagers a

nd one was

a pre-teen, but G

lover didnot

have their exact a

ges.

The fivebodies fo

und in the

desert have not be

en identified

becausethey wer

e burnedbe-

yond recognition,

saidGregory

Hess, chief medi

cal examiner

for PimaCounty.

He said the office

will haveto

use dental record

s to confirm

the identities of th

e bodies.

Robert Kempton,

a neighbor

of the Butwins, sa

id the couple

hadconfided inhim

aboutgoing

througha divorc

e and James

Butwinwas bat

tling a brain

tumor.

BY AMANDA LEE MYERS

Associated Press

Police: Bodies in SUV

might be Ariz. family

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As President and CEO of the hospital referenced in the Advocate’s front page story “1 BR

Hospital Gets ‘A’ on National List,” I’d like to share some thoughts. As you can imagine, our

hard-working nurses, physicians and staff were so pleased to see that Baton Rouge General’s

commitment to excellence and transparency were recognized in such a public way. We’d like

to thank our many patients, their families, our friends and partners in the community for their

calls, high-fives and congratulations. A word about report cards… As with any full-service hospital performance comparative

report, strengths and improvement areas always emerge. Institutions such as Leapfrog and

HealthGrades have a job to do, and with their results, hospitals have the opportunity to celebrate

areas of achievement in patient care, and importantly, embrace areas that need improvement.

These scores keep us all striving for improvement, which can only make us better caregivers.What I’d like for our community to know is this: At Baton Rouge General, our people consider

themselves on a bigger team of healthcare providers that exists outside our footprint. Regardless

of the address or tax ID, our hospital stands together with all hospitals, locally and across the

nation…we are all on the journey to perfection in how we take care of our patients and their

families. I sincerely applaud all healthcare professionals and institutions in the Capital Area

for their commitment to excellence – we should be proud of the top-notch talent, high quality

care, research and medical education offered right here at home in the Greater Baton Rouge

metro area.

I learned very early on in my career, as a medic in Vietnam, that healthcare workers are a

special group of people. They give of their hearts and souls, day in and day out, and feel truly

privileged to take care of patients, families, and importantly, each other. A score or a report card

won’t change the heart of a healthcare professional. Positive or negative, it only makes one work harder. And when we stand together, it makes the journey to perfection a little easier.On behalf of Baton Rouge General’s 4,000 doctors, nurses and

staff, we express heartfelt thanks for the privilege of serving our community for more than a century, and will continue our mission for years to come.

William R. Holman, President & CEOBaton Rouge General Medical Center

A Satellite Campus of Tulane University School of Medicine

Mid City: 3600 Florida Blvd. • Bluebonnet: 8585 Picardy Ave. • www.BRGeneral.org

Dear Members of Our Community,

June 12, 2012

We take care of:• Each other• Patients and Families• Ourselves • Physicians • Community

Baton Rouge General has a single, clear vision for the future … to be the region’s hospital of choice. With that as our destination, there are many steps on this journey that will lead us there.

Our shared mission became shared pride on June 6 when Baton Rouge General was recognized in a very public way on the front page of The Advocate. Under the headline “1 BR Hospital Gets A on National List,” writer Ted Griggs reported that BRG was the only hospital in Baton Rouge to receive an A in hospital patient safety.

The score was issued by The Leapfrog Group, a non-profit employer-sponsored organization that reviewed 2,651 facilities nationwide and generated a “report card” for each. This distinction is directly due to the amazing work you all do at BRG. Day in and day out, you are working at the bedside and behind the scenes to embrace the highest standards for patient safety and quality performance.

I am so pleased that our team’s hard work, dedication and commitment have been recognized in this way. Baton Rouge General has always had a single, clear vision for the future … to be the region’s hospital of choice. The good news reported in The Advocate is confirmation that we are on the right path– delivering consistent and high quality care, achieving superior outcomes for our patients.

Thank you for your continued hard work.

Bluebonnet Campus

- Investment in medical technologies, like daVinci’s robotics platform

- Enhancements in specialty care programs and services (Surgery, Cancer, Heart)

- New construction – MOB, ORs, Hybrid room surgical technology and retail space

Mid City Campus

- Investments with community focus

- Growing medical education enrollment through successful affiliation with Tulane University School of Medicine

- Enhancements in specialty programs and services – Burn, Behavioral Wellness, Seniors services, ER, Wound, Rehab, etc.

As President and CEO of the hospital referenced in the Advocate’s front page story “1 BR

Hospital Gets ‘A’ on National List,” I’d like to share some thoughts. As you can imagine, our

hard-working nurses, physicians and staff were so pleased to see that Baton Rouge General’s

commitment to excellence and transparency were recognized in such a public way. We’d like

to thank our many patients, their families, our friends and partners in the community for their

calls, high-fives and congratulations. A word about report cards… As with any full-service hospital performance comparative

report, strengths and improvement areas always emerge. Institutions such as Leapfrog and

HealthGrades have a job to do, and with their results, hospitals have the opportunity to celebrate

areas of achievement in patient care, and importantly, embrace areas that need improvement.

These scores keep us all striving for improvement, which can only make us better caregivers.What I’d like for our community to know is this: At Baton Rouge General, our people consider

themselves on a bigger team of healthcare providers that exists outside our footprint. Regardless

of the address or tax ID, our hospital stands together with all hospitals, locally and across the

nation…we are all on the journey to perfection in how we take care of our patients and their

families. I sincerely applaud all healthcare professionals and institutions in the Capital Area

for their commitment to excellence – we should be proud of the top-notch talent, high quality

care, research and medical education offered right here at home in the Greater Baton Rouge

metro area.

I learned very early on in my career, as a medic in Vietnam, that healthcare workers are a

special group of people. They give of their hearts and souls, day in and day out, and feel truly

privileged to take care of patients, families, and importantly, each other. A score or a report card

won’t change the heart of a healthcare professional. Positive or negative, it only makes one work harder. And when we stand together, it makes the journey to perfection a little easier.On behalf of Baton Rouge General’s 4,000 doctors, nurses and

staff, we express heartfelt thanks for the privilege of serving our community for more than a century, and will continue our mission for years to come.

William R. Holman, President & CEOBaton Rouge General Medical Center

A Satellite Campus of Tulane University School of Medicine

Mid City: 3600 Florida Blvd. • Bluebonnet: 8585 Picardy Ave. • www.BRGeneral.org

Dear Members of Our Community,

June 12, 2012

Life After 50 a Smashing Success!Music played in the background while a glittering disco ball twirled above the makeshift dance floor inside the BRG tent at the Life After 50 Expo. Baton Rouge General was a big hit at the event, which was held April 21 at the Baton Rouge River Center. Nearly 700 visitors stopped by to learn firsthand the benefits of ballroom dancing.

Instructors Cecil and Neila Phillips, Dr. Jim Crowell and Dr. Sterling Sightler swayed and sashayed as they taught the East Coast Swing to their “students.” A seminar on the health benefits of ballroom dancing took place in the morning, and volunteers distributed information on the Seniors ER program throughout the day. Nurse volunteers conducted 400 blood pressure screenings.

“People had so much fun. They left our exhibit with smiles on their faces,” said Mary Uter, Senior Care Consultant. “It is ‘success’ when you can demonstrate to people that they can enjoy themselves while improving their health.”

Exchange, Second Quarter 2012 • 3 www.BRGLinkin.org

Caregivers often establish a special connection with their patients … especially when those patients are tiny preemies that fit into the palm of your hand. That connection extends to the families who spend countless hours in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, praying for their babies’ health and yearning to take them home. NICU staff members were able to reconnect with many of

their former patients at a special reunion sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Baton Rouge and held on the Bluebonnet campus in May. A balloon release was also held to honor both survivors and the children who passed away. Parents and their children watched as pink balloons lifted up into the sky on a clear day and drifted out of sight.

NICU Hosts Reunion Event

Reconnecting and Remembering

Family and staff members posed for a photo before releasing the pink balloons.

Dr. Hina Patel, left, and Dr. Neel Shah, whose son was born at 30 weeks, attended the event.

Neila Phillips convinces a visitor to try a few dance steps.

Brandon Dufrene, left, and Amy Wilson, of the Corporate Communications Department, greeted visitors

Dr. Jim Crowell and Dr. Sterling Sightler show off their dance moves at the Life After 50 Expo.

BRG FIT! by the numbers


Lakesha Ennis, LPN, Employee Health Nurse and Waist Watchers Coordinator, has lost 46 pounds since January.

Questions about BRG Fit!? E-mail [email protected] or call 237-1573.?

Brenda Parr, RN, Oncology, has lost 35 pounds on her own weight loss program since January.

The good news is 2,265 Employees have participated in the BRG Fit! wellness program, and 92% of them have completed their biometric screenings.

The not-so-good news is

what those screenings revealed:

68% of BRG employees are overweight or obese(According to BMI or body mass index.)

5% Athletic

9% Fit

26% Acceptable

60 % At Risk

5%

60%26%

9%

2012 Combined Employee Body Fat Percentage N= 2,236 Employees who completed their biometric screening


This means there is lots of room for improvement, and the BRG Fit! program has many features to help get employees moving in the right direction. As Phase II of BRG Fit! begins, keep in mind these amenities:

• 24-hour gym on the Mid City campus Free

• Smoking cessation classes Free

• Discounts to YMCA, Spectrum and Bally fitness clubs

• A Waist Watchers weight loss program

• Bootcamp and yoga classes

• Healthy vending machine offerings

• A Health Mile path around the Bluebonnet campus Free

• A Wellness Station at the Mid City campus Free

“The first phase of the BRG Fit! Initiative was creating self-awareness and empowering Employees to take responsibility for their own health and wellness,” said Paul Douglas, Vice President of Human Resources and Development. “The next phase will be to use this information to maintain a healthy lifestyle for those without substantial risk findings … and for those with risk findings, to start addressing underlying health issues.”

Probably one of the best examples is the Waist Watchers Club. A total of 90 employees have signed up on both campuses, and many are experiencing substantial weight loss. Lakesha Ennis, LPN is one of them. The Employee Health Nurse and Waist Watcher Coordinator has lost 46 pounds since January and says the peer support is crucial.

“At our meetings, we talk about our issues … what foods and habits are holding us back and what kind of things are helping us succeed,” she said. “The people in the class are my motivation. They make me accountable. They make me want to lead by example.”

Oncology nurse Brenda Parr, RN, is another success story. Once her screening was complete, she started her own weight loss program and has shed 35 pounds.

“I started eating more fish, chicken and lean ground beef. I cut down on the carbs. For exercise, I walk with a friend whenever I can. The weight loss is great, but I really just want to get healthy again.”

Anyone with questions about BRG Fit! should send an e-mail to [email protected]. You can also call 237-1573.

Ann Fann, Director of Retail Operations, left, and Shelley Matthews, Gift Shop Coordinator, participated in the March Heart Walk. Also pictured are Fann’s children Alex and Molly.

Coming Soon:- Updated BRG Fit! info on

www.BRGLinkin.org

- July Waist Watchers session

- Healthier choices in the cafeterias

- On-site learning opportunities

- Fitness coach

On the cover: The BRG Fit! Boot Camp sessions are open to employees, their families and friends. Pictured here at a recent session on kickboxing (left to right) are: Mark Schexnayder, RPh, Clinical Informatics; Brandi Johnson, Kori Johnson, Penny Johnson, Accounts Payable; and Toni Cangelosi, Information Technology.

“ I wish my doctor and my nurses could be treated by themselves, just so they’d know how special they really are.”

– JK Bordelon

JK Bordelon, Moreauville, LA BRGeneral.org

“ I had too much to live for.”


BRG kicked off its cancer awareness campaign May 1, with direct mail pieces, billboard messages, newspaper and television ads, participation in a cancer study, a free skin cancer screening and more.

JK Bordelon, a South Louisiana farmer who was treated at Baton Rouge General’s Pennington Cancer Center, is featured in several ads and in a television commercial that has been running for the past month. (View it on www.BRGLinkIn.org.) His story illustrates the nationally recognized treatment and compassionate care he received at Pennington Cancer Center.

JK was diagnosed with metastatic kidney cancer at age 40. He and his wife immediately went to Baylor Clinic in Houston, where doctors told them to return to Baton Rouge General for IL-2 (interleukin) treatment. It was here that Dr. Gerald Militello and our IL-2 team treated Bordelon for several weeks. JK is now cancer free. He expressed gratitude to all of the staff at BRG, but he singled out Dr. Militello, Kory St. Pe, RN, and Brenda Parr, RN, as essential to his great outcome.

Another element of the hospital’s cancer campaign was the national CPS-3 (Cancer Prevention Study), for which 64 Employees volunteered. The study is open to men and women age 30 to 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer, according to Zack Smith, RT, (R)(T), MBA, Director of Radiation Oncology at Pennington Cancer Center.

Amy Williams of The American Cancer Society sent the following message to BRG Employees. “Thank you for your hard work in helping us to better understand how to prevent cancer and ultimately save lives!”

“ I spent 12 hours a day, 5 days a week

with JK ... for 4 weeks total. Beyond the

nurse/patient relationship, we became

friends. His experience showed me that

life should not be taken for granted.

Tomorrow is not a certainty. JK and his

family have probably done more for me

than I have for him.”

– Kory St. Pé, RN, Oncology

Creating Cancer Awareness

Digital Billboard AdTelevision Ad

Exceptional Care The staff of the Pennington Cancer Center receives countless accolades for providing “the very best in cancer care” right here in Baton Rouge:

• Louisiana’s first accredited Comprehensive Cancer Program • Louisiana’s first NAPBC-accredited comprehensive breast program*• Commission on Cancer’s “Outstanding Achievement Award”* • Regionally recognized IL-2 Program

Weight loss surgery continues to improve the lives of patients who struggle with obesity. If you or someone you know has considered weight loss surgery, it’s important to learn as much as possible about the procedure. If you are interested in learning more about medically managed weight loss, including surgery, register for BRG’s free weight loss surgery support groups and seminars.

To register call 763-4242 or go online www.BRGeneral.org/WLS.

Weight loss seminars

Taking Control


Women’s Services ExpandedThe women’s health program at BRG has expanded with the addition of five new specialists who recently joined Baton Rouge General Physicians. BRG welcomes Drs. Evelyn Hayes, Jane Peek, Jo Anne Barrios and Kimberly Neathamer-Guillory, as well as nurse practitioner Erin Michel.

BRG now provides state-of-the-art services in: • Gynecologic care, including daVinci minimally-invasive

robotics• Labor and delivery• Fertility and Maternal Fetal Medicine• Neonatal and Pediatric Care, including Level 3 NICU,

Pediatric ICU and Peds ER

• Genetic counseling and early detection of female cancers and other related diseases, including diagnostic mammography through the Women’s Imaging Center

• Diagnosis and treatment of female cancers through medical, surgical and radiation oncology services, including the nation’s first ARTISTE technology and robotics

• Support services such as nutritional counseling, social work, and physical and occupational therapy

“The expansion of OB/GYN medical staff represents our long-term commitment to the comprehensive health and wellness of women of all ages in our community,” said GHS President and CEO Bill Holman.

(left to right) Kimberly M. Neathamer-Guillory, MD; Jo Anne Barrios, MD; Erin Michel, NP; Evelyn K. Hayes, MD; Jane B. Peek, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology8595 Picardy Ave., Suite 320

(225) 237-1880

Did you know? According to the National Cancer Institute, obese patients have a higher risk of certain cancers, including breast, esophagus, endometrium, colon and rectum, kidney, pancreas and thyroid.

*American College of Surgeons, Commission on Cancer, National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.


Moving Mountains … For decades, medical records were kept in file folders that became stuffed with forms, test results and handwritten notes. The files filled box after box after box, and when storage space in the hospital was exhausted, the boxes were shipped off to storage facilities. Even after medical records were entered electronically, the paper pile kept growing. By 2006, Baton Rouge General had thousands of boxes stored at a Port Allen facility called Iron Mountain. Off-site storage costs money, and the monthly bills were escalating.

Enter Don Shaw and Shirley Snodgrass. The state of Louisiana had established a law that required hospitals to keep medical records for 10 years, and Don Shaw, Vice President, Revenue Cycle, asked Shirley Snodgrass, a supervisor in the Health Information Management Department to take on the project.

“It was overwhelming at first,” she said. “It required me going to Port Allen and locating and identifying which boxes had to be kept and which could be destroyed. For

7 months, I did nothing but go through boxes and try to reduce the volume … one box at a time.”

In spite of her hard work, the job wasn’t finished. Medical Records is just one department. Many other hospital departments were storing their files as well … to the tune of 19,000-plus boxes. Don asked Shirley

to share her expertise and experience with other departments and she now makes recommendations to help others with their own housecleaning.

“We’ve cut our medical record inventory in half since 2007,” Shirley said. “Hopefully, as electronic records replace paper records, we can get down to zero one day.”

Shirley Snodgrass took on the project of sifting through thousands of boxes of files as part of a cost-cutting program. Inset: The person in this photo is standing in front of 36 boxes indicated by green line.

Life-Saving Gift

36 of the thousands of boxes we currently store

You might have noticed the mustache Ronald Coats sported during the spring. If you ask him about it, he’ll jokingly tell you it’s just one of the many ways he suffers for his art … the theatre!

Coats, Executive Assistant in Administration, recently played the part of a British gentleman in 39 Steps, a comedy thriller produced by Baton Rouge Little Theater. But in case you missed it, you’ll get another chance to see him when he portrays Lee Harvey Oswald in Assassins August 24 - September 1.

Ronald is just as comfortable hamming it up on the stage as he is manning the phones in the Administrative Office. But it wasn’t always that way. With no formal acting training, he was a little anxious the first time he auditioned for a part back in 2006. But he clearly has what it

takes. Twenty productions later, he has played everything from a mad scientist to a prince to a saloon owner.

“I never did anything like this growing up,” he said, “so I was nervous to try it as an adult. But after my first audition, I kept getting cast despite having no clue what I was doing. And now, with every new production, you learn a little more, you get a little better, you meet a few more people, you make more connections … and in my case, you develop a real passion for it.”

In the Spotlight … literally Actor Ronald Coats

It has been a year since her husband’s death, but Tracey McDowell takes comfort in the fact that by sharing her personal story, she helped promote organ donation, thereby saving lives. In May of 2011, her husband Beau, 42, died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage.

To mark the month of April as National Donate Life Month, Tracey agreed to do a testimonial video to promote organ and tissue donation. “I’ve heard that people were moved by my story, and to those who became organ donors … I thank you. It’s a hard thing to go through, but it’s easier if you’ve talked to your loved ones and know what their wishes are.”

For more information on organ and tissue donation, go to www.donatelifela.org. To view McDowell’s video, go to www.youtube.com/user/batonrougegeneral

“Nothing prepares you for the loss of a

loved one. But to know that (organ

donation) was his wish … it made it

easier. I felt like God had his hands on

me and I knew I was doing the right

thing.”

Tracey McDowell, RT, (R)(T)Chief Radiation Therapist Pennington Cancer Center


Nine students graduated on May 19 from Tulane University School of Medicine’s Baton Rouge LEAD (Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Discovery) Academy, the satellite campus at Baton Rouge General. Four of the nine graduates have chosen to remain in Louisiana for their residency training.

The satellite campus is an important component of expanding BRG’s role as a teaching hospital and enhancing medical leadership and education opportunities in Baton Rouge. BRG Medical Center and Tulane University School of Medicine opened the satellite campus in the summer of 2010. It was the first time Tulane established a training campus outside the New Orleans area.

Inaugural Graduation Class of Tulane’s Satellite Campus

From left, Dr. Floyd Roberts, Matthew Cooper, Eric ‘Jove’ Graham, Wendy Wong, Amber Fontenot, Marc Quinlan, Gregory Mitchell.

A Satellite Campus ofTulane University School of Medicine

It Was a Night to Recognize ExcellenceThe 2012 Nurse Excellence Awards Ceremony was a well-attended event that combined food, music, laughter and recognition at Parc 73 in Prairieville on May 10. The annual event honors nurses, clinicians and ancillary professionals for their high nursing standards and for providing exceptional patient care.

Two nursing scholarships were also presented at the ceremony to help nurses advance their nursing education. Baton Rouge General’s Chief of Staff Andrew Olinde, MD, presented the scholarship awards.

Congratulations to this year’s winners.

2012 Nurse Excellence Award Winners

Hall of FameMarilyn Dayries, RN

Traditional Nurse of the Year Amanda Alello, RN, BSN Burn Unit

Non-Traditional Nurse of the Year Kerri Talbot Holden, RN, BSN, CEN Emergency Department

Edith LoBue Nursing LeadershipJosé Milano, RN, OCNOncology

Nurse Rookie of the YearBonny Fielding, RN, BSNBurn Unit

Physician Friend of NursingJeffrey Littleton, MD

Ancillary Friend of NursingSara DeRosa, LMSW Social Services

Special honorees recognized for their dedication to nursing:

GRAduATE MATCH SITE SPECIALTY

Matthew Cooper, MD LSUHSC – Shreveport, LA Emergency Medicine

Amber Fontenot, MD University of Colorado School of Medicine – Denver, CO Obstetrics/Gynecology

Eric ‘Jove’ Graham, MD University of California San Francisco – Fresno, CA Emergency Medicine

Gregory Mitchell, MD Tulane University School of Medicine – New Orleans, LA Urology

Rachel ‘Alix’ Oreck, MD Tulane University School of Medicine – New Orleans, LA Internal Medicine

Kenneth Perry, MD Earl K. Long Medical Center – Baton Rouge, LA Emergency Medicine

Marc Quinlan, MD Denver Health Medical Center – Denver, CO Emergency Medicine

Shai Rosenfeld, MD Providence Milwaukee Hospital – Portland, OR Family Medicine

Wendy Wong, MD Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University – Providence, RI Emergency Medicine


Since his passing in May 2009, a group of physicians from BRG’s Emergency Department have organized a golf tournament to remember Dr. Charlie Prejean, a man whom many people considered a brilliant, caring physician and close friend. Funds raised through the annual Dr. Charlie Prejean Memorial Golf Tournament support an endowment fund established in his memory through the BRG Foundation.

Physicians Host 3rd Annual Memorial Golf Tournament

Thank you for your overwhelming support of this year’s You, Me & BRG Employee Giving Program! Your generosity through pledges and donations will make an incredible impact on our co-workers, patients and their families. Keep your eyes open for a special You, Me & BRG publication coming in August with more information on this year’s program. Below is a letter from President and CEO Bill Holman:

“I have been inspired by your generosity and commitment to our hospital through the 2012 You, Me & BRG Employee Giving Program. I personally would like to extend a very sincere thank you to each and every one of you. The gifts that you have given through pledges and donations are making a BIG difference in our hospital and community.

This reinforces something that I have always known – that we have the very best, most supportive team here at Baton Rouge General, who goes above and beyond each and every day.

We are truly a family here at the General and I can’t think of a person who better embodied that spirit of family than Ms. Helen Stepter-Collins. Last fall, our friend and co-worker Ms. Helen passed away unexpectedly – reminding us of how life can change in an instant. Her warm smile and kind heart were a staple here at Baton Rouge General for the more than 50 years she worked with us. She became ingrained in the fabric of our organization and was an inspiration to us all.

Our new Clinical Simulation Lab, which was funded through the 2011 You, Me & BRG program, and the plaque outside its doors will serve to remember Ms. Helen’s passion and enthusiasm for enhancing our hospital through You, Me & BRG. I encourage you to visit the new lab on the 3rd Floor near MACU to view this honorary plaque in Ms. Helen’s memory.”

Foundation Update

Several organizations held fundraisers in May to support former Baton Rouge General pediatric burn patients. The funds raised sent children to the “I’m Still Me” Summer Burn Camp, which aids in emotional and physical rehabilitation.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hosted a golf tournament May 12, which raised $12,000. Brother’s Keepers Firefighter Motorcycle Club (9th Chapter) hosted a poker run and raffle, which raised $9,000. The 69-mile poker run was held at Friendly Yamaha.

Local Organizations Support the General’s Pediatric Burn Patients

Pictured are Brother’s Keepers members at the event, which was held at Friendly Yamaha.

Above, Leola Havard, left, and Shelia Johnson, right, both relatives of the late Helen Stepter-Collins, pose with President and CEO Bill Holman and Diane Bourgeois, Director of Business Development.

Left, A plaque honoring Helen Stepter-Collins has been placed outside the new Clinical Simulation Lab.

Pictured are members of IBEW at their golf tournament in May.


The international Service organization GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs) raised more than $10,000 in May when it hosted Fun, Food, and Fashion at the Crowne Plaza. The annual fundraiser, which included a bridge tournament, lunch, silent auction and fashion show, supported BRG’s pediatric burn patients.

Fashion Forward

Dads, the Foundation needs your words of wisdom.

The Foundation will create a special commemorative book that will be filled with famous phrases, thoughts and well wishes that fathers have shared with their daughters. If you’d like to submit your own words of wisdom, go to www.BRGeneral.org/Sweetheart

The date for the 2013 Father/Daughter Sweetheart Dance has not been set yet, but tickets will go on sale in November. At the dance, the Foundation will hold a raffle for a fantastic American Girl Dallas Weekend. The package will include four Southwest Airline flight passes, a 2-night stay at the Westin Galleria Dallas, and a $200 shopping spree at The American Girl Store. Tickets are $50 each and are available now. (Only 500 tickets will be sold.) Call the Foundation at (225) 763-4372 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Father/Daughter Sweetheart DanceShare your words of wisdom

Beautiful music can be heard throughout both hospital campuses now, thanks to generous donors who purchased two new Baby Grand Player Pianos.

Reverend Ronnie and Soonja Williams purchased a piano for the Mid City campus, and Dr. William Russell purchased a piano for the Bluebonnet campus. Both pianos are in high traffic areas of the hospital and have been well received by patients, their families and employees.

The Gift of Music

Pictured (from left) Robin Comeaux, RN, BRG Burn Unit Nursing Manager, Beth Barback, BRG Burn Unit Social Worker, Della Sinclair, GFWC Event Co-Chair, Ann Fann, BRG Gift Shop Director, Jeanette Johnson, GFWC Event Co-Chair, Shelley Johnson, BRG Gift Shop Coordinator, Jenny Jackson, BRG Foundation Event Coordinator, and Beth Veazey, BRG Foundation Vice President & Chief Development Officer.

Reverend Ronnie and Soonja Williams

Dr. William Russell


A Job Well DoneThe Distribution Center team at Bluebonnet won an Allied Health and Ancillary Excellence Award. The group is pictured here with Executive Vice President and COO Edgardo Tenreiro, left, and Siobhan Sellers, RRT, Allied Health and Ancillary Staff Development and Clinical Educator/School Liaison, right.

At Your ServiceEmployees were all smiles when managers from throughout the hospital served complimentary lunches during Hospital Week. Pictured above are (from left) Kenyatta Francois, Environmental Services, Anne Segura, Director of Employment and HR Services, and Alan Jochim, Director of Facilities Management. Pictured in the second photo is Bluebonnet Operating Room Manager Nicole Cheramie, RN.

Special OccasionBRG’s volunteers were treated to a special luncheon April 18 in the Old Governor’s Mansion. About 100 volunteers attended the event, which featured delicious food, guest speakers and a historical tour of the mansion. Pictured here are Auxiliary Board members (top row left to right) Katie Williams, Marsha Johnston, (second row left to right) Robin Cash, Vivian Rowell, Joyce Rodrigue, (third row left to right) Vicki Pernici, Pam Causey, Lynette LoCoco and (bottom center) Pug Gussman.

Golden GiftLocal artist Nancy Ladner donated a painting to the Pennington Cancer Center at Bluebonnet in May. Titled Sunburst, the painting hangs in the Radiation/Oncology area. Most of Ladner’s work is commissioned by the U.S. Veterans Corp. In fact, an abstract flag she painted earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2011. Her work has also been featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. “I was happy to see the painting a few weeks ago when I visited the hospital. It looks great,” she said. “I have been wanting to do more donations, especially locally, and I’m excited that this piece has found a home at the Pennington Cancer Center.”

Snap Shots


Snap Shots

## • Exchange, Second Quarter 2012 www.BRGLinkin.org 14 • Exchange, Second Quarter 2012 www.BRGLinkin.org

Emergency Drills Test Employee Preparedness

Ready? Set? Go! Mass Medication Distribution

Mass Influx of PatientsTo ensure preparedness in the event of a community-wide emergency, BRG is conducting a series of drills that began in February. The first was a Mass Medication Distribution exercise that tested the hospital’s ability to provide medication to employees and their families in case a biological incident should occur. The second was a Mass Influx of Patients exercise that measured the hospital’s ability to accept a surge of

acutely ill patients in a short period of time. The most recent drill was an infant/child abduction scenario. All exercises were successful, according to Paulette Faul, RN, Joint Commission & Regulatory Coordinator. “We were well prepared and our staff responded appropriately in both exercises,” she said. “There is always an opportunity to learn from these drills so that next time, we can respond even better.”

Safety Tips From the ChiefResearch shows that summer is a time when crime rates rise. According to Chief of Security Jeff LeDuff, the reason is simple. “Kids are out of school, they’re bored, they sometimes get into trouble,” he said. “But there are a lot of things you can do to stay safe.”

Here are a few of Chief LeDuff’s safety tips for the summer months:

• Whether you’re at home, at work, or running errands ... always lock your car. Never leave valuables in plain view.

• When you go on vacation, be sure to have a neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers.

• If you have children, keep them busy. Enroll them in summer camps and other activities.

The Chief and his Security team are focused on safety and security best practices, as a hospital, but also at the individual level. “We care about our employees and their families,” he said, “and we want to keep them safe, both at home and at work.”

Chief LeDuff has offered to share a quarterly safety message with Employees in Exchange. His next message will focus on a personal safety training series for Employees that will begin in the fall.

Important Message for All Employees:

To report an Emergency On Campus

Call “20”

Exchange, Second Quarter 2012 • ## www.BRGLinkin.org

Mass Medication Distribution


APPlAuSERobert Kenney, MD and Wanda Hughes, RN, PhD, completed their Patient Safety Fellowship program, along with 30 others from across the nation. The fellowship is sponsored by the American Hospital Association. Dr. Kenney is Director of Medical Education and a Tulane University School of Medicine satellite campus faculty member for the internal medicine residency program based at BRG Mid City. Wanda is Director of Quality and Patient Safety.

Wanda Hughes, RN, PhD, and Robert Kenney, MD

Myra Collins, Consultant, Service Development and Physician Outreach, was named to the Board of Directors of the East Baton Rouge Council on Aging on May 16.

Myra Collins, LPN

Congratulations to Diane Bourgeois, Director of Business Development, who received an Executive MBA from Southeastern Louisiana University on May 12.

Diane Bourgeois, LMSW, MPA, MBA

Employee Health Nurse Lakesha Ennis (Mid City), Employee Health Medical Assistant Tiffany Baxter (Bluebonnet), and HR Specialist Gwandella Nolan were instrumental with bringing the Waist Watchers program to employees on both campuses ... and what a success it has been. Employees on both campuses have lost a grand total of 627.8 pounds, a homerun for this BRG Fit! program. Congratulations to both Waist Watchers groups. A new session will begin Wednesday, July 11, 5 p.m., at the Plaza at Bluebonnet.

From left, Lakesha Ennis, Tiffany Baxter and Gwandella Nolan.

Congratulations to the BRG Foundation for receiving a Bronze Telly Award for their 2011 Thank You video produced in conjunction with Launch Media. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators and corporate video departments in the world. You can view the video here: http://bit.ly/Mi5lvC.

Baton Rouge General was recently recognized by Premier Healthcare Alliance as a winner in the 6th Annual Supply Chain Excellence and Innovation Awards. Premier selects hospitals and health systems based on their superior supply/expense performance. “This award exemplifies the consistent hard work performed by all those involved in the supply chain at our organization,” said Todd Daniel, Materials Management Director. “With so much turmoil surrounding healthcare, it’s important that we seek all opportunities to save money while being certain that patient care is first and foremost.”

Dozens of employees were recognized May 17 and 18 at the annual Allied Health and Ancillary Excellence Awards. “These awards are an acknowledgment of Employees who promote the values of everyday excellence in action,” said Siobhan Sellers, RRT, Allied Health and Ancillary Staff Development and Clinical Educator/School Liaison. “We want to congratulate all Employees nominated in all categories. Our support services are the backbone in making our organization successful.”

Mid City Winners Daisy White, Admission; Jermaine Price, Patient Transport; Keira

Johnson, Phlebotomist; Melissa Broussard, Social Worker; Kevin Martin, Bio-Med; Soudabeh Parandian, PT Tech; Chauncey Quinn, Nutritional Care; Connie Sarphie, Administrative Secretary; Curtis Brumfield, Facilities Maintenance; Sejal Patel, Pharmacist; Darrien Harris, Distribution Center; Sandra Richardson, EVS; Mattilee McVay, Radiology; John Selvage, IT; Angela Brown, Pharmacy Tech; Randy Pero, Security; Kerry Haynes, Java General; Megan Dewberry, Speech Therapist; Tony Simoneaux, Respiratory Therapist; Danisha Deal, Occupational Therapist; Alysha Bonvillian, Radiation Therapist; Michael Gray, Medical Laboratory Tech; Sharon Jackson, Guest Services; Brooke Piccione, Clinical Nutritionist; Venita Mishra, Retail Pharmacy; Lauren Mecier, Physical Therapist; Sadie Hutchinson, Case Management; Catherine Mahoney, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant; Kelli Smith, Physical Therapy Assistant; Brad Barhorst, Physicist.

Bluebonnet Winners Brandy Whitfield, Admissions; William Chiang, Patient Transport;

Charlene Brown, Phlebotomist; Beverly Bensen, Social Worker; Wade Holdeman, Bio-Med; Jennifer Shropshire, PT Tech; Latasa Rivers, Nutritional Care; Dalynn Babin, Administrative Secretary; Facilities Maintenance (Group); Chase Ament, Pharmacist; Distribution Center (Group); Brunetta Spears, EVS; Chad Landry, Radiology; Mark Schexnayder, IT; Elesha Davis, Pharmacy Tech; Toni Thomas-Cole, Security; Wyquitta Davis, Java General; Babette Thibodeux, Speech Therapist; Jessica Pourciau, Respiratory Therapist; Lainie Audas, Occupational Therapist; Chris Black, Radiation Therapist; Kylie Bourgeois, Medical Laboratory Tech; Elise Fryou, Guest Services; Charles Mouton, Clinical Nutritionist; Vanessa Smith, Retail Pharmacy; Lauren Clancy, Physical Therapist; Bridget Shoptaugh-Lorio, Case Management; Mary Ann Lacoste, Physical Therapy Assistant; Joe Finnagan, Physicist.

16 • Exchange, Second Quarter 2012

the Gift Shop!

The latest addition to the Baton Rouge General Gift Shop is ladies’ apparel and accessories. The clothing is trendy, chic, affordable and great for your summer look. Our prices are budget friendly and our styles and brand names are the same that you find at area boutiques.

Follow us on Facebook. Go to our page (Facebook.com/brggiftshops), “like us,” and you’ll be the first to know about our new arrivals, current trends, customer comments and specials.

Don’t forget football season is right around the corner. The Gift Shop carries many items that fans love, including wallets, money clips, caps and more.

Finally, just in time for “back to school” shopping, you will be able to purchase school uniforms. Best of all, employees can purchase the uniforms using their payroll deduct. Look for these items at the end of June: khaki, navy or black bottoms and any type camp or polo shirt. We can also order a cute dress or skort for your girls! Now that’s convenience.

Trendsetters!

With summer in full swing, it’s important to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. More than 2 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, but when detected early, skin cancer has up to a 95% cure rate. Here are a few sun safety ideas from the American Academy of Dermatology to help protect you and your family from skin cancer.

• Always wear sunscreen (with an SPF of 30 or more). Re-apply approximately every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.

• Use extra caution near water, snow and sand because they reflect and intensify the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chances of sunburn.

• Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look tan, consider using a self-tanning product or spray, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

Comments? Story ideas? Email: [email protected]

EXCHANGE is produced by Baton Rouge General’s Corporate Communications Department:

Director: Nicole Kleinpeter Team: Brandon Dufrene, Emily Guidroz, Audrey Hubert,

Maryann Rowland, Robin Taylor, Amy Wilson

Ideas for:Game Day

“When I re-entered the work force at age

50 (23 years ago), I was shocked that I

could find employment after having been

out for 27 years raising my family. Today, I

am equally shocked that I still have and

love my job at the General. The people

here keep me on my toes and keep me

feeling young. I enjoy interacting with the

public and find great pleasure in helping

those at a time when they need it most.”

Elise Fryou, Guest Services, Bluebonnet

“Before I came here I worked in construction. I’ve

been working at the General for 20 years now, doing

work as a carpenter and mechanic. Most days, I

work on doors, locks, cabinets. And every once in a

while, there’s a challenge … a job I’ve never done

before. I like that. I stay busy in my job and I like

the people I work with.”

A.C. McQuirter, Facilities Maintenance, Mid City

We Love our Seniors!

We Love our Seniors!

Sun S

afety

EXCHANGEEditor: Lisa TramontanaDesigner: Barbara Ruiz

Photographer: Barrett Berard