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Home Archive by category "Press"

A Message from the Louisiana Primary Care Association

By stthomaschc | Press | Comments are Closed | 24 November, 2020 | 0

LPCA: Rather Than Re-Invent the Wheel, Let’s Support Louisiana’s Federally Qualified Health Centers

This statement is taken from the LPCA. See it on their website here:
https://www.lpca.net/main/press-room/health-centers-in-the-news

Over the past nine months, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put a spotlight on the enormous health inequities that exist across our country – especially here in Louisiana.

Fortunately, Federally Qualified Health Centers (commonly referred to as Community Health Centers) continue to expand access to primary care, oral, and behavioral health care to our state’s most vulnerable and underserved communities. These facilities essentially serve as our state’s safety-net, ensuring that patients who depend on Medicaid and even those with no health insurance have access to affordable, quality healthcare services. Louisiana’s 39 Community Health Center organizations collectively operate nearly 300 individual  healthcare delivery sites, expanding access to healthcare for our state’s underserved and vulnerable communities. In 2019 alone, these facilities offered primary care, dental, and behavioral health services to over 465,000 Louisianans – most of whom depend on Medicaid or find themselves without health insurance.

Earlier this month, we learned that Ochsner Health intends to re-invent the wheel and spearhead a new $100 million initiative to build 15 “health centers” in underserved communities over the next five years.

While Ochsner Health and other corporate, profit-driven entities describe themselves as pioneers in this space, the reality is that Community Health Centers have been on the ground serving the people of Louisiana for decades. While we are heartened to see their new commitment to primary and preventive care for these populations, we wish Ochsner Health would have focused more on partnership, engaging in collaboration, and strengthening the ongoing work of our members.

Ochsner Health plans to construct “health centers” in areas in which there are a large number of Community Health Centers already operating and serving patients. In the Greater New Orleans region alone, there are 72 Community Health Centers operated by 15 different organizations.

If you want to address health inequities and improve the health of our citizens all while providing affordable and accessible care, look no further than our Community Health Center network. Our health center members are battle-tested and proven leaders in meeting the needs of these communities. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 (and over the past few years with the advent of Medicaid expansion), Louisiana’s Community Health Center network has grown exponentially. Health centers are now located in 55 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes.

Our members are leading the way:

  • educating communities on the importance of regular health screenings and preventive care,
  • helping patients manage chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease,
  • emphasizing and encouraging positive lifestyle choices through tobacco cessation and healthy eating initiatives,
  • addressing the opioid epidemic and guiding patients through recovery,
  • conducting COVID-19 testing and keeping patients safe by expanding the use of telehealth technology and remote patient monitoring systems.

These facilities save taxpayer money by keeping patients out of the emergency room and focusing on the need for primary and preventive care. In fact, in 2019 Louisiana’s Community Health Centers saved our healthcare system nearly $900 million – with $645 million in savings for our Medicaid program.

Health Centers are also woven deeply into the communities they serve. Through the leadership and direction of patient-majority boards of directors, these facilities are especially sensitive and tuned into challenges facing their patients. Rather than profits driving their decisions, health centers direct their resources and attention to addressing the most important needs of their communities.

Finally, Community Health Centers are held to the most rigorous standards of care, patient safety, transparency, and financial responsibility. Unlike private healthcare providers, all health centers are required to submit annual reporting to the federal government where it is made available and easily accessible to the general public.

We are encouraged and deeply grateful that organizations such as Xavier University, the Brees Dream Foundation, and Ochsner Health are deploying their resources to address health inequities in our state. But rather than duplicate efforts, we encourage these organizations to build upon the foundation already built by Louisiana’s Community Health Centers. Specifically, we should work together on ways in which we can tackle those societal factors that have such a profound impact on the health of populations, i.e. the effects of poverty, access to healthy food, homelessness, health literacy, criminal justice reform, etc.

By working together we can create a healthier Louisiana for ALL citizens.

About the Louisiana Primary Care Association
The Louisiana Primary Care Association (LPCA) represents 39 federally funded, private, non-profit and public Community Health Centers (and 3 Look-Alikes) across Louisiana that serve over 465,000 patients annually. LPCA promotes community-based health services through advocacy, education, and collaboration with community partners. Our goal is to ensure that every Louisianan has access to affordable, quality, primary care services. For more information, visit www.LPCA.net.

Cancer Cases Being Missed Because of COVID-19

By stthomaschc | Press | Comments are Closed | 20 October, 2020 | 0

Nearly Half of New Orleans-Area Women Eligible for No-Cost Cancer Screenings

In the wake of COVID-19, nationwide reports have shown an alarming 60-90 percent drop in people getting routine cancer screenings, a plunge experts say will result in more undiagnosed cancers, and cancers being diagnosed at later stages, when treatment is less effective. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Louisiana Breast & Cervical Health Program (LBCHP) and its long-time provider partner, The St. Thomas Community Health Center, are joining together to urge women to get their regular mammograms now, as well as to provide any help overcoming barriers a woman might face getting a screening done.

Breast cancer is a major killer in Louisiana, which has the second highest breast cancer death rate among the 50 states. Black women are significantly more likely to get breast cancer, as well as die from it, which is one of the reasons that number is so high. The good news is that Louisiana can change that number with early detection, which is why LBCHP has been providing no-cost mammograms and Pap tests to women who qualify across the state for almost 20 years. The need for these screenings in the greater New Orleans area is evident with 41 percent of all women ages 21-64 being eligible for LBCHP services,  and 61 percent of Black women qualifying.

“Even before COVID-19, there were many women who were uncomfortable getting a mammogram,” said Dr. Donna Williams, director of the Louisiana Cancer Prevention & Control Programs, of which LBCHP is a part. “They don’t need to be! Thanks to early detection, breast cancer is almost 100-percent survivable. And our patient navigators can help a woman with any issues she may have in getting screened.”

Kolbi Murphy is the LBCHP patient navigator at St. Thomas, and the helping hand setting up appointments for women to get those screenings, which are done at other facilities. She can schedule women for clinical breast exams, expert consultations, and triage women with abnormalities at St. Thomas, while also referring women to other hospitals and clinics for mammograms, Pap tests and diagnostic care that can sometimes be hard to access. Murphy is there not only to make sure women can get in for screenings, but to overcome any other barriers they might face, such as co-pays, a lack of transportation and even fear.

“The medical system can be confusing. But that’s why I’m here! I can walk and talk women through everything and anything that might stand in their way,” said Murphy. “Scared of getting a mammogram? I’ll tell you exactly what to expect. Need a co-pay or gas money to get to a screening? I can help. I can even help with language issues. Just call me!”

To reach Murphy, call 504-331-9998. As the patient navigator, she can help with breast services for women, ages 40-64 (or anyone having symptoms) and for Pap tests, women, ages 21-64.

To learn about LBCHP eligibility, locations and more, go to LBHCP (https://lbchp.org/) or call its toll-free line at 888-599-1073.

LBCHP is part of The Louisiana Cancer Prevention & Control Programs (LCP), which eliminate suffering and death by focusing on cancers that can be prevented or detected early and cured. Those include breast, cervical and HPV-related, colorectal and lung and tobacco-related cancers. LCP is funded mainly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is housed at LSU Health New Orleans’ School of Public Health. To learn more go to louisianacancer.org.

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