SEO

July 4, 2021

Complaint ↳ Scott Wester ↳ President CEO ↳ Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center ↳ Sister Barbara Arceneaux, FMOL Regional Minister, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady North American Region - Our Lady Health System ↳ Louisiana Board of Ethics ↳The Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists ↳ Kathleen Crapanzano, MD, MACM Program Director LSU Health Sciences Center Psychiatry Residency Program-Baton Rouge ↳The Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College [§ R.S. 14:123 §1503 § 37 § 28 ↳ La Statutes] ↳ [Board may initiate appropriate action ↳ Complaint may be submitted by any person]

The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System is a non-profit, Catholic healthcare ministry primarily serving in Louisiana through its hospitals, network of ambulatory services and physician practices, long-term care, elderly housing, health and wellness services, and a clinically integrated network, in addition to the university. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge is the flagship and largest of the health system hospitals.

 

LSU-Baton Rouge Psychiatry residency program

 

  Our program has set its sights on becoming a premier psychiatric residency training program, and we are well on our way. Our culture here is to always strive to better ourselves, the services we offer, and the quality of our department. Through our outstanding facilities and training opportunities, our dynamic faculty, and our prioritization of teaching over service, we are preparing our residents to become leaders in the field of Psychiatry.

 

Take a look at some of our accomplishments over the last year:

  • Our class size has increased to 8 residents per year
  • 97% of our graduates since our inception have passed their boards
  • All of our graduates have been able to obtain fellowships in the area of their choice (CAP, forensic, community, CL) or had job placements at the time of graduation
  • We have expanded our suicide-specific treatment program and our collaborative care program
  • We opened our medication assisted therapy clinic for opiate use disorder and with an $800,000 HRSA grant, are providing individual and group CBT services as well
  • We have developed a C&A consultation service for the new free standing OLOL Children's hospital
  • LSU Health Sciences Center’s Baton Rouge campus has continued to grow and expand

Other important strengths of our program include:

  • A focus on all of the resident experiences being educationally driven - We make a real effort to prioritize education over service. Our residents work hard and see lots of patients, but they are not here to meet the service needs of the hospital.  
  • Our facilities are second to none!  We have a new medical education building, a new outpatient clinic, a new amphitheater for grand rounds, a new psychiatric emergency department and a new Children’s hospital.
  • Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, our main training site, is an academic medical center dedicated to medical education. They support the residencies located there with the resources required for excellence. The Mental and Behavioral health division has 69 licensed psychiatric beds, an intensive outpatient program, a large outpatient program, and a busy dedicated psychiatric emergency room. The patient population is a mix of private pay, indigent patients, and Medicaid/Medicare patients. Our psychiatric emergency room is seeing about 1000 patient presentations per month.  
  • We are part of the LSU Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in New Orleans, but located at the Baton Rouge branch campus. All of our residents are employees of LSU Health Sciences Center and enjoy the benefits of being a state employee.
  • Greater Baton Rouge has a population of over 800,000 people. There is no other psychiatric residency program in town competing for access to the patient population.
  • Partnerships with our local community mental health provider (Capital Area Human Services District), the state prison (for a forensic experience), Baton Rouge General Medical Center (where residents are exposed to ECT), woman’s health provider (Woman’s Hospital) and local outreach services for the severely ill and homeless (Homeless shelters and an assertive community treatment team) allow for varied clinical experiences.
  • We boast a supportive, collegial atmosphere, approachable faculty, and really great residents.
 
I firmly believe that the best residency experience is one where there is a good fit between the resident and the program. You need to feel like the training program you choose will be a place where you can grow and develop an identity as a physician and psychiatrist. If you are looking for a place where education comes before service needs, where the curriculum focuses not only on molecules but on the role of human relationships, and where an individual approach to helping you meet your potential is stressed, then LSU-Baton Rouge Psychiatry might be the place for you!

Kathleen Crapanzano, MD, MACM
Program Director
LSU Psychiatry Residency Program-Baton Rouge

LSU Psychiatry Residency Program
5246 Brittany Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Ph: 225-757-4212

§2359. 

Denial, revocation, or suspension of license; psychologist; provisional license; specialist in school psychology

            A. A psychologist and anyone under the supervision of a psychologist shall conduct their activities in conformity with ethical and professional standards promulgated by the board under its current rules and regulations.

            B. The board shall have the power and duty to suspend, place on probation, require remediation for a specified time, revoke any license to practice psychology, any provisional license to practice psychology, or any license to practice as a specialist in school psychology issued by the board, or take any other action specified in the rules and regulations whenever the board, by affirmative vote of at least four members of a five-member hearing panel, shall find by a preponderance of the evidence that a psychologist, provisional licensed psychologist, or specialist in school psychology has engaged in any of the following acts or offenses:

            (1) Fraud or deception in applying for or procuring a license to practice psychology.

            (2) Practicing psychology in such a manner as to endanger the welfare of clients or patients, including but not limited to:

    

        (a) Harassment, intimidation, or abuse, sexual or otherwise, of a client or patient.

            (b) Engaging in sexual intercourse or other sexual contact with a client or patient.

            (c) Gross malpractice, repeated malpractice, or gross negligence in the practice of psychology.

            (3) Conviction of a felony. A copy of the record of conviction, certified by the clerk of the court entering the conviction, shall be conclusive evidence.

            (4) Conviction of any crime or offense which reflects the inability of the practitioner to practice psychology with due regard for the health and safety of clients or patients.

            (5) Use of repeated untruthful, deceptive, or improbable statements concerning the licensee's qualifications or the effects or results of proposed treatment, including functioning outside of one's professional competence established by education, training, and experience.

            (6) Aiding or abetting the practice of psychology by any person not licensed by the board and in violation of this Chapter.

            (7) Conviction of fraud in filing Medicare or Medicaid claims or in filing claims to any third party payor. A copy of the record of conviction, certified by the clerk of the court entering the conviction, shall be conclusive evidence.

            (8) Exercising undue influence in such a manner as to exploit the client or patient for financial or other personal advantage to the practitioner or a third party.

            (9) The suspension or revocation by another state of a license to practice psychology. A certified copy of the record of suspension or revocation of the state making such a suspension or revocation shall be conclusive evidence thereof.

            (10) Refusal to appear before the board after having been ordered to do so in writing by a duly authorized agent of the board.

            (11) Making any fraudulent or untrue statement to the board.

          

  (12) Violation of the code of ethics adopted in the rules and regulations of the board or other immoral, unprofessional, or dishonorable conduct as defined in the rules and regulations of the board.

            (13) Inability to practice psychology with reasonable skill and safety to patients or clients by reason of illness, inebriation, misuse of drugs, narcotics, alcohol, chemicals, or any other substance, or as a result of any mental or physical condition.

            (14) Violation of any of the provisions of this Chapter or of the rules and regulations promulgated by the board thereunder.

            (15) Failure to comply with mandatory reporter laws.

 C.

The board may require a person against whom it has taken disciplinary action, after hearing or informal resolution, to pay reasonable costs of the proceedings incurred by the board for hearing and any judicial review in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter. These costs shall be paid no later than ninety days after the adjudication by the board becomes final. No license or provisional license shall be issued, reinstated, or renewed until such costs have been paid.

            (2) The board may charge a hearing fee to include reasonable costs and fees incurred by the board for the hearing or proceedings, including its legal fees, stenographer, investigator, staff, and witness fees and any such costs and fees incurred by the board on any judicial review or appeal.

            (3) The board may charge an informal resolution fee, not to exceed ten thousand dollars, to include costs and fees incurred by the board for a disciplinary action that is resolved by settlement, consent decree, or other informal resolution including its investigator, staff, and legal fees.

            D. The board may deny or withhold for a specified time not to exceed two years the granting of a license or provisional license to any applicant or candidate who has committed any of the acts or offenses set forth in Subsection B of this Section.

            E. Suspension by the board of the license of a psychologist, a provisional license of a psychologist, or a license of a specialist in school psychology shall be for a period not exceeding two years.

            F. A person who has been refused a license or provisional license, or whose license has been revoked, under the provisions of this Section, may reapply for licensure after more than two years have elapsed from the date such denial or revocation is legally effective.

            G. The board shall notify all licensed psychologists, provisional licensed psychologists, and licensed specialists in school psychology of any disciplinary action taken against a licensed psychologist, a provisional licensed psychologist, a provisional licensed psychologist, or a licensed specialist in school psychology.

            Added by Acts 1964, No. 347, §9; Acts 1987, No. 915, §2, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 2014, No. 136, §1; Acts 2014, No. 137, §1; Acts 2017, No. 234, §1, eff. June 14, 2017; Acts 2018, No. 515, §2.

 

§2361.  Injunctive proceedings

A.  The board may investigate any evidence or allegation which appears to show that any person is or may be in violation of any provision of this Chapter.  

B.  The board may apply for an injunction in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any person from committing any act which is in violation of this Chapter.  

C.  If it be established that the defendant has been or is committing an act which is in violation of this Chapter, the court shall enter a decree perpetually enjoining said defendant from further committing such act.  

D.  In case of violation of any injunction issued under the provisions of this Section, the court may summarily try and punish the offender for contempt of court.  

E.  Such injunctive proceedings shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, all penalties and other remedies as provided in this Chapter.  

Added by Acts 1964, No. 347, §11; Acts 1987, No. 915, §2, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.  

{{NOTE:  SEE ACTS 1987, NO. 915, §3.}}§2363. 

§2367.  Orders to nurses

Notwithstanding any law or rule or regulation to the contrary, including but not limited to Chapter 11 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, it shall be considered to be within the scope of the practice of nursing as defined in Chapter 11 of said Title 37 for a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, and any other health care provider licensed under Chapter 11 of Title 37 to execute and effectuate any order or direction otherwise within the scope of the practice of said health care provider when that order is within the scope of practice of psychology and given to him by a psychologist licensed under this Chapter and, when given in an institutional setting, the order is within the scope of the privileges granted to the psychologist by that institution.

Acts 1995, No. 1302, §1, eff. June 29, 1995.

 

Privileged communications

 

 

 

A.  In judicial proceedings, whether civil, criminal, or juvenile, legislative and administrative proceedings, and proceedings preliminary and ancillary thereto, a patient or client, or his legal representative, may refuse to disclose or prevent the disclosure of confidential information, including information contained in administrative records, communicated to a psychologist or a licensed specialist in school psychology licensed under this Chapter, or persons reasonably believed by the patient or client to be so licensed, or to their employees or other persons under their supervision, for the purpose of diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of any mental or emotional condition or disorder.

B.  In the absence of evidence to the contrary, the psychologist or licensed specialist in school psychology is presumed to be authorized to claim the privilege on behalf of the patient or client.

C.  This privilege may not be claimed by or on behalf of the patient or client in the following circumstances:

(1)  Where child abuse, elder abuse, or the abuse of individuals with disabilities or incompetent individuals is known or reasonably suspected.

(2)  Where the validity of a will of a deceased former patient or client is contested or his mental or emotional condition is in issue otherwise in any judicial or administrative proceeding.

(3)  Where such information is necessary for the defense of the psychologist or licensed specialist in school psychology in a malpractice action brought by the patient or client.

(4)  Where an immediate threat of physical violence against a clearly identified victim or victims is disclosed to the psychologist or licensed specialist in school psychology.

(5)  In the context of civil commitment proceedings, where an immediate threat of self-inflicted damage is disclosed to the psychologist or licensed specialist in school psychology.

(6)  Where the patient or client puts his mental state in issue by alleging mental or emotional damages or condition in any judicial or administrative proceedings.

(7)  Where the patient or client is examined pursuant to court order.

(8)  Where the board is conducting an investigation or hearing based on a complaint made by the patient or client.

D.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, testimonial privileges, exceptions, and waiver with respect to communications between psychologist or licensed specialist in school psychology and patient are governed by the Louisiana Code of Evidence.

Added by Acts 1964, No. 347, §13; Acts 1987, No. 915, §2, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1992, No. 376, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1993; Acts 2014, No. 136, §1; Acts 2014, No. 811, §19, eff. June 23, 2014.

{{NOTE:  SEE ACTS 1987, NO. 915, §3.}}

LSUHSC Baton Rouge Branch Campus Clinical Sites

The LSUHSC Baton Rouge Branch Campus provides medical education and training at the clinical sites listed below. Click on the images for more detailed information on each facility and its program.
 

 Welcome to 

Baton Rouge Branch Campus


Explore opportunities offered by the Louisiana State University School of Medicine- New Orleans Baton Rouge Branch Campus 

  • The LSU School of Medicine-New Orleans Baton Rouge Branch Campus is home to residency training programs in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

 

  • In addition, the Baton Rouge campus serves as a major clinical site for various LSU New Orleans based residency programs.

  • LSU School of Medicine- New Orleans students have the ability to complete all required clinical rotations at our campus. 

 

  • Core clinical rotations are completed at the largest hospital in Louisiana, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Louisiana's #1 birthing hospital, Woman's Hospital and Our Lady of the Lake's freestanding Children's Hospital. 

  • Our public-private partnerships with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Woman's Hospital afford both medical students and residents high clinical volume within the educational environment of an Academic Medical Center.  

  • Our proximity to and strategic partnerships with Pennington Biomedical Research Center and the LSU Main Campus allow for robust research opportunities for residents and medical students.


 
 

 

BATON ROUGE, LA

 

Community Health Systems
↳ Health — General and Rehabilitative

 

$224,068,859
2018 - 2019

646133.1


  LSU Board

 Cooperative Endeavor Agreement

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System “FMOL”

 


 the State of Louisiana 

Division of Administration

Louisiana Division of Administration, 

and the  

Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals ....

 1-866-685-86 

Louisiana healthcare connections

 

CEA incorporated a 

  Master Hospital Agreement

LSU would to an affiliate of

 FMOL (the “Lessee”)

 

Master Hospital Agreement

 

The Lessee is created by FMOL

 

 NOW THEREFORE be it resolved that the


Board of Supervisors

 Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, 

Division of Administration for the State of Louisiana, and Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Inc., Our Lady Health System, or an affiliate thereof, president of the Louisiana State University System,

 

public higher education institution in this state has violated any provision flaw within the jurisdiction of the board, except as otherwise exempted therefrom, may be grounds for disciplining or dismissing the tenured public employee by the appropriate higher education management board, or by the appointing authority by order of the board or panel in accordance with applicable tenure law, rule, or policy.
Acts 1979, No. 443, §1, eff. April 1, 1980; Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 64, §6, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.§1167.

Judgemental, as defined by the Code Judicial Conduct, shall be governed exclusively  by the provisions of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which shall be administered by the Judiciary Commission provided for in
Article V, Section 25 of the Constitution of Louisiana. Acts 1979, No. 443, §1, eff. April 1, 1980.§1168. 
 
Perjury; malfeasance in office
 
A. 
 
Perjury
Any person who intentionally and knowingly either files a false sworn complaint with the board or who gives false sworn testimony before the board or panel shall, upon conviction by court of competent jurisdiction, be guilty of the crime of perjury and subject to the penalty set forth in R.S. 14:123.
 
B.
Malfeasance by member of the board. 
Any member of the board who knowingly and intentionally initiates action by the board or panel against any public servant, or person knowing such action to be false 
 
74 – Code of Governmental Ethics
House of Representatives Database
 
January, 2021 R.S. 42:1169
shall, upon conviction by court of competent jurisdiction, be guilty of the crime of malfeasance in office and subject to the penalty set forth in  
 R.S. 14:134.Acts 1979, No. 443, §1, eff. April 1, 1980; Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 64, §6, eff. Jan. 1, 1997

 

PROCEDURE FOR FILING COMPLAINTS 

A potential violation of any law administered by the Board of Ethics can be reported by submitting a complaint to the address below:

LOUISIANA ETHICS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM
P.O. Box 4368
Baton Rouge , Louisiana 70821

Complaints filed with the Board must be in writing and signed by the person submitting the complaint. The complaint should also contain sufficient information for the Board to determine whether a potential violation of any law within the Board's jurisdiction is presented.

 

Complaints are confidential and it takes a vote of at least eight members of the Board to refer a complaint to investigation. Persons filing non-sworn complaints only receive notification of the final disposition of the complaint.

 

Alternatively, a complaint may be sworn before a notary. Such a sworn complaint may be referred to investigation by a majority of the Board. Persons filing sworn complaints will be notified by the Board of any action taken on the complaint.
Contact the Louisiana Board of Ethics
617 North Third Street
LaSalle Building, Suite 10-36
Baton Rouge , LA 70802
(Map)  
 
Mailing Address (for USPS):
P.O. Box 4368
Baton Rouge , LA 70821
Phone Numbers:
Telephone:225-219-5600
Fax:225-381-7271
Office Hours are Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4:45pm.

Send us an E-mail message

Requesting an Advisory Opinion

Filing a Complaint



Ethics Administration Program Custodian of Public Records
Carolyn Abadie Landry - Executive Secretary

225-219-5600 | 1-800-842-6630 | Fax: 225-381-7271
E-mail Custodian of Public Records

 

LINKEDIN LINKS

#GOHSEP

Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness

Louisiana Department of Health

Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologsts

U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Medical Services

NIMS - National Institute Of Management Solutions

JAMA Psychiatry

American Psychological Association

U.S. House of Representatives

ZERO TO THREE

U.S. Government Publishing Office

U.S. House of Representatives

Baton Rouge Business Report


LSBEP

 

Ambulatory Surgical Centers -Community Mental Health Centers -Dental Offices -Outpatient Behavioral Health Facilities -Outpatient Physical Therapy -Outpatient Specialty Clinics -Pain Management Clinics -Pediatric Day Health Care Facilities -Specialty Medical Offices”and includes:

Community Mental Health & Outpatient Behavioral Health Facilities. 

The personnel in this category are important in helping patients deal with COVID-19 and the socioeconomic consequences it has entailed. The pandemic has resulted in a marked increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation (CDC).


School of Medicine

Accreditation

LSUHSC New Orleans School of Medicine is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) until 2025-26. The LCME is the accrediting body charged by the U.S. Department of Education to ensure that medical schools meet consistent and rigorous national standards for professional education leading to the M.D. degree. Graduates of our School of Medicine are eligible for medical licensure in every state in the U.S. and the District of Columbia.

LSUHSC New Orleans School of Medicine is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (AGGME). Additionally, all individual residency programs are fully accredited with none on a probationary status. All graduates of our residency programs are eligible for board certification in their specialty. Specialty board certification is recognized in every state in the U.S. and the District of Columbia.

 

State and National Professional Organizations:

American Psychological Association
www.apa.org

Zero to Three
www.zerotothree.org

Association of Psychology Predoctoral and Internship Center
www.appic.org

Louisiana Psychological Association
www.louisianapsychologist.org/

Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
www.lsbep.org/

Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) – (to report child abuse/neglect)
http://www.dss.state.la.us/assets/docs/searchable/OCS/CPI-2.pdf

Louisiana Elderly Protective Services (EPS) – (to report elder abuse)
http://goea.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=5&pnid=2&nid=16

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
www.nctsn.org

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
http://www.samhsa.gov/

Local Organizations/Hospitals:

New Orleans-Birmingham Psychoanalytic Center
http://www.nobpc.org/

Children’s Hospital of New Orleans
www.chnola.org/

Institute of Mental Hygiene
www.imhno.org/

University Medical Center
http://www.umcno.org/

Metropolitan Human Services District
https://www.mhsdla.org/

Other Helpful Psychology-Related Links

Psych Web
http://www.psychwww.com/

Psychology Today (here to help)
psychologytoday.com/

National Alliance on Mental Health (List of Commonly Prescribed Psychotropic Medications)
www.nami.org/Template.cfm

APA Divisions List
www.apa.org/about/division.html

  

The Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College 

is established by Article 8, Section 7 of the Louisiana Constitution. 

It is a constitutionally empowered board granted the authority and responsibility to “supervise and manage the institutions, statewide agricultural programs, and other programs administered through its system.

 

”The constitution provides that the membership of the board is composed of two members from each congressional district and three members from the state at large, appointed by the governor with confirmation of the Senate.

Those members serve six-year terms, which are staggered. In addition, a student member is selected to serve a one-year term.

Contact Us

LSU Board of Supervisors
104B University Administration Bldg.
3810 W. Lakeshore Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Email:  jdroddy@lsu.edu
Telephone: 225-578-5745
Fax: 225-578-5524 

L O U I S I A N A S T A T E S U P E R V I S O R S B Y L A W S 

Effective August 14, 2020 

CONTENTS

 ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS 1 ARTICLE II. OFFICERS AND STAFF OF THE BOARD 2 ARTICLE III. MEETINGS 3 ARTICLE IV. ORDER OF BUSINESS 5 ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES 6 ARTICLE VI. COMMUNICATIONS TO THE BOARD 9 ARTICLE VII. AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD

10 ARTICLE VIII. AUTHORITY OF THE PRESIDENT 14 ARTICLE IX. RIGHTS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY 16 ARTICLE X. RIGHTS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ACADEMIC STAFF 19 ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENT OR REPEAL OF BYLAWS 20 ARTICLE XII. RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 20 ARTICLE XIII. ADOPTION OF BYLAWS 20 ARTICLE XIV. REPEALING CLAUSE 20


BYLAWS OF THE LSU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 
ARTICLE I.
 DEFINITIONS
 
 The Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College The "Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College" or "Board" as used in the Bylaws, shall refer to the governing Board of the University and shall be composed of the Board of Supervisors, duly appointed and qualified as provided by law. Chair of the Board The term "Chair of the Board," as used in these Bylaws, shall refer to the Supervisor who is the duly elected Chair or acting Chair of the Board of Supervisors. University The term "University" when used in these Bylaws, shall refer to the collection campuses, academic programs, facilities, and other assets governed by the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors is invested by law with the authority to organize the University
as necessary to achieve its mission of delivering instruction, conducting research, facilitating scholarly activity, and performing service and outreach to Louisiana. 
 
The institutions of the University are: 
 
1. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (“LSU”), the premier flagship university for the state. 
 
2. Louisiana State University at Alexandria. 
3. Louisiana State University at Eunice. 
4. Louisiana State University in Shreveport. 
5. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center –New Orleans. 
6. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center –Shreveport. 
7. Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. 
8. Pennington Biomedical Research Center. 
9. Any other college, university, school, institution, or program now or hereafter under the supervision and management of the Board of Supervisors of

 


LSBEP Executive Committee

Amy Henke, Psy.D., 

Chairperson

Jaime T. Monic,

 Executive Director


 

 COMMONLY USED ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS: 

ASPPB Association of State and Provincial Psychology BoardsLPA Louisiana Psychological AssociationAPA American Psychological AssociationLAC Louisiana Administrative CodeLA R.S. Louisiana Revised StatutesFY/FYE-Fiscal Year/Fiscal Year EndLAPA Louisiana Administrative Procedures ActLSA R.S. Louisiana Statutes Annotated Louisiana Revised StatutesEPPP -Examination for Professional Practice in PsychologyLSPA Louisiana School Psychology Associatio

 

State Board of Examiners of Psychologists Contacts

Name Title Phone Email
Amy Henke Chairperson 225-295-8410 amy.henke@la.gov
Jaime Monic Executive Director 225-295-8410 jaime.monic@la.gov
Justin OwensCompliance Investigator225-295-8410Justin.Owens2@la.gov

 

The Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists  is created to safeguard life, health, property, and the public welfare, and in order to protect the people of this state against unauthorized, unqualified and improper application of psychology

 

State Board of Examiners of Psychologists Members

Name Compensation Terms Length of Service Selection Method
Koren Boggs $75.00 8/14/2015 - 8/13/2020 5 years Governor Appointed
Sandra Brindamour $75.00 09/24/2020 1 Day Alternate Pro Tem Hearing Member Governor Appointed
Darla Burnett $75.00 7/1/2012-6/30/2017 5 years Governor Appointed
Joseph Comaty $75.00 6/30/2014-6/11/2015 1 year Governor Appointed
Leah Crouch $75.00 7/21/2017 - 7/19/2019 2 years Governor Appointed
Rita Culross $75.00 7/1/2010-6/30/2015 5 years Governor Appointed
Gina Gibson $75.00 7/19/2019 - 6/30/2022 3 years - Active Member Governor Appointed
Gregory (Greg) Gormanous $75.00 7/2/2018 - 6/30/23 5 years - Active Member Governor Appointed
Phillp Griffin $75.00 7/1/2013-6/30/2018 5 years Governor Appointed
Shannae Harness $75.00 07/01/2020 - 06/30/2025 5 years - Active Member Governor Appointed
Amitai Heller $75.00 12/21/2018-06/30/2023 0 years - Consumer Member Governor Appointed
Amy Henke $75.00 9/26/2016-6/30/2021 5 years - Active Member Governor Appointed
Jessie Lambert $75.00 8/14/2015 - 8/13/2020 5 years Governor Appointed
Darren McNeely $75.00 11/15/2019-6/30/2024 5 years - Active Consumer Member Governor Appointed
Michelle Moore $75.00 7/19/2019-6/30/2022 5 years - Active Member Governor Appointed
Laura Rasmussen $75.00 09/24/2020 1 Day (Pro Tem Hearing Member) Governor Appointed
David Wheeler $75.00 09/24/2020 1 Day Pro Tem Hearing Member Governor Appointed
Marc Zimmerman $75.00 7/7/2011-6/30/2016 5 years Governor Appointed

 

 

State Board of Examiners of Psychologists Employees

Name Salary Employee Type Employee Title
Elainey Heltz $11.00 Part-time Student Employee
Jaime Monic $62,400.00 Unclassified Executive Director
Justin Owens $46,200.00 Unclassified Compliance Investigator
Seryna White$12.00Part-timeStudent Employee

 

 

A. No action for damages for injury or death against any physician, chiropractor, nurse, licensed midwife practitioner, dentist, psychologist, optometrist, hospital duly licensed under the laws of this state, or community blood center or tissue bank as defined in R.S. 40:1299.41(A), whether based upon tort, or breach of contract, or otherwise, arising out of patient care shall be brought unless filed within one year from the date of the alleged act, omission, or neglect, or within one year from the date of discovery of the alleged act, omission, or neglect; however, even as to claims filed within one year from the date of such discovery, in all events such claims shall be filed at the latest within a period of three years from the date of the alleged act, omission, or neglect.

 

Offensive Behavior 

Lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct, in a public place including but not limited to nudity, indecent exposure, or sexually explicit behavior that would reasonably be offensive to others. Offensive behavior also includes unsolicited lewd, indecent or obscene conduct transmitted electronically or over social media and directed to an individual.


NOTICE:

La. R.S. 37:23.2-In compliance with La. R.S. 37:23.2, the LSBEP: Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists:
LSBEP, 4334 S. Sherwood Forest Boulevard, #C-150, Baton Rouge, LA 70816;admin.lsbep@la.gov; (225)925-6511;
Committee on House & Governmental Affairs,La. House of Representatives,PO Box 44486, Baton Rouge, LA 70804; (225) 342-2403; Committee on Senate & Governmental Affairs; La Senate:Submit to:s&g@legis.la.govorCommittee on Senate & Governmental Affairs; La SenatePO Box 94183, Baton Rouge, LA 70804; (225)342-9845 LA R.S. 42.14.D.




It is a misdemeanor to reveal any information about an Ethics Board investigation.



June 29, 2021

Doctor Fires Me Because After She'd Rehearsed, His Nurse Said I Cursed Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Inc FMOLHS [SAMPLE TERMINATION LETTER 'intentionally left blank'] Beneficence and non-maleficence: Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Applicable to Psychiatry (2020-2021) APA Ethics Committee Sincerely [Physician’s name]

 



APA ☠ Principles of Medical Ethics Applicable to Psychiatry ℞ 2020-2021 APA ☠ 

 

Serving the Healthcare Needs of Louisiana and Mississippi

 

✟ sisters ✟ pray for beneficence ✟ non-maleficence to find Mark Zielinski MD. Kathleen Crapanzano MD, Lee Tynes MD, ☠ after censure ☠
Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Center for Psychiatric Residency Services
5131 O'Donovan Dr. | Suite 300 | Baton Rouge, LA 225 374-0400
🐪  
Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Applicable to Psychiatry (2020-2021)

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) Ethics Committee

"The psychiatrist may want to review the new ethics opinions related to COVID-19  address telemedicine. Arbitrary decisions to deny mental health treatment based on information obtained through dubious means, which  not be correct, stigmatizes and discriminates against psychiatric patients, penalizes patients for behaviors resulting from mental illness .. in direct contravention of Principles which enjoin physician / psychiatrist to "...support medical care for all people."   

“A physician shall provide competent medical care with compassion and respect for human dignity and rights. Continuity of care must be assured. Abandonment is unethical and a cause of action under the law.     Physician-initiated termination is a serious event." (APA) Ethics Committee
https://www.instagram.com/apapsychiatric/


Mark Zielinski, MD
LSU OLOL Physician Group | Dept. of Psy Svcs.
Residency & Assoc. Dir. Outpatient Svcs

Angela Gourney, Cinic Dir  Op  


Tina S. Holland, PhD
Pres Franciscan U
K. Scott Wester
President CEO Franciscan Missionaries
Our Lady Health System

Coletta Barrett
civilrights@ololrmc.com

Leslie Yander
FMOLHS
Leslie.Yander@FMOLHS.org

Corporate Off., Materials Management
 Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System



DOJ LA (MFDU)
Chris Morgan (Agent) ☠
🐪
www.ag.state.la.us
Karen Glassman
🐪
OIG Inspector General
🐪
Brett Mason


1.   The psychiatrist should make sure that there is evidence that the patient has received her recommendations and intent to terminate by certified letter if possible, or an email with an acknowledgement of receipt if a letter is not possible.

    2.  The psychiatrist should contact her malpractice carrier to ascertain if there are any other specific legal considerations pertaining to state law in the relevant jurisdictions.
    Recent Opinions of the APA Ethics Committee on The Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry (2020-2021)

The psychiatrist may want to review the new ethics opinions related to COVID-19 since they also address telemedicine and personal risk issues.(Section 6) ( APA Recent Ethics Opinions 2020-2021)

In addition, arbitrary decisions to exclude a person seeking mental health treatment based on information obtained through dubious means, which may or may not be correct, further stigmatizes and discriminates against psychiatric patients, penalizes such patients for behaviors that could be the result of mental illness and significantly decreases access to care.
    This is in direct contravention of Section 9 of the Principles which enjoins physicians/psychiatrists to "...support access to medical care for all people." Likewise, Section 1 states: “A physician shall be dedicated to providing competent medical care with compassion and respect for human dignity and rights”.
    (Sections 1, 2 and 9) (2020 fidelity, non-maleficence, and proper distribution of scarce resources (fairness).
    Review of the American College of Physicians Ethics Manual, Sixth Edition Ezekiel J. Emanuel

 Under rare circumstances, the physician may elect to discontinue the professional relationship, provided that adequate care is available elsewhere and the patient's health is not jeopardized in the process (14, 15).
    The physician should notify the patient in writing and obtain patient approval to transfer the medical records to another physician and comply with applicable laws.
    Continuity of care must be assured.
    Abandonment is unethical and a cause of action under the law.
    Physician-initiated termination is a serious event, especially if the patient is acutely ill, and should be undertaken only after genuine attempts to understand and resolve differences.
    The physician's responsibility is to serve the best interests of the patient.
    A patient is free to change physicians at any time and is entitled to the information contained in the medical records.


    Re: Tynes crapanzano failure to report

 It is unethical for a physician to disparage the professional competence, knowledge, qualifications, or services of another physician to a patient or a third party or to state or imply that a patient has been poorly managed or mistreated by a colleague without substantial evidence.
    This does not mean that a physician cannot disagree with a plan of management or recommendations made by another physician.
    A physician therefore has a duty to patients, the public, and the profession to report to the appropriate authority any well-formed suspicions of fraud, professional misconduct, incompetence, or abandonment of patients by another physician.
    14.
    Farber N, Snyder L.
    The Difficult Patient: Should You End the Relationship? Ethics Case Study.
    

The American College of Physicians Ethics Case Studies Series.
  
American Medical Association.
 
AMA Code of Medical Ethics.
    Communication patterns of primary care physicians.
    JAMA.
Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office Middle District of Louisiana Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L.
    McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Ellison C.
    Travis of the Middle District of Louisiana; Special Agent in Charge Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Bryan A.
    Vorndran of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.
    HHS-OIG and the FBI investigated the case.
    Assistant Chief Dustin M.
    Davis and Trial Attorney Justin M.
    Woodard of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E.
    White of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.
    The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force.
    Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 15 strike forces operating in 24 districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for nearly $19 billion.
    In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
    U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Our office is closely monitoring the situation surrounding the Coronavirus and, in the interest of the health and safety of our staff, has modified operations to abide by the guidance of the President, the Department of Justice, the Centers for Disease Control, and recent District Court orders.
    My commitment to the Middle District is to remain vigilant to the public safety needs of our citizens, while balancing the health and safety concerns we all share.
     The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities.
    If you have trouble accessing any of APA's web resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 or apa@psych.org for assistance.
    Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association Cathy Thompson, Executive Director lpmastaff@lpma.net

 Hammond, LA 70401 Phone: (225) 761-3718 Fax: (225) 761-3719 Ethics and COVID-19 APA's Ethics Committee is taking questions and providing answers to ethical issues members are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Read the committee's answer to some questions below: COVID-19 Related Opinions of the APA Ethics Committee If you have an ethical dilemma and need advice from APA's Ethics Committee, submit your questions to apaethics@psych.org. The committee will respond to your directly.
    APA Ethics Resources and Standards The Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry, 2013 Edition APA adheres to the American Medical Association's Principles of Medical Ethics.
    APA interprets these general guidelines in its annotations and published opinions.
    The annotations are not absolutes; instead, they are intended to put ethical guidance in the context of psychiatry.
    The annotations are revised from time to time to make them applicable to current practices and problems.
    Download Ethical Complaints When a person with personal knowledge believes an APA member may have violated these ethical principles, they may file a complaint with the APA District Branch to which the member belongs.
    View contact information for District Branches.
    Complaints are handled in accordance with APA's procedural code by the District Branch's ethics committee.
    Appeals from district branch decisions are made to the APA Ethics Committee.
    APA Principles and Procedures for Handling Complaints of Unethical Conduct APA Commentary on Ethics in Practice The Commentary is based on the existing Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry and is meant to provide practical guidance for managing ethical dilemmas that come up in day-to-day practice.
    The commentary is cross-referenced to the Annotations so that there is an explicit link between each subject and the existing ethics code.
    Download The Opinions of the Ethics Committee on the Principles of Medical Ethics The Opinions of the Ethics Committee on The Principles of Medical Ethics includes ethics questions raised by APA members and opinions prepared by APA's Ethics Committee.
    The opinions reflect the perspectives of the particular time in which each was written and do not represent APA policy.
    The opinions are offered to assist APA's members and district branches in understanding the ethical principles.
    APA members who have a question on which they would like an opinion from APA's Ethics Committee on an ethical problem they are trying to solve may contact apaethics@psych.org. Please include your member identification number in your email.
    Table 1.
    Principles That Guide the ACP Ethics Manual Recommendations In addition, considerations of justice must inform the physician's role as citizen and clinical decisions about resource allocation.
    The principle of distributive justice requires that we seek to equitably distribute the life-enhancing opportunities afforded by health care.
    How to accomplish this distribution is the focus of intense debate.
    More than ever, concerns about justice challenge the traditional role of physician as patient advocate.
    The environment for the delivery of health care continues to change.
    Sites of care are shifting, with more care provided in ambulatory settings while the intensity of inpatient care increases.
    The U.S. health care system does not serve all of its citizens well, and major reform has been needed.
    Health care financing is a serious concern, and society's values will be tested in decisions about resource allocation.
    Ethical issues attract widespread public attention and debate.
    Through legislation, administrative action, or judicial decision, government is increasingly involved in medical ethics.
    The convergence of various forces—scientific advances, patient and public education, the Internet, the civil rights and consumer movements, the effects of law and economics on medicine, and the heterogeneity of our society—demands that physicians clearly articulate the ethical principles that guide their behavior in clinical care, research, and teaching, or as citizens or collectively as members of the profession.
    It is crucial that a responsible physician perspective be heard as societal decisions are made.
    From genetic testing before conception to dilemmas at the end of life, physicians, patients, and their families are called upon to make difficult decisions.
    The 1970s saw the development of bioethics as a field.
    Important issues then (and now) include informed consent, access to health care, genetic screening and engineering, and forgoing life-sustaining treatment.
    These and other issues—physician-assisted suicide, technological changes, and the physician as entrepreneur—challenge us to periodically reconsider such topics as the patient–physician relationship, relationships with family caregivers (7), decisions to limit treatment, conflict of interest, physician–industry relations, changing communication modalities, and confidentiality.
    This Manual was written for our colleagues in medicine.
    The College believes that the Manual provides the best approach to the challenges addressed in it.
    We hope it stimulates reasoned debate and serves as a reference for persons who seek the College's position on ethical issues.
    Debates about medical ethics may also stimulate critical evaluation and discussion of law and public policy on the difficult ethical issues facing patients, physicians, and society.
    Professionalism Medicine is not a trade to be learned, but a profession to be entered (1).
    A profession is characterized by a specialized body of knowledge that its members must teach and expand, by a code of ethics and a duty of service that put patient care above self-interest, and by the privilege of self-regulation granted by society (8).
    Physicians must individually and collectively fulfill the duties of the profession.
    While outside influences on medicine and the patient–physician relationship are many, the ethical foundations of the profession must remain in sharp focus (9).
    The definition of medical profession is noted in Box 2.
    Box 2.
    Definition of medical profession as used in the Manual Download figure Download PowerPoint The Physician and the Patient The patient–physician relationship entails special obligations for the physician to serve the patient's interest because of the specialized knowledge that physicians possess, the confidential nature of the relationship, and the imbalance of power between patient and physician.
    Physicians publicly profess that they will use their skills for the benefit of patients, not their own benefit (10).
    Physicians must uphold this declaration, as should their professional associations as communities of physicians that put patient welfare first (10).
    The physician's primary commitment must always be to the patient's welfare and best interests, whether in preventing or treating illness or helping patients to cope with illness, disability, and death.
    The physician must respect the dignity of all persons and respect their uniqueness.
    The interests of the patient should always be promoted regardless of financial arrangements; the health care setting; or patient characteristics, such as decision-making capacity, behavior, or social status.
    Although the physician should be fairly compensated for services rendered, a sense of duty to the patient should take precedence over concern about compensation.
    Initiating and Discontinuing the Patient–Physician Relationship At the beginning of and throughout the patient–physician relationship, the physician must work toward an understanding of the patient's health problems, concerns, goals, and expectations.
    After patient and physician agree on the problem and the goals of therapy, the physician presents one or more courses of action.
    The patient may authorize the physician to initiate a course of action; the physician can then accept that responsibility.
    The relationship has mutual obligations.
    The physician must be professionally competent, act responsibly, seek consultation when necessary, and treat the patient with compassion and respect, and the patient should participate responsibly in the care, including giving informed consent or refusal to care as the case might be.
    Effective communication is critical to a strong patient–physician relationship.
    The physician has a duty to promote patient understanding and should be aware of barriers, including health literacy issues for the patient.
    Communication through e-mail or other electronic means can supplement face-to-face encounters; however, it must be done under appropriate guidelines (11).
    “Issuance of a prescription or other forms of treatment, based only on an online questionnaire or phone-based consultation, does not constitute an acceptable standard of care” (12).
    Exceptions to this may include on-call situations in which the patient has an established relationship with another clinician in the practice and certain urgent public health situations, such as the diagnosis and treatment of communicable infectious diseases.
    An example is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–endorsed practice of expedited partner therapy for certain sexually transmitted infections.
    However, aspects of a patient–physician relationship, such as the physician's responsibilities to the patient, attach even in the absence of interpersonal contact between the physician and patient (12).
    Care and respect should guide the performance of the physical examination.
    The location and degree of privacy should be appropriate for the examination being performed, with chaperone services as an option.
    An appropriate setting and sufficient time should be allocated to encourage exploration of aspects of the patient's life pertinent to health, including habits, relationships, sexuality, vocation, culture, religion, and spirituality.
    By history, tradition, and professional oath, physicians have a moral obligation to provide care for ill persons.
    Although this obligation is collective, each individual physician is obliged to do his or her fair share to ensure that all ill persons receive appropriate treatment (13).
    A physician may not discriminate against a class or category of patients.
    An individual patient–physician relationship is formed on the basis of mutual agreement.
    In the absence of a preexisting relationship, the physician is not ethically obliged to provide care to an individual person unless no other physician is available, as is the case in some isolated communities, or when emergency treatment is required.
    Under these circumstances, the physician is morally bound to provide care and, if necessary, to arrange for proper follow-up.
    Physicians may also be bound by contract to provide care to beneficiaries of health plans in which they participate.
    Physicians and patients may have different concepts of or cultural beliefs about the meaning and resolution of medical problems.
    The care of the patient and satisfaction of both parties are best served if physician and patient discuss their expectations and concerns.
    Although the physician must address the patient's concerns, he or she is not required to violate fundamental personal values, standards of medical care or ethical practice, or the law.
    When the patient's beliefs—religious, cultural, or otherwise—run counter to medical recommendations, the physician is obliged to try to understand clearly the beliefs and the viewpoints of the patient.
    If the physician cannot carry out the patient's wishes after seriously attempting to resolve differences, the physician should discuss with the patient his or her option to seek care from another physician.
    Under rare circumstances, the physician may elect to discontinue the professional relationship, provided that adequate care is available elsewhere and the patient's health is not jeopardized in the process (14, 15).
    The physician should notify the patient in writing and obtain patient approval to transfer the medical records to another physician and comply with applicable laws.
    Continuity of care must be assured.
    Abandonment is unethical and a cause of action under the law.
    Physician-initiated termination is a serious event, especially if the patient is acutely ill, and should be undertaken only after genuine attempts to understand and resolve differences.
    The physician's responsibility is to serve the best interests of the patient.
    A patient is free to change physicians at any time and is entitled to the information contained in the medical records.
    Third-Party Evaluations Performing a limited assessment of an individual on behalf of a third party, for example, as an industry-employed physician or an independent medical examiner, raises distinct ethical issues regarding the patient–physician relationship.
    The physician should disclose to the patient that an examination is being undertaken on behalf of a third party that therefore raises inherent conflicts of interest; ensure that the patient is aware that traditional aspects of the patient–physician relationship, including confidentiality, might not apply; obtain the examinee's consent to the examination and to the disclosure of the results to the third party; exercise appropriate independent medical judgment, free from the influence of the third party; and inform the examinee of the examination results and encourage her or him to see another physician if those results suggest the need for follow-up care (16, 17).
    Confidentiality Confidentiality is a fundamental tenet of medical care.
    It is increasingly difficult to maintain in this era of electronic health records and electronic data processing, e-mail, faxing of patient information, third-party payment for medical services, and sharing of patient care among numerous health professionals and institutions.
    Physicians must follow appropriate security protocols for storage and transfer of patient information to maintain confidentiality, adhering to best practices for electronic communication and use of decision-making tools.
    Confidentiality is a matter of respecting the privacy of patients, encouraging them to seek medical care and discuss their problems candidly, and preventing discrimination on the basis of their medical conditions.
    The physician should not release a patient's personal medical information (often termed a “privileged communication”) without that patient's consent.
    However, confidentiality, like other ethical duties, is not absolute.
    It may have to be overridden to protect individuals or the public or to disclose or report information when the law requires it.
    The physician should make every effort to discuss the issues with the patient.
    If breaching confidentiality is necessary, it should be done in a way that minimizes harm to the patient and heeds applicable federal and state law.
    Physicians should be aware of the increased risk for invasion of patient privacy and should help ensure confidentiality.
    They should be aware of state and federal law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy rule (18).
    Within their own institutions, physicians should advocate policies and procedures to secure the confidentiality of patient records.
    To uphold professionalism and protect patient privacy, clinicians should limit discussion of patients and patient care issues to professional encounters.
    Discussion of patients by professional staff in public places, such as elevators or cafeterias, violates confidentiality and is unethical.
    Outside of an educational setting, discussion of patients with or near persons who are not involved in the care of those patients impairs the public's trust and confidence in the medical profession.
    Physicians of patients who are well-known to the public should remember that they are not free to discuss or disclose information about any patient's health without the explicit consent of the patient.
    In the care of the adolescent patient, family support is important.
    However, this support must be balanced with confidentiality and respect for the adolescent's autonomy in health care decisions and in relationships with clinicians (19).
    Physicians should be knowledgeable about state laws governing the right of adolescent patients to confidentiality and the adolescent's legal right to consent to treatment.
    Occasionally, a physician receives information from a patient's friends or relatives and is asked to withhold the source of that information from the patient (20).
    The physician is not obliged to keep such secrets from the patient.
    The informant should be urged to address the patient directly and to encourage the patient to discuss the information with the physician.
    The physician should use sensitivity and judgment in deciding whether to use the information and whether to reveal its source to the patient.
    The physician should always act in the best interests of the patient.
    The Medical Record Physician entries in the medical record, paper and electronic, should contain accurate and complete information about all communications, including those done in-person and by telephone, letter, or electronic means.
    Ethically and legally, patients have the right to know what is in their medical records.
    Legally, the actual chart is the property of the physician or institution, although the information in the chart is the property of the patient.
    Most states have laws that guarantee the patient personal access to the medical record, as does the federal HIPAA privacy rule.
    The physician must release information to the patient or to a third party at the request of the patient.
    Information may not be withheld, including because of nonpayment of medical bills.
    Physicians should retain the original of the medical record and respond to a patient's request with copies or summaries as appropriate unless the original record is required.
    To protect confidentiality, protected health information should be released only with the written permission of the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative, or as required by law.
    If a physician leaves a group practice or dies, patients must be notified and records forwarded according to patient instructions.
    Disclosure To make health care decisions and work in partnership with the physician, the patient must be well-informed.
    Effective patient–physician communication can dispel uncertainty and fear and enhance healing and patient satisfaction.
    Information should be disclosed to patients and, when ap Understanding and Addressing Disparities and Discrimination in Education and in the Physician Workforce Online Medical Professionalism: Patient and Public Relationships: Policy Statement From the American College of Physicians and the Federation of State Medical Boards How to cite this paper:Serchen J, Doherty R, Hewett-Abbott G, Atiq O, Hilden D; Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians.
    Understanding and Addressing Disparities and Discrimination In Education and in the Physician Workforce: A Position Paper of the American College of Physicians.
    Philadelphia: American College of Physicians; 2021.
    (Available from American College of Physicians, 190 N Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106.) Copyright © 2021 American College of Physicians All rights reserved.
    Individuals may photocopy all or parts of Position Papers for educational, not-for-profit uses.
    These papers may not be reproduced for commercial, for-profit use in any form, by any means (electronic, mechanical, xerographic, or other) or held in any information storage or retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher.For questions about the content of this Position Paper, please contact ACP, Division of Governmental Affairs and Public Policy, Suite 700, 25 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001-7401; telephone 202-261-4500.
    To order copies of this Position Paper, contact ACP Customer Service at 800-523-1546, extension 2600 Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, covered entity affiliates, Our Lady of the Lake, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) and their subsidiaries comply with Federal civil rights laws discriminate ... FMOL and covered entity affiliates exclude Coletta Barrett olol RMC civilrights@ololrmc.com 765-3295 Leslie Yander FMOLHS Health Plan Essen Lane Leslie.Yander@FMOLHS.org (225) 765-6827 St.
    Dom Jackson Hospital K.
    Jerry Farr, Chair, Grievance icare@stdom.com 601-200-5123 phone Ivo Lukitsch, MD Consulting Staff/Faculty, Department of Nephrology, Ochsner Medical Center is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Transplantation Eleanor Lederer, MD, FASN is a member of the following medical societies American Association for the Advancement of Science American Federation for Medical Research National Kidney Foundation Chief Editor Vecihi Batuman, MD, FASN Huberwald Professor of Medicine, Section of Nephrology-Hypertension, Interim Chair, Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine Vecihi Batuman, MD, FASN following medical societies: American College of Physicians American Society of Hypertension American Society of Nephrology International Society of Nephrology Southern Society for Clinical Investigation Office for Civil Rights hhs 1-800-368-1019 Section 1909(b)(2) of the Act requires State law to contain provisions effective in rewarding qui tam actions for false and fraudulent claims as sections 3730 through 3732 Federal False Claims Act.
    FFC Act, Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, in action or claim were publicly disclosed (i) in a Federal criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, Government or its agent is a party; (ii) congressional, Gov Accountability, Federal report, hearing, audit, investigation; (iii) news media, unless brought by Attorney General See 31 U.S.C. § 3730(e)(4)(A).
    OFFICE OF THE LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL Baton Rouge, LA 70802 (225) 326-6705 Louisiana Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Unit Louisiana MFCU combat incorrect reporting of diagnoses or procedures to maximize payments; billing for services, medical supplies or equipment not furnished; misrepresentation of the dates and descriptions of services furnished, the identity of the recipient or the individual furnishing services; and billing for noncovered or nonchargeable services as covered items.
    discriminate against a beneficiary (e.g., prevent them from signing up for a plan based on their age, health status, race or income), entice beneficiaries to enroll in a more costly plan than they require, or erroneously - and vigorously prosecute criminals who prey (225) 326-6210 Karen Glassman 202-708-9777 Susan Gillin 202-205-9426 Daniel R.
    Levinson Inspector General Government payers, however, have stricter policies.
    





 Government payers, however, have stricter policies.
    Involuntary disenroll of a patient in a government health coverage plan can be strictly regulated by the state.
    

High-level governmental review and approval of the documentation surrounding the dissolution of the patient-physician relationship may be required before the patient can be involuntarily disenrolled.

    When you have a relationship with a Medicare or Medicaid enrollee that you think needs to be terminated, carefully review your provider manual and state regulations.


Our state generally requires demonstration of significant wrap-around services (such as anger management counseling or social worker intervention) or transfer to another provider within our system (a “second chance”) before the patient can be transferred to another system or involuntarily disenrolled.








    RISK MANAGEMENT Physicians’ offices are subject to state and federal civil rights laws.
    The AMA says a physician may not decline to accept patients because of “sex, color, creed, race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, national origin, sexual orientation, age or any other basis that would constitute invidious discrimination.” Lawsuits that allege discrimination or violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act are increasing.
    If you are considering ending your relationship with a patient who is in a protected class or disabled, you may want to consult an attorney to assess your liability risk.
    Having a plan helps Jump to section + Terminating a patient-physician relationship is never fun.
    But in our experience, the termination process is much easier if we follow a standardized approach for all of our challenging relationships.
    Date:Originally Posted May 5, 2020; Updated May 29, 2020 Re:COVID-19 Related Opinions of the APA Ethics Committee That being said, as during the current COVID-19 pandemic, actual conditions and protections may deviate from the ideal during times of public health emergencies.
    These are very difficult issues being faced at a very difficult time for humanity.
    When determining the appropriate resolution of professional ethical dilemmas, it is important to maintain humility – while psychiatrists can and should think through how to balance competing responsibilities in any individual case, they also must recognize that often the answer is not clear and it will always depend on the circumstances of each individual case.
    Psychiatrists should be aware of the both the risks of service and of recusal from service in light of medicine’s responsibilities to the public good as a healing profession.





    Many family physicians chose the specialty of family medicine because of the value placed on the therapeutic relationship between the patient and the physician.
    When that relationship is significantly or repeatedly challenged, family physicians feel it deeply, and it’s not always clear how best to address the problem.
    We have found that, when emotions are high, having a standardized process for dealing with these challenges makes it easier to take appropriate action.
    Our process provides patients with plenty of opportunities to reconsider their behavior and re-engage in the relationship, when appropriate, and it provides the physician and staff the assurance that comes with following a reasoned, consistent approach when difficult circumstances arise.
    If it becomes necessary to terminate the relationship, our approach describes how to do it without running afoul of payers’ guidelines.
    While our system is not perfect, it has significantly improved our ability to set expectations and draw boundaries in an environment where some payers have very narrowly defined the circumstances under which termination is acceptable.
    The flow charts in this article are based on ones we have used with success in our health system.
    You can download them below and adapt them for use in your practice.
    Working it out Jump to section + An appropriate response depends on the type of events that have strained the relationship, and these can vary widely, from behaviors that annoy you, such as multiple missed appointments, to those that make you angry, such as unpaid bills, to those that cause you or your staff to feel threatened.
    The least severe incidents can usually be addressed by discussing them with the patient or through a discussion between the patient and the office manager or administrator.
    The most severe incidents may call for immediate termination.
    In our group, the medical director reviews significant incidents and has the authority to adapt the response if the situation or the rules of the patient’s insurer call for it.
    The first step to take when evaluating a potentially broken relationship with a patient may be a step backwards.
    Unless the patient’s misconduct is severe, it is often productive to step back and consider whether you have done everything you reasonably can to salvage the relationship.
    Investing this extra effort has transformed some of our most challenging relationships into ones where the patients are engaged and invested partners in their health care and appreciative of the work of our staff and physicians.
    Patients sometimes escalate their behavior when they feel they aren’t getting the services they expect or when they feel their needs aren’t being addressed.
    Taking time to sit down with the patient with the goal of better understanding the underlying expectations or needs that are driving his or her behavior can be valuable.
    Some patients have unreasonable expectations, but for others, understanding the point they’re trying to make can go a long way in repairing the relationship.
    Patients may be frustrated by the way we deliver care in our office or by other parts of the health care system (other providers, other hospitals or third-party payers).
    Learning about the root cause of their dissatisfaction can help us improve the delivery of care to all our patients.
    Of course angry patients can make offensive remarks about you and your staff.
    The quickest response is often a defensive one.
    Since listening is very difficult to do when you are being accosted, deferring the patient to another member of your staff who is less invested in the relationship or the process of care can be quite helpful.
    You can do this with a simple statement such as, “I understand you are upset.
    To make sure we address your concerns to the best of our ability, let me get the office manager to assist you.” Distancing yourself from the situation in this way can keep you from saying things you’ll wish you hadn’t and might provide you with valuable perspective.
    If you don’t have this opportunity, or if your office staff have exhausted their efforts to communicate with the patient, you may be able to refer the patient to another resource.
    Most health plans have member service representatives to which you can refer a challenging patient.
    Patient adherence, or lack thereof, can be as big a problem as disruptive behavior in the office.
    If a patient isn’t complying with your treatment recommendations, be sure to document that fact in the patient’s record, as well as your efforts to inform the patient about the potential consequences of noncompliance – both in terms of his or her health and your ability to continue as his or her physician.
    Sometimes, no matter what you do, there is no hope of resurrecting the relationship.
    In this case, your chances of successfully ending the relationship are greatest if you have communicated clearly with the patient about the process, what to expect and the consequences of continued problems.
    Direct statements such as, “If you do this again, we will no longer care for you, and you will have to go to another practice,” can be quite eye-opening for some patients.
    Ultimately, if you’ve followed an approach like the one depicted on the following pages, the patient should not be surprised when you terminate the relationship.

 

  MANAGING DIFFICULT PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIPS Download in PDF format 

The flowcharts below depict a three-tiered approach similar to the process used in our health system.
    For this approach to be effective, you must categorize the types of problems you encounter in your practice into three tiers.
    For example, in our system, tier 1 behaviors include a patient missing five appointments in six months or a patient using abusive language while talking with a staff member.
    Tier 2 behaviors include a continuation of issues identified in tier 1, or any actions that staff perceived as threatening.
    Tier 3 behaviors include a continuation of issues identified in tier 2, or any violent or potentially illegal actions.

 

The typical termination procedure involves consulting with the patient’s insurer about your plans, then sending a letter to the patient by certified mail, with a return receipt requested.
    The letter should explain that the relationship has been terminated and that you will continue to direct the patient’s care for emergent issues until a specific date approximately 30 days from the notification letter (see the sample letter).
    Don’t forget to keep your office staff, and particularly your scheduler, in the loop.
    Unless otherwise specified by the patient’s health plan, the primary care physician generally doesn’t have further obligations to assist the patient in finding another physician.
    Assisting the patient in transferring medical records to another physician is important, however.
    It signals your interest in facilitating continuity of care.
    Because of privacy requirements, you should not contact the patient’s future physician about the dissolution (no matter how tempting it may be) unless that provider is a business associate of yours.
    In some instances, the patient may not pick up the certified letter.
    In that situation, if he or she contacts you after 30 days and tries to schedule another appointment or even shows up at your clinic, you must show him or her a copy of the letter and pleasantly but firmly reiterate that you will no longer care for the patient because of his or her behavior.



    SAMPLE TERMINATION LETTER 

When you decide to end your relationship with a patient, inform him or her in writing and send the letter by certified mail, with a return receipt requested.

    If it’s possible to describe the reason for the termination in a brief, clear, objective way, do so in the letter.

    If not, you might be better off not providing a reason.

    The patient ought to be aware of the reason as a result of earlier discussions and correspondence.

    Some malpractice insurance carriers offer sample termination letters, or you can adapt the following sample.

    Dear [patient name],

 

As you know, a good relationship between a physician and his or her patient is essential for quality medical care.

    There are times when this relationship is no longer effective and the physician finds it necessary to ask the patient to select another physician.

    This letter is to inform you that I am no longer willing to be your primary care physician.

    The reason for this decision is [describe reason briefly, or omit this sentence].

    Our office will continue to direct your care for any emergencies that arise over the next 30 days.

    It is imperative that you select another physician and arrange with our office for your records to be sent to your new physician before [date].

    Your insurance plan or the local medical society [insert contact information] will be able to assist you in choosing a new physician.

    Sincerely, [Physician’s name]

+ Third-party payers typically have their own policies and procedures about terminating a patient-physician relationship.
    These may affect your response.
    Obtaining copies of the policies in at the first sign of trouble can be useful.
    In our state, most of the commercial policies require notification of the insurance company and then a 30-day notice to the patient.


    There are no simple answers and psychiatrists are encouraged to seek consultation with colleagues and ethics resources to navigate these challenging times.
    Please see response to Question 4 regarding practice outside of your normal area of expertise It is ethical for the psychiatrist to terminate treatment under these circumstances if she does not feel she can safely care for the patient due to a variety of factors, including geographic distance, the severity of the patient’s symptoms, and the psychiatrist’s own circumstances.
    As long as she has provided the patient with ample notice and appropriate referrals or other opportunities for the patient to transition her/his care, she has fulfilled her ethical responsibilities to the patient relating to the principles of non-abandonment and the ethical obligation to provide opportunities for transfer of care.


    Recent Opinions of the APA Ethics Committee on The Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry (2020-2021)

 Beneficence and non-maleficence:  Psychiatrists have ethical obligations to strive to benefit their patients and in enforcing Section 1557, as stated above, OCR will comply with the Religious Freedom Restoration                                                             Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq., and all other legal requirements.
    Additionally, OCR will comply with all applicable court orders that have been issued in litigation involving the Section 1557 regulations

 

 

June 28, 2021

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System: OIG audits and evaluations found that Medicare inappropriately paid for hospice services that did not meet certain Medicare requirements

OIG audits and evaluations found that Medicare inappropriately paid for hospice services that did not meet certain Medicare requirements.

Our objective was to determine whether hospice services provided by Franciscan Hospice (Franciscan) complied with Medicare requirements.

How OIG Did This Audit

Our audit covered 21,537 claims for which Franciscan (located in University Place, Washington) received Medicare reimbursement of $101.5 million for hospice services provided from January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2017. We reviewed a random sample of 100 claims. We evaluated compliance with selected Medicare billing requirements and submitted these sampled claims and the associated medical records to an independent medical review contractor to determine whether the services met coverage, medical necessity, and coding requirements.

What OIG Found

Franciscan received Medicare reimbursement for hospice services that did not comply with Medicare requirements. Of the 100 hospice claims in our sample, 79 claims complied with Medicare requirements. However, the remaining 21 claims did not comply with the requirements. Specifically, for 19 claims, the clinical record did not support the beneficiary's terminal prognosis, and for the remaining 2 claims, there was no documentation to support the hospice services that Franciscan billed to Medicare.

Improper payment of these claims occurred because Franciscan's policies and procedures were not effective in ensuring that the clinical documentation it maintained supported the terminal illness prognosis and the hospice services billed to Medicare. On the basis of our sample results, we estimated that Franciscan received at least $13 million in unallowable Medicare reimbursement for hospice services.

What OIG Recommends and Franciscan Comments

We recommend that Franciscan: (1) refund to the Federal Government the portion of the estimated $13 million for hospice services that did not comply with Medicare requirements and that are within the 4-year reopening period; (2) based upon the results of this audit, exercise reasonable diligence to identify, report, and return any overpayments in accordance with the 60-day rule and identify any of those returned overpayments as having been made in accordance with this recommendation; and

(3) strengthen its policies and procedures to ensure that hospice services comply with Medicare requirements.

In written comments on our draft report, Franciscan disagreed with our findings for 12 of the 19 sampled claims for which the clinical record did not support the beneficiary's terminal prognosis and said that 

a physician's clinical judgment is fundamental in determining that prognosis.  

Franciscan also disagreed with our use of extrapolation across the audit period.

 Franciscan agreed with our second recommendation and disagreed with our first and third recommendations.

After reviewing Franciscan's comments, we maintain that our findings and recommendations are valid. 

 Federal regulations require that clinical information and other documentation support the beneficiary's terminal prognosis and be filed in the medical records.

  The report contains the details of our response.

In perpetuity. Le chanson morte a tue, fatalite noir de 1ere degree x 3 comorbidity.

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, covered entity affiliates, Our Lady of the Lake, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) and their subsidiaries comply with Federal civil rights laws discriminate ... FMOL and covered entity affiliates exclude

Coletta Barrett olol RMC civilrights@ololrmc.com 765-3295 Leslie Yander FMOLHS Health Plan Essen Lane Leslie.Yander@FMOLHS.org (225) 765-6827 St. Dom Jackson Hospital K. Jerry Farr, Chair, Grievance icare@stdom.com 601-200-5123 phone


Southern Society for Clinical Investigation 

www.ssciweb.org

Office for Civil Rights 

https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf 

hhs 

1-800-368-1019

https://oig.hhs.gov/documents/false-claims-act/254/Louisiana.pdf

Section 1909(b)(2) of the Act requires State law to contain provisions effective in rewarding qui tam actions for false and fraudulent claims as sections 3730 through 3732 Federal False Claims Act. FFC Act, Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, in action or claim were publicly disclosed (i) in a Federal criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, Government or its agent is a party; (ii) congressional, Gov Accountability, Federal report, hearing, audit, investigation; (iii) news media, unless brought by Attorney General See 31 U.S.C. § 3730(e)(4)(A).

OFFICE OF THE LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL 

Baton Rouge, LA 70802 (225) 326-6705 

http://www.ag.state.la.us/

Louisiana Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Unit Louisiana MFCU combat incorrect reporting of diagnoses or procedures to maximize payments; billing for services, medical supplies or equipment not furnished; misrepresentation of the dates and descriptions of services furnished, the identity of the recipient or the individual furnishing services; and billing for noncovered or nonchargeable services as covered items. discriminate against a beneficiary (e.g., prevent them from signing up for a plan based on their age, health status, race or income), entice beneficiaries to enroll in a more costly plan than they require, or erroneously - and vigorously prosecute criminals who prey

(225) 326-6210 

www.ag.state.la.us

Karen Glassman 

202-708-9777 

Susan Gillin 

202-205-9426

Justice Department Reaches Settlement Agreement with Physicians Group in El Paso Over Allegations of Violating the False Claims Act

EL PASO –El Paso Ear, Nose & Throat Associates (EPENT) has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicaid, Medicare and other federal healthcare programs by upcoding evaluation and management codes.

Read more on www.justice.gov

Action Details

  • Date:June 23, 2021
  • Agency:U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas
  • Enforcement Types:
    • Criminal and Civil Actions

State False Claims Act Reviews

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), in consultation with the Attorney General, determines whether States have false claims acts that qualify for an incentive under section 1909 of the Social Security Act. Those States deemed to have qualifying laws receive a 10-percentage-point increase in their share of any amounts recovered under such laws.

To qualify for the financial incentive, a State's false claims act must:

  • establish liability to the State for false or fraudulent claims, as described in the Federal False Claims Act (FCA), with respect to Medicaid spending;
  • contain provisions that are at least as effective in rewarding and facilitating qui tam actions for false or fraudulent claims as those described in the FCA;
  • contain a requirement for filing an action under seal for 60 days with review by the State Attorney General; and
  • contain a civil penalty that is not less than the amount of the civil penalty authorized under the FCA.

Since the effective date of section 1909 of the Social Security Act, the FCA has been amended by the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 (FERA), the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act). These three acts, among other things, amended bases for liability in the FCA and expanded certain rights of qui tam relators. In addition, effective August 1, 2016, the civil penalties authorized under the FCA increased pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. Going forward, the civil penalties authorized under the FCA will incrementally increase on an annual basis. As such, the civil penalties authorized under a State's false claims act must also increase at the same rate and time as those authorized under the FCA in order for the State to continue to receive the financial incentive.

To request a review of a false claims act, States should submit a complete copy of the law and any other relevant information to: officeofcounsel@oig.hhs.gov

OIG also strongly encourages States with draft legislation to submit their drafts for informal review and discussion before the draft legislation is passed.

Mr. Nicholas J. Diez Assistant Attorney General State of Louisiana Department of Justice P.O. Box 94005 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9005 Dear Mr. Diez: The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has received your office’s request to review Louisiana’s amended Medical Assistance Programs Integrity Law, La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 46:437 through 46:440, under the requirements of section 1909 of the Social Security Act (the Act). Section 1909 of the Act provides a financial incentive for a State to enact a law that establishes liability to the State for individuals and entities that submit false or fraudulent claims to the State Medicaid program. For a State to qualify for this incentive, the State law must meet certain requirements enumerated under section 1909(b) of the Act, as determined by the Inspector General of HHS in consultation with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). We have determined, after consulting with DOJ, that the amended Louisiana Medical Assistance Programs Integrity Law does not meet the requirements of section 1909(b) of the Act. Section 1909(b)(1) of the Act requires the State law to establish liability for false or fraudulent claims described in the Federal False Claims Act with respect to any expenditure described in section 1903(a) of the Act. The Federal False Claims Act, as amended by the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009, establishes liability for, among other things, conspiring to commit a violation of another subsection of section (a)(1) of the Federal False Claims Act. See 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a). In contrast, the amended Louisiana Medical Assistance Programs Integrity Law does not establish liability for the same breadth of conduct as the Federal False Claims Act, as amended. Section 1909(b)(2) of the Act requires the State law to contain provisions that are at least as effective in rewarding and facilitating qui tam actions for false and fraudulent claims as those described in sections 3730 through 3732 of the Federal False Claims Act. The Federal False Claims Act, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, provides that the court shall dismiss an action or claim under the Federal False Claims Act, unless opposed by the Government, if substantially the same allegations or transactions as alleged in the action or claim were publicly disclosed (i) in a Federal criminal, civil, or administrative hearing in which the Government or its agent is a party; (ii) in a congressional, Government Accountability Office, or other Federal report, hearing, audit, or investigation; or (iii) by the news media, unless the action is brought by the Attorney General or the person bringing the action is an original source of the information. See 31 U.S.C. § 3730(e)(4)(A). In contrast, the amended Louisiana Medical.

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System Earns 2020 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired Recognition

10/22/2020

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is pleased to announce that Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System has earned 2020 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired recognition as a certified Level 8 in acute care. The CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program conducts an annual survey to assess how effectively healthcare organizations apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities.

“Digital technology has been a driver of innovation in healthcare for many years now, but never to the degree that we saw in 2020 with the pandemic,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell. “The Digital Health Most Wired program underscores why healthcare organizations keep pushing themselves to be digital leaders and shows what amazing feats they can achieve. This certification recognizes their exemplary performance in 2020.”

“Our mission and our teams are committed to serving our communities both in-person and digitally. Technology is the cornerstone to our strategic priorities, and we are constantly adapting to meet the needs of consumers in a way that benefits them,” said Will Landry, FMOLHS vice president of Technology Innovation. “We are honored to be recognized with this award for our Louisiana and Mississippi markets as it shows that we are among the top health systems in the nation to provide digitally integrated healthcare services.”

A total of 30,091 organizations were represented in the 2020 Digital Health Most Wired program, which this year included four separate surveys: domestic, ambulatory, long-term care and international. The surveys assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in healthcare organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry leading.

This is the third year that CHIME has conducted the survey and overseen the program. In each successive year, CHIME has expanded the survey to capture more types of organizations that serve patients across the continuum of care. CHIME also continues to promote the program internationally to provide a global overview of digital health advancements.

As in past years, CHIME will publish an industry trends report based on Digital Health Most Wired responses from U.S. participants. The 2020 National Trends Report is scheduled to be released in November during CHIME20 Digital. For more information about the CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program, please go here.

About the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System

The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System is one of the largest healthcare systems based in Louisiana and is the leading healthcare provider for more than half the state’s population. The health system is a non-profit, Catholic organization sponsored by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the ministry serves patients in Louisiana and Mississippi through a network of hospitals, clinics, physicians, elderly housing and integrated systems. The health system’s unified physician organization is comprised of 900 adult and pediatric primary care physicians and specialists. The system’s nine hospitals include St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge and Gonzales, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, Heart Hospital, and Women's & Children's in Lafayette, Our Lady of the Angels in Bogalusa, and St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. For more information, visit www.fmolhs.org.