Ochsner LSU Health - Community Heath Center, Monroe

11/22/2024

11/18/2024

Join us in welcoming David Rengifo, MD! Dr. Rengifo practices Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is now accepting patients at Ochsner LSU Health - Dermatology and Facial Plastics.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (318) 626-2690 or visit ochsnerlsuhs.org/david-rengifo-md

11/16/2024

During National Nurse Practitioner Week, we proudly highlight Wanda Sullivan, an exceptional nurse practitioner at Ochsner LSU Health – Urgent Care, West Monroe. 🎉 With nearly four years at Ochsner, Wanda finds immense joy in connecting with her patients through active listening and engagement. She empowers individuals by providing tailored treatment options and valuable education.

Wanda's passion for nursing is deeply rooted in her commitment to helping people during their most vulnerable moments. Her compassion and support inspired her journey to become a nurse practitioner, where she thrives on the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on patients, families, and communities.

For Wanda, it's the little moments, like bringing a smile to a patient's face or witnessing that "light bulb" moment when they learn something new, that truly make her day. Her advice to anyone considering a career as a nurse practitioner is simple: if you love helping others, it's an incredibly rewarding path.

Thank you, Wanda, for your unwavering dedication and the positive impact you make every day! 🙏

Learn more about Wanda Sullivan, NP, here: https://www.ochsnerlsuhs.org/doctors/wanda-sullivan.

11/15/2024

November is epilepsy awareness month and Dr. Roohi Katyal, neurologist and co-director of adult epilepsy program with Ochsner LSU Health, shared with KTBS 3 News common misconceptions about epilepsy.

Learn more about Dr. Katyal here: ochsnerlsuhs.org/roohi-katyal

SHREVEPORT, La - November is epilepsy awareness month, and epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder that causes seizures--which are due to sudden bursts of electrical activity.

11/15/2024

We are excited to share that Ochsner LSU Health - St. Mary Medical Center received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2024 awarded by The Leapfrog Group!

"This grade reflects tremendous skill, immense dedication and unwavering compassion from every person on our team at St. Mary Medical Center," stated Riley Waddell, chief executive officer, Ochsner LSU Health – St. Mary Medical Center.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade hospital ratings program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

Thank you to all our care team members and employees for the exceptional care you provide our community!

11/15/2024

Ochsner LSU Health's Dr. Wanda Thomas just won the ATHENA Leadership Award!

The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented to a woman —or man— who is honored for professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.

Congratulations, Dr. Thomas! 🎉

Learn more about the ATHENA Leadership Award here: https://www.athenainternational.org/leadership-award-events

11/14/2024

"In addition to physical improvements, we hired more than 100 doctors, surgeons and other clinicians. Today, we see more than 670,000 clinic visits each year. We have improved health outcomes in the region by decreasing the length of time for people to receive treatment," said Dr. Keith White, Chief Medical Officer, Ochsner LSU Health – Academic Medical Center and Chairman, Department of Surgery.

Read more below about how the investments that Ochsner LSU Health has made in north Louisiana in the past six years have led to better access to medical care, less waiting time for patients and more opportunities for preventative screenings and wellness management.

11/13/2024

This week, we celebrated two incredible members of our NICU team at Ochsner LSU Health - St. Mary Medical Center: Dr. Maroun Mhanna, our Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and dedicated neonatologist and Dr. Nitin Walyat (right), also an invaluable neonatologist! Their dedication to the tiniest patients and their families inspires us daily. Join us in wishing them both a wonderful year ahead and a very happy birthday! 🥳🎂

11/01/2024

🎃 What a spooktacular Halloween celebration at Ochsner LSU Health - Academic Medical Center and Ochsner LSU Health - St. Mary’s Medical Center!

Kids enjoyed pizza, cookie and donut decorating, crafts, games, and even made their own slime with the pediatric interest group. We capped things off with festive parade where staff passed out candy. Thanks to everyone who participated!

10/31/2024

🎃👻 We had some incredible entries for our Pumpkin Decorating Contest at Ochsner LSU Health - St. Mary Medical Center! Departments across the hospital are competing for the title of Best Pumpkin. Which one do you like best? 🎃👻

10/31/2024

🎃 A Spooky & Safe Weekend! 🎃

Last weekend, we had an amazing "Don't Be Spooked, Stay Safe!" event filled with Halloween fun, safety tips, and community spirit! From child safety seat checks to trick-or-treating and games, everyone left with new safety knowledge and big smiles. 🧡

A special thank you to Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux for declaring October 26 as Safe Sleep Awareness Day—we’re proud to support initiatives that help keep our community’s little ones safe!

10/31/2024

👶🎃 Our littlest patients are all dressed up for Halloween, bringing big smiles and extra sweetness to our NICU! Swipe to see these adorable costumes and join us in celebrating their first Halloween. 🎈💙

10/29/2024

In celebration of Ochsner’s Team Member Appreciation Week, we are highlighting Nancy Powell, a medical technologist at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport - Academic Medical Center.

Nancy’s role is pivotal in providing accurate diagnoses and effective treatments. Her work routine includes resolving specimen issues and collaborating with infection control and infectious disease physicians. Nancy’s ability to guide and support others ensures that her team operates seamlessly, efficiently solving complex cases and delivering precise lab results. Through teamwork, Nancy helps uphold Ochsner's high standards of care, exemplifying the power of collaboration in healthcare.

Please join us in recognizing medical technologists like Nancy and all of our team members who bring purpose and passion to our healthcare mission!

10/27/2024

🎃🍂 Fall Fest Fun at St. Mary Medical Center! 🍂🎃

This year's Fall Fest was packed with plenty of excitement and smiles! Thanks to our amazing staff and volunteers, we enjoyed Raising Cane’s, games, crafts, and activities for all ages. Highlights included:

Games & crafts: Pumpkin toss, witch hat ring toss, haunted darts, and slime-making led by our Pediatric Interest Group!

Cookie decorating & face painting: Kids enjoyed decorating treats and having their faces painted by the wonderful Mrs. Colvin.

Special guests: Anna and Elsa from NeverEnding Stories joined us for story time and photos, and Devon from Wild World Texas introduced us to a baby kangaroo! 🦘

Huge thanks to the Pediatric Interest Group, Med Prep, Centenary College Med Students, and our playroom volunteers for making this a magical day!🎉🍪

10/26/2024

🎉 Happy National Physical Therapy Month! 🎉

This month, we're excited to spotlight some of our amazing physical therapists who helps patients regain mobility, strength, and independence every day. 🏃‍♂️💪 Whether it's recovering from an injury or managing chronic pain, their dedication to improving lives is truly inspiring. Meet Jackie Solice below!

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨?
I was encouraged by my neighbor to pursue a Physical Therapy career. He was the owner of the private practice clinic where I worked in high school. I was actually looking at an accounting career, but the more I became involved in the clinic as a therapy technician, and seeing the benefits of therapy, the more my interest grew. I redirected my education towards a health care profession. As a Physical Therapist Assistant I have had the opportunity to work in the many different areas of therapy to include Rehabilitation, Long Term Acute Care, and currently in outpatient. I have experienced great joy as a PTA as well as some loss. The rewards of helping a patient sit up, stand, and even walk following a traumatic injury helps me realize that God placed me where he wanted me many years ago.

Thank you, Jackie, for your unwavering commitment to our patients! 🙏

10/26/2024

It's National Pharmacy Month! We’re shining a spotlight on one of our incredible pharmacists who goes above and beyond to keep our community healthy. 💊 From ensuring safe medications to offering expert advice, their dedication is a vital part of the care we provide every day.

Learn more about Erin Posey in the spotlight below!

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙥𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙?
My grandfather was a pharmacist. Growing up, I always thought it was the neatest thing that he played a role in the creation of products available on the shelves in the drugstores- toothpaste, hair removal creams, makeup, perfumes, and so many things! It was a pretty exciting introduction to the world of pharmacy, but as fascinated as I was with the fun, creative work he did, I was elated to find out that there was a place within the field of hospital pharmacy for someone like me who has a passion for solving problems, improving outcomes, and caring for others. I was very fortunate to find the perfect fit here at Ochsner LSU Health as a staff pharmacist.

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣-𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙞𝙥 𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩?
One piece of advice I would give is for patients to utilize their pharmacist. Pharmacists are some of the most accessible healthcare providers on their team! We are an excellent resource for patients looking to improve their health and quality of life.

Thank you, Erin, for your unwavering commitment to our patients!💙

10/25/2024

🎉 Happy National Physical Therapy Month! 🎉

This month, we're excited to spotlight some of our amazing physical therapists who helps patients regain mobility, strength, and independence every day. 🏃‍♂️💪 Whether it's recovering from an injury or managing chronic pain, their dedication to improving lives is truly inspiring. Meet Joshua Robert below!

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨?
I was always involved in sports at a young age and through high school, and with that I saw injuries occur. I have always had a passion for helping people in less fortunate circumstances, and through my love of sports, and then seeing injuries that occurred with athletes, Physical Therapy was a natural choice. It came down to being a coach or a PT for me, and what I realized was that in a PT career, you can do both. You can help your patients through coaching them through their situation. It is a career that is the best of both worlds. That said, what I did not know was that I would get involved in wound management in my PT career. That was a surprise to say the least as I thought I was going to manage orthopedic patients, but I was introduced to wound management and fell in love with it. Finding a passion to help patients with wounds and helping to prevent wounds has been the most rewarding aspect of my career as a therapist because we help patients that do not have a lot of access to the help and resources they need. The wound care community is small, and it is one that I am proud to be a part of. Through it all, no matter the type of patient I get to treat, I get to coach them through the process, and that is what I love about this career

Thank you, Joshua, for your unwavering commitment to our patients! 🙏