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• PROGRESS NOTES •
February 7, 2017
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AAP News
Louisiana Department of Health
Healthy Louisiana News
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- Resource Information Workshop- Children with Special Health Care Needs | 2/9/17 | Lafayette
- Celebration of Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep 2017 | 2/24-26/17 | Orlando, Florida
- Together We Can Conference-Need Speakers! (due 2/28/17)
- OLOL to Host National Expert on Childhood Crisis and Trauma | 3/10/17 | Baton Rouge
- CME Symposium | 3/11/17 | Baton Rouge
- Trauma Hurts: Balancing Recovery with Self Care | 4/4-5/17 | Baton Rouge
- Learning Community: Phase II of Pediatric Growth and Endocrinology ECHO | Online
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AAP News
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What’s the Latest with the Flu: Information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Current Flu Situation
Flu activity is elevated in the US, and is expected to continue to increase at this time of year. So far, influenza A (H3N2) viruses have been most commonly isolated this season. Overall, the viruses identified to be circulating in communities appear to be well matched with the vaccine viruses recommended in this season’s influenza vaccines. Five deaths in children from influenza have been reported this flu season.
It is important to continue to recommend influenza vaccination to our patients and ensure children 6 months through 8 years, who need two doses to be adequately protected, receive both doses 4 weeks apart. It is especially important to identify and vaccinate infants who turned 6 months old since the beginning of this year’s flu season.
Importance of Antiviral Medications
People at high risk of serious flu complications (such as children younger than 5 years of age, adults 65 years of age and older, pregnant women, people with certain medical conditions, and residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities) and people who are very sick with flu (such as those hospitalized because of flu) should get antiviral treatment. It should be recommended as soon as possible for all persons with suspected or confirmed influenza requiring hospitalization or who have progressive, severe, or complicated illness, regardless of previous health or vaccination status. This can help minimize morbidity and mortality.
Initiation of influenza antiviral treatment should never be delayed while waiting for a confirmatory test result, because early therapy results in the best outcomes. Educating parents about the importance of contacting a health care provider early on if their child has influenza-like symptoms, particularly if either younger than 5 years of age or otherwise at high risk for influenza complications, is a best practice in influenza control. While antiviral medication is not a substitute for influenza immunization, it is important in the control of influenza. For more information, see the CDC’s Web site on this topic.
Many Strategies Exist to Reach Families
Informing families about the importance of influenza prevention (eg, vaccine) and control (eg, antiviral medicine) through a variety of messaging strategies can make a real difference. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Matters Blog outlines steps to protect people from the flu. Pediatricians can share a link to this blog with families and encourage them to take important steps in preparing for whenever flu strikes their community. Also consider sharing the Vaccine Locator. This tool identifies the locations where influenza vaccine is available in a person’s area. Does your practice have a Web site or a social media outlet? If not, consider creating one to easily send updates and reminders throughout the flu season.
Additional Information
For more information, see the AAP Red Book Online Influenza Resource page and CDC FluView. All AAP “What’s the Latest with the Flu” messages are archived. Members of the AAP also have access to Flu Vaccine Recommendations and Key Speaking Points. For more info, click here.
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PediaPAC News
LA PediaPAC is a Louisiana State Political Action Committee (PAC) representing our specialty, working to elect individuals for Louisiana State Legislatures and helping LA PediaPAC members develop important relationships with your elected officials.
LA PediaPAC works with the Louisiana Legislature and other physician specialty groups to make sure that our concerns and interests are at the top of the state’s legislative agenda. Contributions from LA AAP members like you help us elect candidates who support LA AAP’s legislative agenda including mandatory vaccination and increased Medicaid payment, as well as promoting awareness and support for all aspects of children’s health.
LA PediaPAC helps elects candidates who support pediatricians through direct campaign contributions, independent expenditures, and supporting leadership PACs. We use every dollar you contribute to protect our specialty, help our patients by electing pediatrician friends, and defeat our adversaries when we must.
LA PEDIAPAC – WE ELECT PEOPLE, NOT PARTIES
LA PediaPAC, the Louisiana State political action committee, is completely dedicated to advocating for pediatricians, our specialty and our patients. We have no allegiance to any political party; our allegiance is to you and our specialty.
Your contributions to LA PediaPAC help elect pro-physician candidates who support your issues.
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News & Noteworthy

Gov. Edwards Releases Plan to Address Budget Deficit
As expected, on last Friday, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued his call for a special session of the Louisiana Legislature to address the state’s current fiscal year budget deficit of $304 million. The call enumerates five specific items, the only matters that can be considered by the legislature during the special session which will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 and end no later than Feb. 22. Read Proclamation here.
Gov. John Bel Edwards' proposal to close Louisiana's $304 million deficit relies heavily on using the state "rainy day" fund, cutting spending in the health department and tapping into millions in available fund balances to fill gaps.
The Democratic governor released his budget-rebalancing plan Monday, the starting point for negotiations with lawmakers ahead of a 10-day special session called by Edwards to begin Feb. 13.
Edwards seeks to shield the K-12 public school financing formula, public colleges, state prisons and Louisiana's child welfare agency from slashing. Read Article
Click here to read the full plan released outlining how the cuts would be spread across agencies.
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APRNs Must Use LSBN’s CPA Template
Source: The Examiner, Vol. 26, No. 1
Beginning February 1, 2017, APRNs submitting prescriptive authority applications that require submission of a collaborative practice agreement (CPA) must utilize the CPA template available on LSBN’s website. We will no longer accept customized forms and agreements. There is a section available in order for the APRN to address the individual parameters of care and clinical practice guidelines. It is also not acceptable to submit contracts, policies, individual institutional forms, employment agreements, and other documents to meet the necessary components and requirements of the CPA. APRNs should notify employers, credentialing departments, and other agents that may assist in the process of submitting the forms of this requirement.
APRNs are responsible for ensuring prescriptive authority forms and the CPA submitted to LSBN for review are complete and accurate. Prescriptive authority applications and associated documents received at this agency can be processed when the information requested and provided is correct, legible, and complete. It is the APRN’s responsibility to understand and follow the requirements of LSBN in all matters pertaining to APRN practice including the application for and exercise of prescriptive authority.
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LA Department of Health News
Memo to ER and Urgent Care providers concerning the opioid quantity limits
"Louisiana Fee for Service Medicaid will be implementing a 15-day supply per rolling 30 days on all solid oral dosage forms of opioid medications effective January 10, 2017." Read full memo here.
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Healthy Louisiana News
Healthy Louisiana Informational Bulletins
Find all Informational Bulletins here
- 17-1: Naloxone Now Available for Emergency Overdose Treatment Via Standing Order
Provider Update: Opioid Overdose Prevention
- "Healthcare providers can make a major contribution toward reducing the toll of opioid overdose through the care they take in prescribing opioid analgesics and monitoring patients’ response, as well as through their acuity in identifying and effectively addressing opioid overdose." Read full update here.
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Upcoming Events
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Resource Information Workshop- Children with Special Health Care Needs
Thursday February 9, 2017.
Lafayette Sheriff’s Training Center
"Improving Early Identification and Access to Comprehensive Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN)"
Please join Children's Special Health Services for a day focused on the importance of developmental screening and surveillance, care coordination, and health care transition for youth with special health care needs. See CYSHCN Flyer.
Objectives
- Describe components of developmental screening and surveillance, and strategies for practice improvement.
- Identify service systems and community referrals which support comprehensive care for children and youth with special health care needs.
- Explain how care coordination improves patient outcomes and access practice improvement resources.
- Identify the process of youth health transition and recognize key support elements.
Celebration of Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep 2017
February 24-26, 2017
Loews Royal Pacific Resort
Orlando, Florida
This state-of-the art course celebrates the latest research findings and hot topics in pediatric pulmonology, sleep medicine, and radiology! General sessions will feature content on asthma, sleep medicine topics, lung disease, radiology, bronchiectasis treatment, and BRUE/ALTE/IA. Interactive small group workshops will cover the latest on PSG interpretation, radiology, ventilators in the home, and pulmonary function tests. The Orlando Chest Rounds will allow opportunities for small group case discussions on specific and unusual cases. The interactive small group workshops and case presentations will promote a close interaction between the participant and renowned faculty. AAP members receive a discounted registration!
Earn 18.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits
- For more information click here.
- See registration information here.

Interested in leading a workshop at Together We Can Conference?
If you are interested in presenting a keynote or workshop presentation at the 2017 Together We Can Conference, then now is the time to put your pen to paper and send us your ideas. Actually, the application is online and there is a proposal guide to help you with basic information.
Proposals are due by February 28, 2017. Review teams will begin working on scoring as soon as applications arrive! Submit your application in early!
Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital to Host National Expert on Childhood Crisis and Trauma
Friday, March 10 at 6 p.m.
LSU Health Medical Education and Innovation Center near Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital will host David Schonfeld, MD, FAAP as the speaker for a free forum to discuss guiding our community with tools to help children cope with recent events in our state.
Admission to the community forum is free to the public, but registration is required. Click here to register today.
CME Symposium
Saturday, March 11
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Stadium Club of LSU’s Tiger Stadium
Dr. Schonfeld also will serve as the keynote speaker at a Continuing Medical Education (CME) Symposium for healthcare providers to be held Saturday, March 11.
In addition to his role with the NCSCB, Dr. Schonfeld is a professor at USC and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Disaster Preparedness Advisory Council. He is the commissioner of the National Commission on Children and Disasters and the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission. He routinely travels across the country and internationally to provide consultation and training on school crisis and pediatric bereavement in the aftermath of disasters, including several trips to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
Dr. Schonfeld has authored more than 100 scholarly articles, book chapters and books, and given more than 800 presentations on pediatric bereavement and crisis.
The CME Symposium for physicians, mid-level providers, medical residents and nurses will be held on Saturday, March 11. For more information or to register for the CME, click here.
Trauma Hurts: Balancing Recovery with Self Care
10th Anniversary LAPEN Summit for Parent Educators and LA MIECHV Annual Conference
April 4-5, 2017
Tracy Center, Baton Rouge
You are invited to attend the 2017 10th Anniversary LAPEN Summit for Parent Educators and the Annual Conference for the Louisiana Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. This year, the conference speakers will address different areas of trauma and recovery as it applies/relates to young children, families and early childhood professionals. This professional development event is co-sponsored by LAPEN and LA MIECHV, who are part of the Supportive Services Team in the Bureau of Family Health, Office of Public Health, Louisiana Department of Health.
EARLY BIRD RATES THRU 2/15/17
- $75
- Includes Lunch 2 Days!
Normal Rate
- $100
- 2/16/17 to 3/20/2017
Learning Community: Phase II of Pediatric Growth and Endocrinology ECHO
Join your colleagues in learning more about pediatric growth & endocrinology by enrolling in an innovative telementoring model of health care education. This model, Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO), is an evidence-based model to expand primary care capacity to deliver state-of-the-art care for common, chronic diseases in vulnerable, underserved communities.
The Georgia AAP Chapter in collaboration with Navicent Health Children’s Hospital, uses case-based learning sessions delivered via videoconferencing technology to bring together subspecialists at academic medical centers and community-based providers. Each Pediatric Growth and Endocrinology ECHO clinic includes a brief presentation by a pediatric endocrinologist, followed by case-based presentations by community clinicians for feedback and recommendations.
Participation in this telehealth program is free and CME is available.For more information or to join, contact Kylia Crane at (404) 881 5093 / kcrane@gaaap.org
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Welcome New LA Chapter Members
Shehzad A Huda MD
Natasha Lalos
Jennifer Marks
Neha Harish Mehta MD
Christopher Robert Mertens
Lesley Nishio
Diana Mila Vesselinovitch
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Happy February Birthdays
Farbod Bahadori-Esfahani MD
John J Chiosi MD
Jane Everist MD
Kenneth Wayne Falterman MD
Carmen S Payne MD
Keren Elizabeth Ray MD
Amber Ashlee Denham MD
Sherry Gu MD
Juan M Bossano MD
Elizabeth Phillips DrMedSc
Kimberly Michelle Stewart MD
Joanna Cross-Call MD
Davis Ogitani MD
Heather Baskind MD
Jennette S Bergstedt MD
Donald Faust
Mackey Sugar Quinlan MD
Flora Finch-Cherry MD
Cammie Hilliard MD
George James Schwartzenburg MD
Emily Simon MD
Madhuri D Dixit MD
Desiree R Conrad MD
Claire Cali Neumann MD
Janice Neill Nugent MD
Krishnakumari Kanesan MD
Richard Warren Pratt MD
William Lamar Morgan MD
Farrah Ricks Huval MD
Kimberly Mukerjee MD
Stephen Epps MD
Michelle Steinhardt MD
Wanda Henderson Thomas MD
Kimberly Ann Cooper DO
Charles W. Daniel MD
Shannon Palombo MD
Jennifer Kelley MD
Carolyn Forgey Green MD
Thomas Kazecki MD
Laura Marie Boudreaux MD
Amanda Marie Glinky MD
Emily Klepper MD
Alice Madani MD
Quynh Tran Dang MD
Natalie Ball Evans MD
Monica LaRose Haynes MD
Sarah marie Wilks MD
Victoria V Habet MD
Zabeen Noorani
Christopher Charles Roth MD
Kristen Finney Sandoz
Emily Brown Vigour MD
Scott Rory Zander MD
Athena Fuqua Lefort MD
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August 18-20, 2017
Lafayette, LA
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