Progress Notes — August 8, 1986
This document has been recreated below for ease of use. It has been lightly edited for clarity. Hyperlinks have been inserted where additional, relevant information is available.
For posterity, the original document is available, too.
Mrs. Helen Gustin and Mrs. Rose Guerin celebrate their retirement.
C. J. Tuminello, Editor
Administrator's Column
By Jerry Marquette
As we approach the last quarter of our fiscal year 1986, we should not look back at our trials and tribulations during those nine months, but look towards the future of not only our Hospital Service District, but also for our individual entities which we represent.
I am particularly proud of our employees who have worked so very hard during these past nine months to adjust to the many changes in our health care environment. As I have stated many times before, the future in our health care is not in the buildings, but in the people.
Even though changes will still occur in the future, I feel that we are more adapted and ready to conquer any hill there is to climb. As a unit, we are strong and we are getting stronger than we ever were. As the old cliche goes, strength is in numbers and I feel that the stress of the new ever pressing economy; the new changes of government; and the new technological changes of health care will only be a positive sign for a strong group.
Health care is number one to us here in Pointe Coupee Parish, also the employees of Pointe Coupee Parish Hospital Service District are number one. We are number one because we do not look at our work as jobs, but we look at our work as our profession. As our profession to heal; as our profession to prepare and treat the family, friends, and the people of Pointe Coupee Parish.
The future holds in store for us a new market out there, and that market is the more or less untouchable market that we have in the past years been unable to touch. Those are the people in this parish that are unaware of the great strides and efforts that we have made to make health care what it is today and what is will be in the future.
As part of nostalgia I would like to go back to remind everyone of what we have to offer. If you go back to 1968 when the present hospital building was being constructed and you look back on this campus, this over ten acres of ground that is now covered with multiple buildings, and if an individual would just magically transport themselves back to 1968 and they would walk through or visit theMedical Complex now, they would probably be shocked at the differences. We had only one building and that was the hospital. Now we have doctor's office buildings, 120 bed Parish Nursing Home, a Parish Substance Abuse, and Mental Health building, a Health Unit, a Home Bound Health Services building; and Outpatient Clinic; and Ambulance Service; and overall medical complex and health service center second to none.
In 1968 we were not able to give individuals help in the Mental Health area; we were unable to give individuals help in Substance Abuse treatment and referrals. In 1968 we were unable to give individuals and overall consolidated health unit and intensive health unit facility input.
In 1968 we did not have Home Health nurses, aides, speech therapists, and physical therapists to help the patients in their homes.
We had only four doctors in the parish and now we have eleven.
In 1968 you would not have seen an Intensive Care/Cardiac Unit which is one of the most visual and valuable advances in these almost two decades of health care in this parish. The life support systems, the monitors, and especially the nursing care was not available.
In 1968 you would have only seen a two room treatment area to serve the public in emergency medicine. Now we have a full-fledged three room, six bed unit with all the necessary advanced emergency medical equipment to sustain life, assessable twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
In 1968 you would not have had available the diagnostic capabilities we have today in our Laboratory, Radiology, Respiratory Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Anesthesia areas as we have today.
In 1968 we did not have the availability of outpatient surgery, outpatient endoscopy diagnostic availability. Today we do approximately 20 outpatient cases a month in all areas.
In 1968 we did not have Swing Beds or Skilled Nursing facility. We did not have Long Term Beds for our elderly. We did not have the availability of Respite Care; we did not have the Observation Unit; we did not have the availability of Detox Unit. Most of all we did not have the accessibility of the care that we need. The accessibility that provides to all the residents of our parish within a 566 square mile radius area covering approximately 26,000 people that we serve.
The advantage of this Health Service District is multi-fold, it includes the consolidation of work forces; it lessens the duplication of services; it reduces the cost, especially in supplies and in maintenance; it consolidates efforts of care; better communications; and reinforces planning effort in an ever changing health care environment. It helps to reduce expense to you, the customers and the people in the parish, especially in offering a one stop shopping for our patients.
This is why we are number one in health in Pointe Coupee Parish and we are very concerned about constantly improving the type of health care we can render because we are accessable.
Our future is not only dollars and cents, our future is in people and in caring and in controlling the quality of care that is rendered in the Parish of Pointe Coupee for our residents and our people that we serve.
In February Pointe Coupee General Hospital employees joined in congratulating Mrs. Helen Gustin and Mrs. Rose Guerin on their retirement. Mrs. Guerin was employed here when the hospital first opened over sixteen years ago. She is planning to enjoy her retirement fishing and taking it easy. Mrs. Gustin worked for over 36 years in health care in our parish joining the staff of Pointe Coupee General when we first opened coming from the "old" hospital. Mrs. Gustin was OR Supervisor upon her retirement. She plans to spend much of her time traveling. We wish both of you well and will miss you.
...And a Gracious Hello
New Employees
Suzanne Hoard - Substance Abuse Secretary
Wanda Demoulin - Outpatient Registration Clerk
Carol Hill - DRG/UR Coordinator
Leila Bordelon - Respiratory Therapy Manager
Michele Short - L.P.N.
Debra Jackson - L.P.N.
Cancer is So Limited
It cannot cripple love,
It cannot shatter hope,
It cannot carrode faith,
It cannot eat away peace,
It cannot destroy confidence,
It cannot kill friendship,
It cannot shut out memories,
It cannot silence courage,
It cannot invade the soul,
It cannot reduce eternal life,
It cannot quench the Spirit,
It cannot lessen the Power of the Resurrection…
—Author Unknown
Health Fair 1986
Health Fair '86 was more than a success. Hundreds of parish residents attended the May 1 event to learn more about health awareness and take advantage of the numerous free screenings, including blood pressure checks, hearing checks, vision checks, blood chemistries, oral exams and self breast exam instructions. Informational and educational booths offered pamphlets and expert knowledge to the attendees and guest speakers addressed a variety of topics throughout the day. Special thanks to Jeanne LeJeune, Health Fair '86 Coordinator.
The Dietary department at P.C.G. H. will be offering meals to the Senior Citizens of our parish. Each senior citizen will be given a Silver Savers Passport. This passport will enable each person to get a discount on their meal. The Silver Savers Passport card will be honored at all participating merchants throughout the U.S.
More Picnic Pictures
Office Of Substance Abuse Is Moving Along
The Hospital Service District's Office of Substance Abuse Prevention and Coordination is now sharing the building where the Office of Mental Health is located. There has been increased response to their services, which include information, literature, recovery resources, and help for families in trouble because of chemical use problems. There have been even more referrals as a result of prevention workshops the office has sponsored, and the needs of the community become even more obvious.
Mrs. Jewell, with funds from a federal grant contracted through the South Louisiana Hazelden Alumni Foundation, on behalf of the Substance Abuse Advisory Committee, has just concluded the first six month phase of workshops and training for teachers, clergy, parents and youth leaders, presented by the Hazelden Prevention Center.
The Substance Abuse Advisory Committee is looking forward to a new twelve month contract period with the Hazelden Prevention Center, which will be coordinated by Mrs. Jewell.
Overeaters Anonymous has a meeting on Thursday, at 10:00 a.m. in the new office, and there are plans for our ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholic's) meeting to start in the near future.
Suzanne Hoard, has joined Lynn Jewell, the coordinator, as secretary to the office, and has already been a tremendous help.
We've Been Thinkin’!
Winning Suggestions
November Suggestion — Becky Koffman
Look into getting a Dental Plan for the employees.
December Suggestion — Jean Ducote
Move the Switch Board to the Emergency Room at night to keep one person for admitting and the switchboard.
January Suggestion — Mary Bernard
Stop cutting the new growth on the Crepe Myrtles so that new trees would come up to replace the dying ones.
February Suggestion v Gerald Ducote
To have the Hospital Auxiliary ladies eat free in the cafeteria because they work for free.
March Suggestion — Gerald Ducote
Place a newspaper stand in the lobby for patients, visitors, and employees to purchase a newspaper.
April Suggestion — Doris Gauthier
Place a sign next to the elevators concerning the Intensive Care Unit and visitors.
May Suggestion — Rose Miller
To have a separate admit kit for children with coloring book, etc.
June Suggestion — Pat Springstead
Placing a sign in the waiting areas stating that children under the age of 12 must not be left alone in the waiting areas and that a responsible adult must stay with them.
Respite Care
One of the newest most innovative programs at Pointe Coupee General Hospital is the Respite Care Program or "Time Out" as we have nick-named it. We wanted a program that could meet the growing needs of the community without interrupting continuity of care.
All adults of any age who are otherwise in physically good health, but can't be left on their own because they require supervision, assistance and or total care are eligible. The program is designed to offer families a brief respite from the day to day responsibilities of caring for a loved one in the home. They can have time away with peace of mind knowing Pointe Coupee General Hospital guest's receive excellent care.
The program is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Guests are housed on the third floor of Pointe Coupee General Hospital, they are treated with the same care and respect as our hospital patients. The cost of the program is usually less than providing sitters around the clock.
In order to learn more about this program, contact Jeanne LeJeune.
Catch The Wave!
The Hospital Service District picnic was held June 21. It was HOT but everyone who came enjoyed themselves. A special thanks to everyone who helped and a very special thanks to the Nursing Home for having the picnic on their grounds.
Employee of the Month
November - Patty Gauthier, Outpatient Registration Clerk
December - Sandra Sneed, Medical Records Clerk
January - Miriam Bissett, R.N., ICU
February - Clarissa Battley, Medical Records Clerk
March - Phillip Decuir, Storeroom Clerk, Materials Management
April - Ann Volta, EKG Tech, Respiratory Therapy
May - Jamie Harris, Medical Technology, Laboratory
June - Ricky Labatut, Maintenance
July - Onora Demolin, Housekeeping
Birthday's
July
3 Luanne Speed
6 Hattie Benton
9 Debra Paul
14 Penny Dehon
19 Marion Saizon
19 Monica Gilbert
28 Edna Rucker
29 Judy Coursey
30 Ann Volta
August
1 Dania Tolliver
1 Karen Williams
2 David Howie
3 Gloria Robbins
3 Cherie Garon
4 Ellen Joseph
5 Clarissa Battely
7 Rosemary Hollins
10 Mary Grezaffi
10 Pat Springstead
13 Fran Talbot
13 Lester Young
15 August Page
20 Janet Mayhugh
21 Beverly Davis
25 Susan Guillory
25 Janet Major
September
3 James Terrance
4 Beverly Torres
4 Dorthea Jack
12 Esther Alford
19 Karen Nelson
20 Sibert Terrance
21 Gerald Ducote
27 Mary Lee Augustine
30 Elaine Hurme
October
6 Gladys Foster
9 Pamela Firmin
10 Cindy Major
12 Barbara Scallan
15 Debbie Barnes
19 Barbara Hayes
22 Jean Ducote
23 Ellen Crochet
25 Suzanne Hotard
26 Jo Ann Guerin
28 Daphne Fremin
Medical Staff
7-13 Dr. Emil Laga
7-25 Dr. Carl Mclemore
9-29 Dr. Bobby Fulmer
10- 6 Dr. Janice Hudson
10- 7 Dr. Jolissaint
10- 9 Dr. Donald Doucet
Proud Employees
In November, a celebration was held to honor the Hospital Employees and Pointe Coupee General's fifteenth birthday. Awards were given out for employees years of service.
5-Year Awards
Kind words are short to speak, but their echoes are endless.
10-Year Awards
"Be nice to our staff. They're harder to find than patients.'
15-Year Awards
