Ochsner is embracing its role as a Louisiana medical leader by spearheading a long-term effort to improve the state’s lowly health rankings.

The main goal of Ochsner’s Healthy State 2030 initiative is to see Louisiana move into the top 40 in the nation in America’s Health Rankings, where it has consistently placed at the very bottom. To achieve this goal, the health system has launched its own efforts and is partnering with business leaders, educational institutions, community members and others by creating a Healthy State advisory board.

“We have decided to focus on health issues in the context of recognizing that a large number of factors play a role in health outcomes, including poverty, employment and education,” said Dr. Eboni Price-Haywood, medical director of the Healthy State 2030 initiative and the Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research. “The conditions in which we are born, live, work and play can put us at risk for chronic disease. We want to be a catalyst for improving those situations and providing the right resources to people who need them.”

Dr. Price-Haywood said that from a health perspective, some of the most common chronic conditions that can arise from such situations include high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and cancer, among others.

One of the largest investments so far in Healthy State 2030 has been the opening of five health centers across Louisiana over the past two years. The centers are located in New Orleans East, North Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Monroe and Shreveport. Ochsner plans to open an additional 10 health centers in the state in the coming years.

The health centers are strategically located in areas of the state with high instances of chronic conditions, low birth weights, infant mortality and early adult mortality. Most of these areas also had limited medical and social services in close proximity.

The centers provide primary care services for adults and children as well as specialty services such as OB/GYN care and behavioral health treatment. They also offer resources to help with smoking cessation, diabetes management and social issues including transportation and food insecurity.

“One of the things we’re really proud of are the advisory councils that we have at each center,” said Kevin Green, Ochsner’s Vice President of Community Health Centers. “We felt we needed to have a patient perspective as we shape the services we offer, so the councils include patients, businesspeople, elected officials and people in the community who can share their concerns with us.”

Based in part on that feedback, Green said Ochsner has already enhanced the health centers’ offerings by bringing in specialists to see patients who may lack transportation, arranging for telemedicine visits for people with busy schedules and staying open for extended hours.

“We adjust to their lives and their needs,” he said. “We also see anyone regardless of their ability to pay. We know that this is a population with a higher no-show rate when it comes to appointments because they have to make tradeoffs and sometimes their own health has to take a back seat. Because of the way our centers are set up, we’re seeing fewer no-shows and cancellations since we are making it easier for people to access us.”

In addition to opening the health centers, Dr. Price-Haywood said that some of Ochsner’s other main focuses have been on tobacco cessation efforts, since smoking and tobacco use are strongly linked to health problems such as heart disease and cancer. The health system is also working with business and education partners on workforce development, which in turn can mean more Louisiana citizens in high-quality jobs that can improve their socioeconomic status and health outcomes. Another priority is to create and maintain strong community engagement so people can feel supported on their health journeys.

“It can sometimes be overwhelming as an individual to receive all of this information and process it. That is why the social support is so important,” Dr. Price-Haywood said. “Most people who are successful at adopting healthy behaviors are not doing it by themselves. They have their tribe with them to help them stay motivated and find practical ways to be healthier. We want to help the community members lead each other in that.”

As the Healthy State 2030 initiative continues, Dr. Price-Haywood said one key priority for Ochsner will be collecting, analyzing and sharing data about problems, health outcomes and successes.

“We cannot do any of this work blindly,” she said. “One thing we already know is that different parts of the state have different needs. The state rankings put everything together, but something that is a priority in North Louisiana may not be as much of a priority in New Orleans because the populations are different. We know we need to tailor our work to those populations and involve the community every step of the way.”

For more information, visit https://www.ochsner.org/healthystate.

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As part of its focus on celebrating the natural world and doing a world of good, Audubon Nature Institute is taking steps to make Audubon Zoo and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas more accessible for local individuals and families.

Audubon’s Community Connect program has three components: Orleans Parish Appreciation Days, Audubon SNAP Program, and Audubon Museum Culture Pass.

During Appreciation Days, Orleans Parish residents receive free admission to Audubon facilities for themselves and up to four guests. The program is in effect at the Aquarium on the first Thursday of each month and the Zoo on the third Thursday of each month. In addition, individuals who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) receive complimentary admission for up to five people at any Audubon facility year-round.

Audubon has also partnered with the New Orleans Public Library to offer Culture Passes that can be checked out by library cardholders and used any day Audubon is open. Each pass provides entry for up to two adults and seven children.

Last year, about 60,000 guests enjoyed access to Audubon facilities through the three initiatives, said Chimene Grant Saloy, Audubon’s Vice President of Community Affairs.

“We’re really pleased with that redemption,” Saloy said. “We are a conservation organization at heart and we want to instill in our guests that they have a part to play in appreciating the natural world. When guests visit, they learn that they can take measures to become conservationists in their own community.”

To ensure that all visitors have an enjoyable experience, Saloy noted that Audubon has established sensory-inclusive areas in the Zoo and Aquarium thanks to a partnership with KultureCity so that guests of all abilities can play and learn. Upon request, guests can receive bags with items such as noise-canceling headphones, fidget spinners, and other resources that can benefit people with sensory processing needs.

“Our goal is to provide an inclusive and seamless experience for guests of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities,” Saloy said. “We strive to educate people on why animals are important, what they provide to the world, and their role in our ecosystem. We want future generations to have an appreciation for that so that these animals will continue to be here for generations to come.”

Saloy said the increased accessibility has also helped people understand more about Audubon Nature Institute’s mission and the multiple facilities it operates. In addition to the Aquarium and Zoo, Audubon’s footprint includes Audubon Louisiana Nature Center in New Orleans East, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center on the West Bank, as well as several parks.

With more people visiting Audubon attractions in the summer, Saloy said there are several ways for people to make the most of their experience.

“For all of our facilities, we suggest people purchase tickets online in advance,” she said. “It’s not required, but it is recommended. The Zoo and Aquarium are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays. If you’re coming in the summer, we suggest starting at the Zoo earlier in the day when it is cooler and then visiting the Aquarium when it gets hotter in the afternoon.”

For more information on Audubon Nature Institute facilities or to explore donation options, visit www.audubonnatureinstitute.org.

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An innovative and integrated technology platform from Cox Communications has the potential to help hospitals and medical facilities become more efficient, improve patient care and keep  employees safe.

The platform, Cox Prosight, allows hospital staff to track and locate devices and call for security by touching their employee badge if a situation arises. In addition, visitors can use Cox Prosight to help navigate their way through large hospitals with multiple floors and offices.

“The ultimate goal is to create a much better experience for patients, caregivers and families in the hospital,” said George Valentine, executive director of new growth and development for Cox  Communications.

Valentine said a key component of Cox Prosight is device tracking. Each device is equipped with a digital tag. Using the platform, hospital staff can use that tag to locate the device to within a few feet of its actual location.

“A nurse can spend up to 30 minutes or more on a shift looking for equipment,” Valentine said. “They would rather spend that time caring for patients instead of looking for assets. That’s a big driver of why we are doing this.”

Valentine said the tracking can also result in significant cost savings for a hospital, meaning those funds can instead go toward patient care.

“An average 150-bed hospital loses about $700,000 a year in medical equipment,” he noted. “Sometimes it’s left in an ambulance or with a patient. Sometimes things get stolen or lost. That number could easily be over a million dollars for a larger hospital. We want to help them try to save that money by helping them know exactly where their assets are at all times.”

Lafayette hospital sees immediate success

Ochsner Lafayette General became the first major hospital to implement Cox Prosight when it began using the system in early August. Within just two months, clinicians there have noticed they are saving time by using device tracking to locate equipment, rather than walking through multiple floors and rooms to find what a patient needs.

“Instead of searching for devices for 45 minutes to an hour, they are able to find the device and have it brought to where it is needed in five or 10 minutes,” said Michael Dozier, Vice President for Ochsner Lafayette General. “That means more time for clinicians to be at a patient’s beside or in the nursing unit.”

Dozier said the hospital has seen particular success with locating IV pumps, which are needed for many patients and cost about $10,000 each. In addition, nurses have been able to more easily locate bed lifts when a patient needs one.

“We only have a handful of those in the facility, so before we were using Cox Prosight, people were having to call every unit and search rooms and hallways,” Dozier said. “Now we have tags on them that allow us to find the bed lift they need within five feet of where it is. That’s been incredibly useful for our nurses and biomed team.”

Valentine said the digital tagging can also help hospitals ensure that all equipment follows the appropriate maintenance and cleaning schedules and is stored in the proper locations.

“They can optimize a device’s route through the facility,” he said. “We can alert the biomed staff that there is equipment that needs to be cleaned so they can actively start doing preventative maintenance and cleaning versus waiting on someone to tell them that equipment needs service.”

Valentine added that Cox Prosight can give hospital leaders better insight into how many specific devices they have on hand and their locations. This can help them decide whether they need to  order more devices or reallocate them more efficiently.

“A health care system may often feel like they need to buy more equipment. Sometimes, that is the case, and sometimes they have plenty of it but can’t get it to the right unit,” he said. “With the data we have, we bring clarity to those decisions.”

Alert system gives staff quicker access to security

Another key component of Cox Prosight is the ability to equip employee badges with a small button that can be pressed when that employee is in duress. Valentine said the idea was prompted by the fact that as many as 75% of nurses across the country experience physical or verbal abuse on the job each year.

“We want them to be able to get the support and security they need when a situation is beginning to escalate,” Valentine said. “I think it will give a lot of peace of mind to staff who are worried about these types of issues.”

Dozier said Ochsner Lafayette General plans to roll out this portion of Cox Prosight in November and December. The button will let security know the employee’s exact location in the hospital, meaning they will be able to receive help in just a few minutes. Without such a system, Dozier said it’s possible that security may not learn about a problem for several minutes, or perhaps not at all.

“Every hospital in the country has seen problems with violence and behavioral health issues,” Dozier said. “We’re really excited about the opportunity to keep our employees and our patients safer. This will allow us to have wall-to-wall coverage anywhere in our facility because when someone pushes that button, it will let security identify their location within 10 feet. I think this is something that every hospital is going to have to adopt in the future to promote safety and security.”

Future Uses

Cox Prosight also includes a wayfinding feature to help patients navigate large buildings that may be unfamiliar to them. Using indoor GPS and a mobile-friendly design, the feature lets patients pin their current location, then gives them turn-by-turn directions to the office or unit they need to visit. Valentine noted that Prosight was designed with end users in mind, so the system is as easy as possible to use.

“We built our solution to be mobile-optimized on day one,” he said, noting that most people have a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device in hand. “We want everything to have a consistent look and feel. Making it accessible for everyone and using real-time location services was huge for us.”

Valentine said the company is in talks with hospitals across the country about implementing Cox Prosight in their facilities. But he also believes the platform could eventually be used in places like surgery centers, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.

“All of these facilities are looking to get more efficient and produce better patient experiences, and we think we enable both of those things,” he said.

Dozier said Ochsner Lafayette General is open to using Cox Prosight at its other locations. But based on the initial feedback and improved efficiency, he believes the platform is poised to be a long term success for Ochsner Lafayette General and other health systems across the nation.

“Just in terms of the device tracking, the amount of money that is wasted through lost equipment and not being able to find equipment is staggering for any health system,” Dozier said. “We believe it is going to save us several hundred thousand dollars a year. Those are dollars we are going to be able to reinvest toward patient care. Other health systems likely have the same problems, so they should realize those are lost dollars that they could be using elsewhere.”

For more information on Cox Prosight, visit www.coxprosight.com.

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By Amanda McElfresh, amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This article is brought to you by Cox Business.

For the past 82 years, the Perlis family has relied on creativity and ingenuity to help its clothing business prosper.

In the years after original founder Rogers Perlis first opened the store in 1939, he would work in his shop, selling new clothes to customers Mondays through Saturdays. In the meantime, he would collect unwanted clothes from more affluent customers and friends. On Sundays, he headed to lower income New Orleans neighborhoods to sell those clothes out of his car.

“He would do more business on Sundays in those first couple of years than he did during the rest of the week,” said David W. Perlis, Rogers’ grandson and one of the current store owners. “His Sunday work is really what allowed him to make the money to live on while he reinvested what he made Mondays through Saturdays back into the business.”

The business continued to grow as both New Orleans locals and tourists gravitated to its selection of classic Southern clothing. But in the late 1970s, things began to look rough. The owners of Izod Lacoste, then one of the world’s most popular shirt businesses, pulled its American licenses, meaning that Perlis and other stores could no longer sell those products. A new company, Polo Ralph Lauren, entered the market around the same time, but Perlis couldn’t reach an agreement with them to sell Polo products.

David’s father, David G. Perlis, who was running the business by then, decided it was time to create his own products. He worked with a local artist to create a unique crawfish design that was then incorporated into shirts sold at Perlis. It was an instant hit and now, more than 40 years later, remains one of Perlis’ best sellers.

“It really came out of a scary time for the business,” David W. Perlis said. “It was successful quickly. I think the people of South Louisiana relished having something of their own on a shirt rather than something that was a bit more generic.”

Through the years, some of the most popular items at Perlis have been shirts with the iconic crawfish design as well as Mardi Gras-themed shirts and dresses, especially ones with a rugby design. They’ve been especially popular with tourists, but Perlis expects at least a 50 percent drop in his first quarter revenue in 2021 because of the cancellation of parades and balls.

“It’s not about profit and loss right now,” Perlis said. “It’s really about managing our inventory and our expenses and understanding that it’s going to take a while. I’m fortunate to lead a business with a great staff and resources that have been left in the business by previous generations. My grandfather really built a sound financial structure. My father appreciated that and learned from him and he’s passed that down to me. But there is no doubt that it is a challenge.”

Today, David W. Perlis is thinking more about how his father and grandfather adapted as he navigates the rapidly changing world of retail. There is a renewed focus on online sales as more people prefer websites over physical stores. Perlis said that before the pandemic, online sales accounted for about 7 percent of the store’s business. Now, online sales make up about 13 to 14 percent of all sales, meaning Perlis and other store leaders are working to make the online shopping experience as enjoyable and easy as possible.

In addition, Perlis said he is taking a closer look at the store’s inventory and talking to his employees, especially those in the younger generation, about fashion trends and customer needs.

“We’ve always benefited from being in this region, where some restaurants ask you to have a jacket on or people want to dress up for events, fundraisers and balls,” he said. “Those things aren’t happening right now. We look forward to them happening again, but even when they do, we expect people will want to dress more casually. We want to make sure we right-size our inventory and focus on what customers are actually wearing.”

Even with those changes, Perlis said there are some things that never go out of style. His grandfather and father both taught him the value of treating employees well and listening to their feedback. Today, many Perlis employees have been with the store for 15 years or more. That helps create stronger relationships with customers, something Perlis knows is key to any business’ success.

“It’s about taking care of people so that they choose to build a relationship with us and become a regular customer,” he said. “My grandfather and father really showed me how important it is to become a part of the fabric of someone’s life. It’s become harder now because some people are not used to that sense of familiarity and they want to engage in a different way. We have to roll with it and learn how to adapt.”

Perlis currently has stores at 6070 Magazine Street in New Orleans, 600 Decatur Street in New Orleans, 8366 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge and 1281 North Causeway Boulevard on the North Shore. For more information, visit www.perlis.com.

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This article is brought to you by Cox Business.

Cleveland Spears III always knew he wanted to be a business owner. As a teenager, he thought it would be cool to be the boss. But over time, Spears found a much deeper meaning in being an entrepreneur.

“I started thinking about what being a business owner means for other people, the people who I get to hire and lead and train and develop,” he said. “The motivations have changed over time. Today, it’s about showing people who look like me what can be done in business and what they can do in the community.”

In July 2008, the New Orleans native opened Spears Group, a communications agency that now works with clients across a variety of industries, including sports, government, hospitality, health care, education and more. Today, as president and CEO, Spears oversees 13 full-time employees.

Working in communications felt like a natural fit to Spears. He’s always had an interest in marketing and working with people. That interest carries over to his company, where the philosophy is about helping clients create meaningful relationships with their audiences. For Spears, there’s also a mission to increase representation in his industry.

“Certainly in the marketing and public relations profession, there are not many people of color in the industry, let alone owning and running agencies,” he said. “I believe that has been challenging over time. When something is seen as an outlier, people are reluctant to engage. That’s been something we continue to work our way through.”

This year has presented other challenges as well. Spears Group has an events division that has produced numerous large-scale events, including the annual Fried Chicken Festival, which drew 170,000 attendees last year. This year, the festival and most other events were canceled, striking a blow to the division.

In addition, Spears Group team members are now working remotely. While most have adapted to virtual meetings and a different way of working, Spears said he’s been thinking about how to maintain the agency’s culture and continue to provide development opportunities for his team.

“What it means to be a part of Spears Group is very important to us,” he said. “We have a culture of team. We do not use the word employees in our company. We sign everything with #TeamSpears. Other people have noticed it and adopted it. Our culture is really about being focused on culture and team, so I’ve been thinking a lot about how to keep that going when we’re all working remotely.”

But this year has also presented new and exciting opportunities. In early 2020, Spears was one of the new investors who helped relaunch WBOK 1230 AM, Louisiana’s oldest Black radio station. The revamped station includes new programming, a new website and a partnership with Xavier University to help train communications and journalism majors.

“That’s been really big for us,” Spears said. “It emphasizes our commitment to supporting projects that support people of color and Black culture.”

For Spears, the acquisition also represented another avenue for him to support his beloved hometown.

“Being a business owner in New Orleans allows me to reinvest in my hometown, whether that’s through my business, a scholarship at my high school or working with nonprofit groups,” he said. “The people we hire are usually from New Orleans. I’m grateful we’re able to be here and give back to this community.”

Through it all, Spears continues to rely on some key lessons he’s learned over the years. One of his main mottos is to “trust the process.” He knows success doesn’t happen overnight. And he’s learned that surrounding himself with people who are smart, talented and committed is one of the surest ways to overcome obstacles.

“There are no shortcuts to building a business. It comes with ups and downs,” he said. “You have to have the tenacity and fortitude to get through the challenging times. Even if you are the owner, you have to have bright and thoughtful people around you and listen to them when they give you advice and counsel.”

Spears Group is located at Hibernia Tower, 812 Gravier Street, Suite 1B, New Orleans. For more information, visit www.thespearsgroup.com, call 504-304-8198 or email info@thespearsgroup.com.

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This story is brought to you by Cox Business.

Since 1943, thousands of New Orleans residents and visitors have been lining up at Barrow’s Catfish for a taste of the food that has garnered international acclaim.

In the beginning, original owners William “Cap” Barrow, Sr. and his wife Mary served their fried catfish out of Barrow’s Shady Inn on Mistletoe Street. The original sandwiches sold for just 50 cents apiece. As word spread about the tastiness of the flaky and slightly crispy catfish plates and sandwiches, the Barrows expanded the restaurant and added new menu items like baked chicken and stewed rabbit.
These days, the Barrow’s menu includes a variety of dishes, like charbroiled oysters, shrimp poboys, gumbo, blackened drum redfish and more. But more than anything, it’s the famous fried catfish that keeps customers coming back time and again.

Deirdre Barrow Johnson, a third-generation family member who now owns the restaurant with her husband Kenneth Johnson, Jr., said the catfish is still made based on the original recipe from the 1940s.

“There’s a lot of love put into it. It’s not just battered up and thrown in grease,” Johnson said. “I’ve seen chefs come in here with 20 years of experience. They’re confident because they’ve fried before and worked with seafood before. But they humble themselves and have to learn our process.”

At Barrow’s, Johnson said one main goal is to create and maintain a work environment that’s enjoyable for all employees. The belief is that if the employees are happy, those positive vibes will pass on to the customers.

“We always try to put the customer first and we also strive to be an employer of choice,” Johnson said. “We try to have an environment where it’s fun for our employees to come to work. That means they are able to make the customers feel at home and feel welcome.”

Johnson said the team at Barrow’s takes pride in every part of the cooking process. Time and effort has been put in to perfect the seasoning and marinade. The cooks must use a specific type of creamy and soft cornmeal that is sifted and cleaned throughout the day. The grease is constantly changed and filtered, and the grease that is used for frying catfish is not used for any other food that Barrow’s serves.

“People have tried to duplicate it and try it at home, but they always tell us they can never quite get it,” Johnson said. “It’s something we take a lot of pride in. The quality of our ingredients is a really big deal for us as well. We don’t buy just any catfish. It has to be a certain type. We take that kind of pride in every single step of the process.”

Barrow’s commitment to high quality has remained unchanged even as the family has navigated challenges through the years. Johnson said one of the biggest obstacles was Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed the two Barrow’s locations that were operating at the time. The disaster forced Johnson and her husband to relocate with their young children, but they never lost their desire to bring the family legacy back to New Orleans. In July 2018, Johnson and her husband reopened Barrow’s to widespread acclaim.

“Coming back was difficult because we didn’t have the same kind of family structure that we had before,” Johnson said. “I’m not going to lie – it was a little shaky and a little scary for us. All we had was our faith. But we believed in ourselves and in our brand, and the people of New Orleans have been wonderful to us.”

That local support has continued in 2020, even as Barrow’s, like other New Orleans restaurants, has temporarily suspended indoor dining service and offered only curbside pickup. Johnson said Barrow’s has always had a strong takeout business since its inception.

“Business has actually been pretty strong,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t really surprising because we have always done well with takeout, but we have been tremendously grateful.”

With such a solid foundation and loyal customer base in place, Johnson said the plan is to keep the family tradition alive for years to come. Dining service will eventually resume once it is safe to do so, and two more Barrow’s locations are being discussed. But the longstanding commitment to quality food and service is the one thing that won’t change.

“I really believe in our faith,” Johnson said. “I do know that God has really been good to us. We have been truly blessed and we are so grateful that our customers still want Barrow’s after all these years.”

Barrow’s Catfish is located at 8300 Earhart Boulevard, Suite 103, New Orleans. For information on hours, menu items and more, visit www.barrowscatfish.com or call 504-265-8995.

Barrow’s first opened as Barrow’s Shady Inn in 1943. In the early years, sandwiches sold for just 50 cents.

A new generation is keeping Barrow’s Catfish going in the new century. “We have been truly blessed and we are so grateful that our customers still want Barrow’s after all these years,” said co-owner Deirdre Barrow Johnson.

The most wellThe most well-known menu item at Barrow’s is the fried catfish, but they also offer other seafood dishes. “There’s a lot of love put into it,” said co-owner Deirdre Barrow Johnson.-known menu item at Barrow’s is the fried catfish, but they also offer other seafood dishes. “There’s a lot of love put into it,” said co-owner Deirdre Barrow Johnson.

The fried catfish at Barrow’s has impressed even world-renowned chefs. “They humble themselves and have to learn our process,” said co-owner Deirdre Barrow Johnson.

The post Strong Faith And Commitment To Quality Keep Barrow’s Catfish Going Strong For More Than 75 Years appeared first on Business Spotlight.