From the Heart: All treat, no trick

Thursday, October 28, 2021 | Vol. 2, No. 10

All treat, no trick

Truth be told, we enjoy spooky stories as much as anyone, especially now, with Halloween nigh.

The problem is, we’re having trouble finding much to boo about at the moment.

That’s because, after 19 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the signs of progress lately have been outstripping any signs of doom and gloom.

After hitting a high of 114 COVID inpatients this past summer, our numbers have stabilized at manageable levels, even dipping into single digits recently for the first time in what seems like an eternity.

You might also have noticed that the big, white air handlers that have been resident on our South Tyler Street lawn for the past several weeks to increase our negative pressure capabilities were hauled away earlier this month.

Also, we closed our standalone COVID testing site given the reduction in need. Likewise, our testing policy has changed for pre-op and hospital admissions, as has our visitors policy at our Covington hospital.

Don’t get us wrong. We’ll still be binging old monster movies this weekend and munching on fun-size M&M’s (peanut, of course) before the trick-or-treaters get it all. But we’ll be doing it with a smile.

We hope you enjoy this weekend, too. We also hope you enjoy this collection of headlines from St. Tammany Health System.

Read on, and happy Halloween …

Community checkup with Joan Coffman

In her monthly video message to the community, St. Tammany Health System President and CEO Joan Coffman offers a brief rundown of recent happenings, along with an expression of gratitude for the tireless work of our colleagues throughout the pandemic and Hurricane Ida.

Watch video

Community checkup with Joan Coffman for October 2021

Former skeptic joins team vaccine

Rebecca Currie used to consider herself an anti-vaxxer.

The 29-year-old St. Tammany Health System patient navigation resource coordinator also thought she was too young to get a bad case of COVID-19. She thought she was strong enough to weather anything it threw her way.

Thankfully, she was right on that second point. But only barely – and only with some significant medical intervention.

Now, still feeling the effects of COVID-19 more than three months after first contracting it, she’s changed her mind about vaccines – and she hopes her story helps other skeptics change theirs as well.

Read Rebecca’s story

Moving in style

Last Wednesday (Oct. 20, 2021) was moving day for St. Tammany Health System’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and the health system’s doctors and nurses relocated to their roomier new digs in true South Louisiana style: with a second-line.

Shoo, flu!

COVID-19 might be getting all the headlines, but flu season 2021 is upon us. To help keep our community protected, our primary care offices in Madisonville, Mandeville, Folsom and Covington have scheduled upcoming flu clinics.

Protect yourself

An STHS salute

The U.S. Department of Defense recently saluted St. Tammany Health System and STHS Director of Anesthesia and Surgery Chris Connell, recognizing both with awards for their consistent support of employees who serve in the military.

Growth mode

Just months after christening its new patient tower and the new St. Tammany Cancer Center, a campus of Ochsner Medical, STHS has announced its latest expansion plans, which will bring a $75 million surgery center to Bootlegger Road.

St. Tammany Health System