CHRISTUS LAUNCHES CARDIAC REHAB PROGRAM CHRISTUS

Health Shreveport-Bossier announced it will begin offering the Pritikin Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation program to help fight cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 killer in Louisiana. Pritikin ICRTM, a comprehensive lifestyle education program of diet, exercise, and promoting a healthy mind-set, will now be offered to cardiac patients who qualify. This will be the first ever ICR program to launch in the state.

The Pritikin lifestyle program has been continuously taught at Pritikin Longevity Centers for more than 40 years. By partnering with Pritikin ICR, CHRISTUS Health Shreveport-Bossier will provide an enhanced cardiac rehabilitation program that focuses on a complete lifestyle change, offering the opportunity for improved health outcomes and reduced readmissions.

The program offers the opportunity for improved health outcomes and reduced readmissions for those who suffered a cardiac event, Franceschelli said. The ICR program consists of 72 sessions, providing patients with substantially more education in healthy living than they receive in ordinary Cardiac Rehab, which is 36 sessions primarily focused on exercise. The Pritikin ICR program incorporates the 36 CR sessions of exercise and adds 36 sessions of education.

The sessions, offer a mix of exercise, individual education and counseling, and group workshops facilitated by CHRISTUS personnel, including new features such as heart-healthy cooking classes in onsite kitchen facilities and instruction on healthy food shopping and meal planning.

MLK HEALTH CENTER AWARDED 30K GRANT

The Avon Breast Health Outreach Program has awarded a one-year grant to MLK Health Center & Pharmacy to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer and provide services and education. It is the fifth year that the program has received funding from the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade to support its work on this important health issue and in recognition of the program’s excellence.

The Women’s Health program at Martin Luther King Health Center & Pharmacy will educate Northwest Louisiana-area women and refer them to low-cost or free mammograms and clinical breast exams in their own communities. The vital program will also coordinate and support a continuous team-based healing relationship between patient and provider to help ensure that 100 percent of patients, who need diagnostic, follow-up and/or treatment services, get the quality clinical care, education and support they need.

WK OFFERS TREATMENT FOR GLIOBLASTOMA

Willis-Knighton Cancer Center is now offering Optune, a medical device that, when used in conjunction with partial-brain radiotherapy and chemotherapy, has been shown to extend overall survival and progressionfree survival of newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Optune is a portable, noninvasive device that delivers low-intensity, alternating electric fields (referred to as Tumor Treating Fields) that inhibit cancer cell replication and cause cancer cells to die.

J. Ben Wilkinson, M.D., who specializes in the treatment of brain tumors, said, “The Optune system represents our next step forward in the treatment of patients with high-grade gliomas. When combined with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the use of Tumor Treatment Fields further increases our ability to fight tumor recurrence and add time for patients with the difficult diagnosis of GBM.”

An article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported information on a clinical trial that had studied this combined therapy. The investigating committee of the clinical trial recommended terminating the trial early for success and suggested that all control patients be offered Optune therapy. The two-year survival rate was 50 perent greater with Tumor Treatment Fields plus radiation and temozolomide versus radiation and temozolomide alone.