Louisiana Health

Treating patients mid-flight: Paramedic, nurse on new technologies and healing in the sky

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 25, 2025

Zachary Dubroc thought he wanted to be a registered nurse. But, after pivoting to emergency medical technician school and working in emergency services, Dubroc found where he wanted to be — ta…

Louisiana is in top five states with highest cancer rates: Only 3 parishes under U.S. average

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 24, 2025

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020, or nearly one in six deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Sent home to heal, patients avoid wait for rehab home beds

By Felice J. Freyer | KFF Health News
Mar 23, 2025

After a patch of ice sent Marc Durocher hurtling to the ground, and doctors at UMass Memorial Medical Center repaired the broken hip that resulted, the 75-year-old electrician found himself at…

Some CT scans deliver too much radiation, researchers say. Regulators want to know more.

By Joan Keenen | KFF Health News
Mar 23, 2025

Rebecca Smith-Bindman, a professor at the University of California-San Francisco medical school, has spent well over a decade researching the disquieting risk that one of modern medicine’s mos…

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Match Day: Here's what to know about the process of how future doctors find their specialty

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 23, 2025

Students selected their top residency programs, and residency programs selected their top students.

Functional ingredients: Elevating zero proof cocktails and other beverages

BY MOLLY KIMBALL - RD, CSSD
Mar 23, 2025

We are nearing the halfway mark of our 10th annual Alcohol Free for 40 Challenge, a time when motivation can waver, and those booze-free sips may start to feel a bit repetitive. Even if you’re…

Ochsner Health sets the standard for colorectal cancer treatment with advanced techniques and personalized care

BY AMANDA MCELFRESH | BRANDED CONTENT SPECIALIST
Mar 23, 2025

While overall rates of colorectal cancer have been declining in the United States, the numbers have been steadily increasing among younger patients. In fact, 1 out of 8 cancer patients treated…

Louisiana has more than the U.S. average of adults who excessively drink. See national data.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 19, 2025

Across the United States, an estimated 178,000 people die every year from excessive alcohol use, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism said, making it one of the leading preve…

Baton Rouge university uses escape room, new tech to train prospective physician assistants

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 18, 2025

Medical education takes an exciting turn as Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University introduces an interactive escape room experience designed to make learning more engaging and impactful.

Baton Rouge surgeon says new technology will replace mammograms, add 'remarkable new therapies'

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 17, 2025

On Super Bowl Sunday, Dr. Everett Bonner, a breast surgeon at Baton Rouge General, was part of the important conversation around early detection of breast cancer with the NFL and American Canc…

Back pain? Losing balance? This 99-year-old form of exercise helps stabilize the body

By Shantell Gomez | Contributing writer
Mar 16, 2025

Most people don’t think about posture or movement until something starts to hurt. Whether it’s back pain from sitting too long, stiffness from not moving enough or feeling out of balance, Pila…

Green Goddess Smoothie: A refreshingly nutritious treat for St. Patrick’s Day or any day

BY MOLLY KIMBALL - RD, CSSD
Mar 16, 2025

Ever wish you could find a magic recipe for a cool, refreshing drink to help you feel energized, satiated and, dare you dream, perhaps even a bit glowy? Enter the Green Goddess Smoothie. While…

Baton Rouge nursing educator hopes to fill Louisiana nursing shortages using AI in school

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 11, 2025

Amy Hall, a certified registered nurse, is the dean of the School of Nursing at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. Hall earned her Ph.D. in nursing at St. Louis University.

Louisiana kindergarten vaccination rates decline. See parish immunization rates.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Updated Mar 10, 2025

Analysis of 2021 to 2024 data show a decline in vaccination rates among kindergarten students both statewide and across the U.S., from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Louisiana doctor talks spring cleaning the medicine cabinet. Here's what to keep in stock.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 9, 2025

It’s time for spring cleaning! Yes, that includes the medicine cabinet. These Louisiana doctors and pharmacists have the list of essential items, expiration requirements and optimal storage to…

Louisiana has more than the U.S. average of adult e-cigarette smokers. See national data.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 9, 2025

In recent years, there has been an increase in the popularity of e-cigarettes, especially among youth, according to 2023 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. See national data.

Wake up to the health benefits of coffee: Amping up your morning brew

BY MOLLY KIMBALL - RD, CSSD
Mar 9, 2025

As we ‘spring forward’ to the start of daylight saving time, we might feel the impact of the time change in our sleep patterns and energy levels. In times like this, coffee, our beloved mornin…

Ochsner combines bariatric surgery with lifestyle education to achieve success

Mar 7, 2025

Struggling to lose weight and concerned about serious health complications? For long-lasting success, consider Ochsner Health’s bariatric surgery program. Through Ochsner’s unique approach, do…

COVID-19 pandemic erupted 5 years ago. Here's what Louisiana hospitals learned since.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 6, 2025

Louisiana's first case of COVID-19 was reported on March 9, 2020, with the first death on March 14, 2020, followed by Gov. John Bel Edwards closing schools statewide on March 16, 2020, restric…

Louisiana researcher who developed world-renowned heart health diet, celebrates 35 years at Baton Rouge center

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 3, 2025

This St. Martinville native's professional path was hardly a straight shot along Interstate 10 from her hometown to Baton Rouge.

Louisiana is 7th most depressed state in the nation among adults. See national data.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Mar 2, 2025

During 2020, approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States reported having ever received a diagnosis of depression by a health care provider. The prevalence of depression was higher in wome…

Embracing the spirit of alcohol-free living: Your zero-proof toolkit

BY MOLLY KIMBALL - RD, CSSD
Mar 2, 2025

Experimenting with an alcohol-free lifestyle, whether for the Ochsner Eat Fit Alcohol Free for 40 Challenge or any other reason you’re choosing to dial back, offers a refreshing perspective on…

COVID, flu, RSV and stomach flu in Louisiana: What to know about the 'quad-virus'

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Updated Mar 3, 2025

Although it is unlikely to be diagnosed with more than one of these viruses at time, these Louisiana doctors give their recommendations on what to do, how to get better when symptoms arrive.

Five years later, a Lafayette girl 'keeps up with big kids' after rare heart surgery at birth

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Updated Feb 26, 2025

Three days after Molly Ledoux was born at 5 pounds, her parents found out she had Tetralogy of Fallot, a rare heart condition presented at birth. Molly was Jade Ledoux's fourth child, and seco…

Weight loss drugs are silencing ‘food noise.’ Louisiana researchers are taking note.

By EMILY WOODRUFF | Staff writer
Feb 25, 2025

Just a month after starting weight loss injections, David Soliman noticed something life-changing. Not only was he dropping weight — about 15 pounds in 30 days — but the usual mental chatter a…

Mississippi has lowest rate of asthma cases, Louisiana lands in the middle. See national data.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Feb 23, 2025

Asthma is a serious chronic disease that affects the lungs. Asthma can cause symptoms such as wheezing, difficulty breathing and coughing.

Black women suffer iron deficiency at higher rates, with potentially serious outcomes

By ALENA MASCHKE | Staff writer
Updated Feb 24, 2025

An often overlooked health concern, iron deficiency can have profound effects on a person's daily life, leading to symptoms such as feeling weak and exhausted, or even experiencing heart palpi…

Ochsner Health puts empathy at the heart of healing to help Louisiana smokers quit for good

BY AMANDA MCELFRESH | BRANDED CONTENT SPECIALIST
Feb 23, 2025

Smoking continues to be a major health problem in Louisiana, with about 33 percent of adults using tobacco products. That is a main reason why Louisiana also has some of the nation’s highest r…