Bougard joins  SWLA Law Center

The SWLA Law Center is pleased to announce that Andrew “Woody” Bougard is now a part- time attorney with the firm, handling family law and general civil matters.

Bougard, born and raised in Jennings, attended Our Lady Immaculate Catholic School, Jennings High School, McNeese State University and the Southern University Law Center earning his Juris Doctorate in May of 2020.

In addition to his work at the SWLA Law Center, he enjoys a diverse practice holding respective criminal defenses positions in the Jeff Davis and Calcasieu Parish Public Defender Offices; and he is the owner of his own private practice, the Bougard Law Office, where he handles personal injury, criminal, and family matters.

Bougard is a member of the Community Foundation of SWLA, Fusion Five and West Calcasieu Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, where he is also a parishioner.

Sandel named marketing director

Lacey Sandel has been named director of marketing and business development for ClearSky Rehabilitation hospitals of Leesville and Rosepine.

In this role, she is responsible for the hospitals’ admissions departments and coordinates activities to educate patients, families, community, and referral sources about hospital services.

A registered nurse, Sandel previously served as a clinical liaison at ClearSky Rehabilitation Hospital of Leesville. She brings more than 15 years of experience to the role in nursing, case management, wound care, home care, patient education, Medicare billing, medical coding, and health care administration.

Sandel graduated from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches with an associate degree in nursing. She is trained in medical coding and the patient-driven grouping model. She is an agency member of the HomeCare Association of Louisiana.

Christus Ochsner recognized

Christus Ochsner Lake Area Hospital recently received the Louisiana Birth Ready Designation from the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative. Christus Ochsner Lake Area is the only hospital in Calcasieu Parish to receive the designation and one of the 16 Louisiana hospitals to be recognized.

The designation recognizes partnering facilities’ hard work, continued improvement, and implementation of best practices through an evaluation process by the LaPQC. It also celebrates improved perinatal health outcomes, the result of implementing clinical practices that promote safe, equitable, and dignified birth for all birthing persons in Louisiana.

Hospitals receiving Birth Ready Designation undergo a rigorous application and review process by the LaPQC. To achieve a Birth Ready Designation, Christus Ochsner Lake Area Hospital had to meet five areas of requirement: participation in collaborative learning; health disparity and patient partnership; policies and procedures; structures and education; and outcome and process measures.

Hospital awarded ACR accreditation

Christus Ochsner Health Southwestern Louisiana is kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month by announcing the James W. Gardiner Breast Center at Christus Ochsner-Lake Area has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by the American College of Radiology.

The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Parameters and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report that can be used for continuous practice improvement.

The MRI accreditation complements the James W. Gardiner Breast Centers accreditations for other breast modalities including mammography and ultrasound. The center is working to obtain the ACR Breast Imaging Center of Excellence designation, which is awarded to breast imaging centers that achieve excellence by seeking and earning accreditation in all of the ACR’s voluntary breast-imaging accreditation programs and modules.

Advisory council appointed

The Christus Ochsner Southwestern Louisiana Foundation is thrilled to announce its 2021-2022 Community Advisory Council. The Foundation oversees the philanthropic efforts of Christus Ochsner St. Patrick and Christus Ochsner Lake Area Hospitals, which includes Children’s Miracle Network.

Leading the Council is Chair Lynn Hohensee. Returning members include John Cardone Jr., Tom Chamberlain, John Fear, Tony Hulsey, Willie King, Bruce Kirkpatrick, Barbara McManus, Elizabeth McLaughlin, Willie Mount, Charles O’Connor, Randy Roach, Blake Soto, James Steward, George Swift and Frank Wood.

New to the council are Ernie Broussard, senior business manager of Hunt Guillot and Associates; Judge Ron Richard, Lake Charles City Court, and Alyson Antoon, attorney, Vamvoras. Antoon.