Rx for Louisiana: Healthcare in Focus (2006)
Louisiana Public Square

Details
Collection:LPB
Genre: Panel
Place Covered: Louisiana
Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority
Date Issued: 2006-04-19
Duration: 00:53:46
Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Health Care
Contributors:
- Courtney, Beth Host
- Freeman, Craig Host
- Godoy, Al Producer
- Awaotwi, Joseph Interviewee
- Hood, David Interviewee
- Wightkin, Joan Interviewee
- Cassidy, Bill Interviewee
- Hunt, Ginger Interviewee
- Gilmore, Andrew, Sr. Speaker
- Simonin, Kella Speaker
- LaCour, Christopher Speaker
- Percy, Vicelee Speaker
- Bilbo, Sharon Speaker
- Hull, Mona Speaker
- Pierre, Craig Speaker
- Priddy, Leigherin Speaker
- Scichowski, Gwen Speaker
- Campbell-Flint, Maxine Speaker
- Chrisentary, Frankie Speaker
- Williams, Joanna Speaker
- Chanet, Yolanda Speaker
- Fontham, Elizabeth Panelist
- Cerise, Fred Panelist
- Sokol, Dawn Panelist
- Sothern, Melissa Panelist
Description
This episode of the series “Louisiana Public Square” from April 19, 2006, features Craig Freeman leading a discussion between the audience members and panelists on health care in Louisiana. A background report on the topic precedes the discussion. It includes interviews with: Dr. Joseph Awaotwi, an emergency room pediatrician; David Hood of the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR); Dr. Joan Wightkin of the Louisiana Office of Public Health; Dr. Bill Cassidy, an associate professor of medicine at the LSU Health Sciences Center (LSU-HSC); and Ginger Hunt, the CEO of Primary Care Providers. The audience members then discuss: the state’s high infant mortality rate; childhood obesity; and the state’s Charity Hospital System. A panel of experts then joins the audience to answer their questions. The panelists are: Elizabeth Fontham, the dean of the School of Public Health at the LSU-HSC; Dr. Fred Cerise, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals; Dr. Dawn Sokol, an infectious disease specialist with the Ochsner Health System; and Dr. Melissa Sothern, the director of the pediatric obesity clinical research center at the LSU-HSC. They discuss: the importance of educating people on how to live a health lifestyle; childhood obesity; the LaChip program for children’s health; mental health services; and the issues with health care access in the state. Hosts: Beth Courtney and Craig Freeman