eQ Health Solutions, the former Louisiana Health Care Review Inc., recently honored Dauterive Hospital with a prestigious platinum-level award for quality patient outcomes for the second consecutive year.

Dauterive Hospital, founded in 1920, is the only Teche Area health care provider to receive the prestigious Platinum Level honor two years in a row.

eQ Health Solutions, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Louisiana, recently presented the 103-bed full-service, acute care hospital in New Iberia with its Platinum Level 2009 Louisiana Hospital Quality Award at the third annual Louisiana Health Care Quality Summit hosted by eQ Health Solutions in Baton Rouge.

“In all instances we want to do the right thing for our patients, physicians, staff and volunteers. Dauterive Hospital relies upon proven, evidence-based practices to ensure our guests receive the consistent, quality medical care they deserve,” said Alan Fabian, Chief Executive Officer.

“The bottom line is lives are being saved and the health of our community is being improved – a direct result of the quality improvement initiatives being carried out at Dauterive Hospital,” Fabian added. “We are proud of the commitment and dedication our physicians and staff have shown to our patients and our community. On their behalf, we thank the state for this prestigious honor.”

This is the fifth year these awards have been given to hospitals in Louisiana. eQ Health Solutions established the awards to recognize Louisiana hospitals that successfully implement quality initiatives directed toward improving patient care in the hospital setting, specifically in the areas of: Acute Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, Pneumonia and Surgical Care.

These topics have been designated as national health care priorities by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The quality improvement efforts at Dauterive Hospital are led by Joyce Andrico, RN, Quality Management Director, and a team of physicians including Dr. Michael Alvarez, Chief Medical Officer.

“All of our hard work is about improving the quality of patient care, outcomes and quality of life,” Andrico said. “We are honored to receive this recognition from Louisiana Health Care Review, which shows Dauterive Hospital has made significant improvements. We have improved and will continue to improve the quality of care.”

The Hospital Quality Award is based on select criteria and measured improvements in the specified clinical areas. To be eligible for the award, hospitals must have achieved improvement at least 25 percent for each applicable topic or maintain a high level of performance greater than 90 percent during the 2008 calendar year. There were 78 hospitals in the state that received 2009 Louisiana Hospital Quality awards.

Some marched in memory. Some marched for those who survived. Some marched for those who will be saved by breakthroughs yet to be discovered.

There were many reasons hundreds flocked to New Iberia City Park on Saturday for the annual March of Dimes March for Babies. The event raises funds to support efforts of the March of Dimes in the Acadiana area and funds research to develop new treatments for complications associated with premature birth.

Among the participants who braved swollen skies and thick humidity were more than 30 staff members of Dauterive Hospital, who wore T-shirts specially designed by a staff member for the event. The T-shirt featured a hand holding a premature baby’s foot beneath the slogan: “March for the Little Ones.”

“The T-shirt says it all,” said Trevis R. Badeaux, Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator. “The March of Dimes has made many wonderful accomplishments over the decades since it was founded, but we still have a long way to go.”

“There are still babies born prematurely who do not survive,” said Theresa Freyou, Director for The Birth Place at Dauterive Hospital. “That’s the reason we’re out here today – to give thanks for those who have made it and to take another step toward the research that will save others."

Nearly 300 St. Martin Parish residents ages 55 and up attended the Ageless Expo at the Cade Recreation Center this week, where Dauterive Hospital and other vendors provided health care services, information and giveaways.

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office annually coordinates and hosts the event.

“We started offering this event at Breaux Bridge High School several years ago,” Sheriff Ronald Theriot said. “As the years progressed, so did the number of people who attended. We were forced to change the location this year to accommodate the growing crowd and number of vendors who step up to participate.”

The Health Screening Team at Dauterive Hospital offered height, weight, body fat, blood pressure and blood glucose screens at the four-hour event. The hospital also distributed information about its services and programs that benefit the core audience of the annual Ageless Expo, those ages 55 and up.

Dr. Jason D. Landry with New Iberia Family Medicine, located on the Dauterive Hospital campus in nearby New Iberia, offered free consultations on site.

“Dauterive Hospital and its sister facilities in Lafayette – Women’s & Children’s Hospital and The Regional Medical Center of Acadiana – are committed to the care and improvement of human life,” said Trevis R. Badeaux, Marketing Coordinator and Health Screening Team Coordinator.

“We are driven to provide the high quality, cost effective health care people need with the compassion they deserve right here in the communities where they work, play and reside,” Badeaux said. “We thank St. Martin Parish Sheriff Ronald Theriot and his staff for allowing us the opportunity to put our mission statement into action to serve the residents of St. Martin Parish.”

Dauterive Hospital treated area physicians to a Cajun/Zydeco-themed luncheon on March 30.

National Doctors Day, which falls on March 30 each year, is a date set aside to show appreciation for the sacrifices and efforts of physicians across the nation. The hospital annually commemorates the date with a themed luncheon.

The meal, created by Dauterive Hospital's own Chef Joseph Kidd and Chef James Broussard, included Chicken Bayou Teche -- a seafood-stuffed grilled chicken breast topped with a crawfish cream sauce -- and Tournedos du Filet -- tender filet medallions topped with a choice of garlic butter sauce or wild mushroom crabmeat cream sauce.

A compilation of Cajun, Swamp Pop, Zydeco and other regional musical genres played lightly in the background of Meeting Room 2, which was transformed into a Cajun restaurant complete with crawfish nets, fleur de lis-folded napkins, moss and other theme-related decorations.