Touro

Touro Infirmary is very proud to provide quality-rich and leading-edge healthcare for New Orleans and the surrounding areas – just as we’ve done for more than 155 years. Touro’s medical staff is a very important part of that legacy, and our physicians represent a full complement of specialties.

 

To learn more about Touro Infirmary and its services, please click here.

 

If you are interested in applying for privileges at Touro Infirmary, please click here to request an application.

 

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November 12, 2009
Re: FDA approves use of investigational drug Peramivir for H1N1 patients
To: Touro Infirmary Medical Staff
From: Kevin T. Jordan, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President – Medical Affairs 

On Friday, October 23, 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the use of the investigational antiviral drug Peramivir intravenous (IV) in certain adult and pediatric inpatients with confirmed or suspected 2009 H1N1 influenza infection.

For more information or to request Peramivir IV, click on the following link for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC H1N1 Flu | Antiviral Treatment Options, including Intravenous Peramivir, for Treatment of Influenza in Hospitalized Patients for the 2009-2010 Season

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November 9, 2009
Re: Tropical Storm Ida Update
To: Touro Infirmary Medical Staff
From: Christine Albert, AVP, Marketing Communications

As of 9 a.m. this morning, all hurricane warnings and watches along the Gulf Coast have been discontinued. Ida has been downgraded to a Tropical Storm and a tropical storm warning is now in effect in the New Orleans area. Based on the most current weather predictions, we expect to experience wind gusts and rain throughout the day today. The flood watch previously in place for Orleans Parish has been dropped and the predicted rainfall for today should not affect hospital operations or facilities.

The hospital and its subsidiaries are open today for normal business operations.

If you need any additional information, please contact Denice Eshleman, Director of Emergency Management and Safety, at extension 8175 or by e-mail at eshlemand@touro.com.

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Influenza related illness and hospitalizations are continuing to increase across the country according to the CDC. This trend is consistent with what we are experiencing at Touro-- an increase in the number of Emergency Department visits and inpatient admissions for influenza-related illnesses.

The H1N1 virus is making this flu season especially challenging for clinicians to help keep patients, especially those most at risk for the flu, healthy. Please keep the following in mind this flu season:

Know what to do about the flu

• If a patient has flu-like or pneumonia symptoms, order the swab test for H1N1. The rapid flu test is only 10-70% sensitive.
• Consider antiviral treatment and start Tamiflu during the early stages of illness.
• Report cases of H1N1 to the hospital leadership.
• Remain vigilant with good hand hygiene
• Encourage your patients to receive the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine (as appropriate)

Touro has implemented isolation protocols for inpatients at high risk for the flu and H1N1 virus to minimize potential patient and staff exposure. For the time being, all patients with the diagnosis of flu like illness and pneumonia will be placed in droplet and contact precautions until a member of the Infection Control office has reviewed the case. You may also continue the isolation if your clinical suspicion is high. The purpose of this approach is to reduce transmission to employees and visitors from suspected cases early on until the patient’s situation becomes clearer.

Thank you for your support of these efforts to keep our patients, medical staff and employees healthy this flu season.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at (504) 812-2559 or at jfigue@lsuhsc.edu. The CDC website also has in-depth resources for clinicians available at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/clinicians.

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Please be advised that effective Monday, October 19, 2009, peripheral parenteral nutrition orders will be considered non-formulary (including ProcalAmine^®).

To eliminate any confusion, there will no longer be an option for prescribing a peripheral nutrition formula on the adult TPN form after Monday.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at (504) 648-2500 with any questions or concerns.