Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate.
Ochsner Health System’s Pulmonary Hypertension Program is proud to announce its designation from the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) as an Accredited Pulmonary Hypertension Care Center (PHCC). Ochsner’s Pulmonary Hypertension Program, located at the John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute (JOHVI) in New Orleans, is one of only two accredited programs in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
The goal of the accreditation program is to improve outcomes of patients with Pulmonary Hypertension (PH), a debilitating disease of the lungs that affects the functioning of the heart and can lead failure of the right side of the heart and death. The symptoms of PH can include shortness of breath, dizziness and fatigue. Because these symptoms can mirror more common and less-threatening illnesses, patients can go years without being accurately diagnosed or may be misdiagnosed as having other illnesses such as asthma or COPD. There are risk factors that make some people more likely than others to get PH, however the disease affects children and adults, men and women of all races and ethnic backgrounds.
“There is an urgent need for medical institutions to accurately diagnose, treat and provide support for PH patients,” said Stacy A. Mandras, MD, Director – Pulmonary Hypertension Program at Ochsner Health System. “Our team is honored to be accredited by PHA and hope that the recognition furthers our ability to provide patients with exceptional healthcare, innovative treatments and a strong support system.”
PHCC accreditation is given to programs that have demonstrated dedication to ensuring proper and accurate diagnosis for all PH patients. It also indicates that a program has the capacity to appropriately and comprehensively manage PH patients through a set of criteria established by the PHA’s Scientific Leadership Council and the PHCC Oversight Committee. The committee is comprised of members that are global leaders in the field of pulmonary hypertension.
Learn how you can support the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, which provides patient and family support, early diagnosis education, specialty care resources and research to find ways to prevent and cure PH, at www.PHAssociation.org.
JOHVI is home to more than 50 cardiologists and surgeons who work closely with each patient to develop a customized healthcare plan that is both targeted and effective. Ochsner also participates in over 125 clinical trials for the goal of advancing knowledge of the mechanisms, treatments and diagnoses of cardiovascular disease. For more information about Ochsner Cardiology, please visit www.ochsner.org/cardiology.
To make an appointment with Ochsner’s Pulmonary Hypertension team, please call 504-842-4721 or visit www.ochsner.org/pulmonary-hypertension.
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About the Pulmonary Hypertension Association
For the past 26 years, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA), headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., has been the nation’s leading pulmonary hypertension organization. Its mission is to extend and improve the lives of those affected by PH by providing resources to enhance quality of life of people living with the disease through support, education, research, advocacy and awareness. To achieve this, PHA connects and works together with the entire PH community of patients, families, medical professionals and researchers. Among its programs, PHA facilitates nearly 300 support groups across the country and delivers continuing education for medical professionals. For more information or to support PHA with a donation, go to PHAssociation.org.