Louisiana

Chapter Information

Incorporated May 2012

Mission Statement

The Louisiana Chapter of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (LAASMBS) is dedicated to advancing the care of the bariatric patient in the state of Louisiana.

• Through a statewide network of bariatric surgeons and associate members, LAASMBS is actively engaged in legislative efforts and advocacy focused on improving quality and access to care for Louisiana residents.
• The LAASMBS promotes fellowship among the state’s bariatric providers as well facilitating the active interchange of ideas and best practices through educational events and annual meetings.
• Sponsorship of public events is promoted as a way to increase public awareness of the problem of obesity in the state of Louisiana.
• LAASMBS seeks to enroll all practicing bariatric providers in the state of Louisiana and speak with one voice for the bariatric patients of our state.

Executive Officers

President: William S. Richardson, MD FASMBS
Vice President:
Immediate Past President: James G. Redmann, MD FASMBS
Past President: Uyen Chu, MD
Secretary/Treasurer: Jonathan Taylor, MD
Integrated Health Chair:
STAR (State Access to Care Representative): Shauna Levy, MD MS FACS
Integrated Health STAR (State Access to Care Representative): Laura Boyer, FNP C CBN

Board Members

Philip Gachassin, MD
Rachel Moore, MD FASMBS
James Parrish, MD FASMBS

Contact

William S. Richardson, MD FASMBS
Ochsner Clinic Foundation
1514 Jefferson Hwy
New Orleans, LA 70121
504-842-4070
504-842-3124 FAX

Chapter Meetings

• LA-ASMBS Annual Meeting 2023
  Saturday, August 12, 2023
  Renaissance New Orleans Arts Warehouse District Hotel
  700 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70130​
  https://www.laasmbs.org/

• LA-ASMBS Annual Meeting
  Location & Date: New Orleans, LA | August 13, 2022

• ASMBS Louisiana State Chapter Meeting at the ASMBS Annual Meeting
  Tuesday, June 7, 2022 5:30-6:30pm Central
  Hyatt Regency Hotel, Crockwell Room
  300 Reunion Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75207

• POSTPONED LA-ASMBS State Chapter Annual Meeting
  September 25, 2021

• LA-ASMBS Virtual State Chapter Meeting
  Thursday, October 15, 2020

• POSTPONED LA-ASMBS State Chapter Annual Meeting
  March 14, 2020
  Deutsches Haus, New Orleans

• January 19, 2020 at the Ritz Carlton

• Louisiana State Chapter Meeting at ObesityWeek 2019 in Las Vegas, NV
  Tuesday, November 5
  5:15-6:15pm Pacific
  Delano, 3940 S Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89119 (adjacent to Mandalay Bay), Crimson G Room – 4th Floor

• January 20, 2019 at the Hotel Intercontinental

• State Chapter Meeting at ObesityWeek 2018 in Nashville, TN

• State Chapter Meeting
  Sunday, June 4th, 2018 12pm
  At the Louisiana American College of Surgeons Meeting
  JW Marriott
  614 Canal Street, New Orleans 70130
  http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/msyjw-jw-marriott-new-orleans/

• State Chapter Meeting at ObesityWeek 2016 in New Orleans, LA Wednesday, November 2, 2016 6:15-7:15pm Central

• January 17, 2016 – New Orleans, LA

• State Chapter Meeting at ObesityWeek 2015 in Los Angeles, CA:
  Wednesday, November 4, 2015
  6pm-7pm Pacific Time
  L.A. Convention Center Room #303A

• January 18, 2015 – New Orleans, LA at the Louisiana American College of Surgeons Meeting

• November 3, 2014 – Boston, MA during ObesityWeek, New officers were elected

• January 19, 2014 – New Orleans, LA at the Louisiana American College of Surgeons Meeting

• January 13, 2013 – New Orleans, LA during the Louisiana American College of Surgeons Meeting – included chapter business and two speakers

Chapter Updates

2019 Activity

• April 14, 2019: Walk from Obesity, Audobon Park
• Journal Clubs: Quarterly

2016 Activity

• The Heads Up Program continues to recruit patients

• The Louisiana Bariatric Surgery Collaborative is currently collecting statewide data on number and type of bariatric procedures performed, 30 day mortality, leaks, DVT/PE, and 30 day reoperations

2015 Activity

• Blue Cross of Louisiana is currently considering coverage of bariatric surgery and may offer this as early as 2015

• The Heads Up Program has expanded and has opened new sites in Alexandria and Shreveport; this program is a study which is being conducted by a partnership between the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and the Office of Group Benefits (which covers state employees); the study randomizes patients to bariatric surgery vs. intensive medical therapy

• The Louisiana Bariatric Surgery Collaborative is currently collecting statewide data on number and type of bariatric procedures performed, 30 day mortality, leaks, DVT/PE, and 30 day reoperations

• May 2015, Dr. Moore appeared in front of the committee to discuss the Heitmeier Bill; Amendments to the bill resulted in us not supporting this bill and it was eventually defeated

• Walks From Obesity statewide April 11, 2015

• Access to Care committee met with Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Donnelon on March 31, 2015 to discuss expansion of the health insurance exchange to include bariatric surgery

2013-2014 Activity

• Social event held June 1, 2013 during ASMBS Spring meeting in New Orleans

• May 11, 2013 was the Statewide Walk from Obesity with simultaneous events scheduled in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans; due to severe thunderstorms New Orleans was cancelled and Baton Rouge was held on 5/18/13

• The group worked together via email on edits of band and bypass risk sheets and approval of a brand new list of potential complications for vertical sleeve gastrectomy, all of which were approved by the Louisiana Disclosure Panel on May 17, 2013

• ASMBS granted approval for full chapter status on March 21, 2013

Support Groups

• Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital, Alexandria

• Women’s Hospital, Baton Rouge

• Our Lady of the Lake, Baton Rouge

• Baton Rouge General Surgical Associates, Baton Rouge

• Cypress Pointe Surgical Hospital, Hammond

• Surgical Weight Management Associates, Houma

• Ochsner Surgical Weight Loss Program, Jefferson/New Orleans – List of 2020 Dates
  1514 Jefferson Highway
  2nd Floor Brent House Conference Room
  New Orleans, LA 70121
  Phone: 504-842-2701
  Website: www.ochsner.org/bariatric
  Meeting Times: Every 2nd Tuesday of the Month from 5:30-6:30 pm (see website for dates & Room)
  Contact Person: Jeannine Runnels, RN

  In-person and On-line Seminars Available – List of 2020 Dates
  Phone: 504-842-2701
  Website: www.ochsner.org/bariatric
  On-line Seminar is available on website
  In-Person Seminar: 5:30-7pm (see website for dates)
  1514 Jefferson Highway
  2nd Floor Brent House Conference Room: Caldwell/Burns Rooms
  New Orleans, LA 70121
  Contact Person: Jeannine Runnels, RN

• Surgical Specialists of LA, Lafayette

• Acadiana Weight Loss Surgery, Lafayette

• Surgical Specialists of LA, Metairie
  ** LA Center for Weight Loss Surgery, Monroe

• St. Elizabeth Hospital, Prairieville

• Freedom from Obesity, Shreveport

• Surgical Specialists of LA, Slidell

• Minimally Invasive Surgery Center of LA, Shreveport

Advocacy Information

• View the Essential Health Benefits Toolkit for Louisiana