THE PONCHATOULA TIMES, JUNE 3, 2010 PAGE 4-B
By DR. RANDOLPH HOWES M.D., PhD
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Longtime medical columnist for The Ponchatoula Times, the
author is an accomplished surgeon, medical inventor, and Country music recording
artist. Dr. Howes grew up on his parents' Ponchatoula strawberry farm. He is a
graduate of St. Joseph. Ponchatoula High School, Tulane - two doctorates, followed
by a residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in plastic surgery. He says he is "re.
tired" now in Kentwood.)
Recently, I was co-chairman and moderator for a, conference
on "Obama Healthcare Reform & Primary Care Medicine." It was
sponsored by the Louisiana University of Medical Sciences, Inc.
and was attended by physicians, politicians, business people and
laymen.
By current estimates, we
need 16,000-20,000 primary
care physicians (i.e., family
practice, ob/gyn and pediatrics)
and the American Academy
of Family Physicians predicts
that the shortage of family doc-
tors will reach 40,000 in a little
more than 10 years and the As-
sociation of American Medical
Colleges states that the nation
may face a shortage of as many
as 150,000 doctors in the next
15 years.
That is astounding.
We are facing a patient tsu-
nami with Obama healthcare
reform bringing in 34-45 mil-
lion new patients and 75 million
Baby Boomers entering an age
of increasing medical problems
and needs. Politicians can pass
all-encompassing, great sound-
ing bills but who is going to be
on the medical front lines to im-
plement these sweeping chang-
es? Answer: No one knows!
In 2006, Mitt Romney led
Massachusetts to enact a proto-
type of Obama-care (to provide
everyone with health insur-
ance) and it has increased pa-
tient waiting time from 30 to 63
days to see a family physician.
Reports indicate, "What doctors
are available, are leaving the
state in record numbers, wait-
:ing lines are longer and costs
:have gone up."
Dr. Howes
As others have said, "People
can have all the insurance they
want, but if they can't get in to
see anyone, it's not going to do
anyone much good."
That means that we should
have been planning for this
for decades, but we haven't.
We just keep spending tons of
money on bringing in foreign
medical graduates and keep-
ing a moratorium on opening
new U.S. allopathic medical
schools, where we could train
tax-paying American citizens to
become doctors.
I calculated that we could
open up 40 new medical schools
with the amount spent on for-
eign graduates.
I believe that the federal
government and the American
Medical Association have been
With your help, we can build
better communities...
With your help, we can build
a better Louisiana.
li
oew, tnm oe HaD and pltals
asleep at the wheel or brain
dead for decades, or they have
intentionally ignored the prob-
lem.
According to the Med Job
Louisiana 2010 website, 85%
of Louisiana parishes are des-
ignated health professional
shortage areas. Also, according
to the Medical Education Com-
mission, approximately 40% of
Louisiana medical school gradu-
ates and physicians completing
graduate medical education are
leaving Louisiana for residency
programs and practice opportu-
nities in other states.
In the America that I love,
we realize' that physician shOrt-
ages result in poor health sta-
tus due to lack of access to pri-
mary care. Louisiana has many
potential great medical school
candidates to train for primary
care physicians but they cannot
get into medical school because
there are not enough openings.
That must change. Houston ....
er, I, mean, Baton Rouge, we
have a problem!
St. Tammany
Parish Hospital
hosting stress
management
class for cancer
patients
COVINGTON, LA- St. Tam-
many Parish Hospital is con-
ducting free stress management
classes for cancer patients on
Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 11
a.m. June 9 through July 21 at
the Cancer Resource Center in
the Paul D. Cordes Outpatient
Pavilion, 16300 Hwy.1085, Cov-
ington.
"Mindful Meditation: An Ally
In Your Cancer Recovery" is a
free stress management class
helping cancer patients learn
how to use the power of their
minds to fight disease, boost
their immune systems, find
strengths, make the best of
their treatments and meet the
challenges a significant illness
brings.
The classes will be guided
by certified meditation instruc-
tor and longtime retreat fa-
cilitator Ellen LaRocca, LMT,
CPSM. The program will intro-
duce various meditation, guid-
ed-imagery and simple relax-
ation techniques. Participants
may start at any time.
The class is cosponsored
by the St. Tammany Hospital
Foundation and the Leonard C.
Thomas HOS Foundation. It is
open to individuals with a can-
cer diagnosis, their caregivers
and health professionals. Call
the STPH Cancer Resource
Center at 985-898-4581 to reg-
ister or for more information.
"The act of defending
any of the cardinal vir-
tues has today all the
exhilaration of a vice."
G.K. Chesterton
A Defense of Humilities,
The Defendant, 1901
•O
PHS shares the learning
The Ponchatoula High School FFA Chapter completed their current Agriscience lit-
eracy program called Aggie on the Road for Title One schools from May 13-19. This was an
opportunity for PHS FFA members to take a leadership role in teaching the younger chil-
dren about agriculture through hands-on science activities. The high school mentors also
taught about teamwork and diversity as part of this outreach which was funded through
grants from the Brown Foundation and the United States Department of Agriculture. Stu-
dents from Robert Head Start and the 1st and 2nd grade at Champ Cooper School were
the recipients of this program. Both the FFA mentors and elementary students had an
amazing time. The Ponchatoula FFA hopes to continue this outreach next year. (By Sarah
McKinney-PHS FFA Reporter)
PHS Ag students hit the road
The Ponchatoula FFA is holding this Agventures Day Camp as
a fundraiser in order to be able to send its state championship win-
ning horse judging team to the national competition in Indianapo-
lis. Registration forms may be picked up at the PHS main office
Monday-Thursday.
SUMMER DAY CAMP
June 14-18, 2010
Fun, Educational Hands-On Activities
Lunch, Drinks and Supplies Included
$175 per camper
Drop off is 7:30-8:30 a.m, and
pickup is 4 p.m,
Join us for an exciting, action packed week full of fun and learning
about plants, animals and the environment. To sign up call, email us
or pick up a form in the main office at PHS.
98 474-8830 or : :. -_
Presented by the Ponchatoula FFA
Helping Fatients retain their maximum
potential is the commitment of
S dalty L TCH Ho oital ol Hamond
Call today
(985) 902-8148
" and speak with
the nurse liaison
Speaatty L TCH
Hospital ol Hammond
42074 VeJetam Avetw
L4 7040J
mere i#er m, eleme ew webaU .
