Louisiana Department of Health unveils Together: Building a Stronger LDH and a Healthier Louisiana

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Today, Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Secretary Courtney N. Phillips released the Department’s first business plan in almost a decade, titled Together: Building a Stronger LDH and a Healthier Louisiana for state fiscal year (FY) 2022. The new business plan identifies and details 17 initiatives and 42 goals under four major commitments.

“Congratulations to Secretary Phillips and the LDH team for the tremendous undertaking they have accomplished with the release of this bold and visionary business plan. More than a year of meticulous research and planning went into Together: Building a Stronger LDH and a Healthier Louisiana. I am proud to put my full support behind this business plan and its many efforts that go hand in hand with my Strategic Plan,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards. “Louisianans have a lot to look forward to in terms of improved and expanded health services as the Department of Health works to bring this plan to life.”


“I am honored to finally share Together: Building a Stronger LDH and a Healthier Louisiana. The initiatives, goals, and deliverables in this ambitious plan focus on key areas that Team LDH will embrace and prioritize in the coming year to help strengthen our foundations, allowing us to make the greatest impact for the people we serve,” said Secretary Phillips. “But I am even prouder to say that establishing these initiatives is only the beginning. We look forward to what lies ahead with anticipation.”

The 17 initiatives are aimed at improving the health and well-being of Louisianans with an emphasis on prevention; reshaping the #TeamLDH work culture; and enhancing customer service, partnerships, and community relations, while being transparent, accountable, and compliant with state and federal regulations. The commitments and initiatives include:

Improve the Health and Well-being of Louisianans with an Emphasis on Prevention


LDH is committed to its mission of protecting and promoting the health of all residents of Louisiana, which includes physical, mental, and environmental health. Through the administration of health programs and other direct service programs across the Department, LDH provides access to healthcare services for millions of Louisianans.

Our focus will be on ensuring that residents receive the right care at the right time and the right place. This business plan commitment includes LDH-led initiatives that will:

• Assess Dental Coverage and Services for Adult Medicaid Enrollees to Improve Health Outcomes
• Improve Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatment and the Quality of Care
• Improve Care for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness
• Improve Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer and Treatment of High Blood Pressure and Diabetes
• Improve Health Outcomes from Pregnancy through Childhood
• Increase and Strengthen Service Delivery for Vulnerable Residents


Reshape #TeamLDH Culture

Like any company or organization, LDH’s performance depends on the strength and health of its workforce. In FY22, LDH will focus on recruiting, developing and retaining high-performing team members. Our work in this area will also concentrate on making LDH a workplace that is more inclusive, equitable and responsive to team members’ needs. This business plan commitment includes LDH-led initiatives that will:

• Advance Equity, Diversity and Inclusion within LDH
• Improve #TeamLDH Culture, Recruitment, and Retention


Enhance Customer Service, Partnerships, and Community Relations

To improve health outcomes and operate effectively, LDH must be in close communication and partnership with the individuals we serve. Advancing the health of Louisiana is a complex endeavor — the health issues themselves are innumerable, they have disproportionate impacts on vulnerable and minority populations, and they are influenced by the physical, social and economic settings in which our residents live. Meaningful community engagement enables better understanding of communities’ needs and aspirations, allowing LDH to better solve health problems and empower residents with health information.

This business plan commitment includes LDH-led initiatives that will:


• Forge New Strategic Partnerships with Public Universities
• Improve the Sustainability of Public Water Systems
• Leverage Community Partnerships to Improve Participation in LDH Programs and Improve Program Design
• Pilot a Workforce Development Program
• Support Efforts to Increase Diversity in the State’s Healthcare Workforce

Promote Transparency, Accountability, and Compliance

LDH strives to be the best steward of public resources possible. With increased transparency, the public and stakeholders will have greater confidence that LDH is operating efficiently, effectively and with accountability to all applicable laws and regulations. This business plan commitment includes LDH-led initiatives that will:


• Develop and Implement an Annual Comprehensive Medicaid Provider Rate Review Process
• Develop Sustainable, Equitable, and Comprehensive Supplemental Payment Systems
• Improve LDH Compliance with State, Federal, and Agency Requirements
• Increase Accountability and Transparency Through Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) Contract

 

Here are some select messages from stakeholders:

“A healthy Louisiana is a strong Louisiana — giving us a robust workforce and residents abundant with creativity, entrepreneurship and the resilience to overcome any challenge that comes our way. LDH has taken upon itself a monumental task with the development of its business plan, and the seeds it has planted will require careful nurturing to bring to fruition. I am heartened by LDH’s vision for the future of healthcare and eager to see its results at the end of Fiscal Year 2022.”
— State Representative Larry Bagley, District 7


“In my role as Chair of the Louisiana Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality, I have been involved in much of the very meaningful work that the Louisiana Department of Health is doing to prevent maternal and infant deaths. The LDH business plan is a great way to bring visibility of these efforts to the public eye and hold us accountable to the body of work that will improve the health and wellbeing of women and children in our state.”
— Perry Scott Barrilleaux, MD, perinatologist and Chair of the Louisiana Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality


“The underserved communities of our state stand to benefit greatly from the LDH business plan, a meticulously crafted roadmap for improvements to Louisiana healthcare through the end of June 2022. Setting targeted, intentional goals will help us move the health and well-being of our citizens forward, thus helping to build stronger communities which lead to a healthier state. I am so pleased to see LDH make maternal and child health a priority, including steps toward safer pregnancies and births, increasing the number of mothers breastfeeding their infants, and boosting the prevention services of developmental screening, immunizations, oral health, and Adverse Childhood Experiences. I look forward to supporting LDH in its efforts.”
— State Senator Regina Barrow, District 15

 

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