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Congratulations to Houma Native Annie Barahona, FNP for being named Louisianan of the Year in Healthcare in Louisiana Life Magazine!
Barahona grew up in Houma and knew she wanted to be in the medical field. She has been in the nursing field for sixteen years, a nurse practitioner for eight years, and she provides primary care services at Terrebonne Behavioral Health Center with the South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority. She sees mental health patients and is able to diagnose and help treat common problems like diabetes.
Barahona has been named the Louisiana State Nurses Association and she has spearheaded a medical assisted treatment program that helps her clients overcome struggles from opiate and alcohol addiction in an outpatient setting. She told the magazine, “When they get clean, it’s the most amazing thing…It’s nice to see the hope they have in their eyes.”
When the COVID pandemic hit, in-person contact was impossible creating challenges for the health field to treat patients. Barahona had to learn how to do televisits with her patients and proved to be a useful skill in 2021 when Hurricane Ida left the area devastated. Her home clinic is in Houma, but she also works in multiple parishes in South Central Louisiana. Since she had to adapt to televisits, she is still able to help them through telemedicine even though many of her clients have been displaced.
She told Louisiana Life Magazine, “I still love nursing. I still love talking to clients, getting to know them and their families,” Barahona said. “People notice when you truly care. You have to want to be there for your patients, to be an advocate for them.”
Each year, the magazine searches for Louisianans who exemplify traits such as having an independent streak, having strength, persistence, and helping better life. According to the magazine, “We look for people who stand out in their professions, give back and represent what’s best about the Pelican State. From teachers and artists to healthcare professionals and philanthropists, these are the individuals who enhance our daily lives in more ways than one.” Congratulations to Barahona who showcases these qualities and helps us be a healthier community!
