A report from America’s Health Ranking says the rates of maternal mortality and teen suicide have risen over the last two years in Louisiana. UnitedHealthcare Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mark Peters says we are one of the worst states when it comes to taking care of expecting mothers.
The maternal mortality rate increased 28 percent to 44.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017, while the infant mortality was down 11 percent. Teen suicides were also up seven percent. Peters says mental health is a nationwide issue that Louisiana in particular lags behind on.
Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, and West Virginia made up the five lowest ranked states. Peters says they all have something in common, low state healthcare funding.
The good news is that the uninsured rate for women 18-40 was down 34 percent. Peters attributes this to the Medicaid expansion in 2016.
46 percent of LSU Health New Orleans graduating medical students participating in the National Resident Match Program this year chose to remain in Louisiana. That is down from 49 percent staying in state last year and 64-percent in 2012. Dr. Steve Nelson says it’s a trend that could cost Louisiana some great doctors…
National studies find a high number of physicians set up their permanent practices in areas where they complete their residency program. Nelson says a decline of 18 percent in the last five years is a concern and it’s up to the legislature to provide a stable source of funding for higher ed…
Nelson says the future medical achievements and the new physicians that will fill our hospitals and medical practices come from Louisiana, not elsewhere…
Despite talk of budget cuts to public colleges and TOPS, a record 23-thousand students have applied for entry at LSU for the academic year that starts in August. The school’s chief enrollment officer, Jose Aviles, says they hope for an incoming freshman class of 58-hundred, but TOPS funding is a factor…
Aviles says it’s impressive LSU has so many applicants, especially considering there are fewer high school graduates. On Friday, the LSU Board of Supervisors approved three scholarships to help students choose LSU. Aviles says thousands of dollars are available to students who qualify for these scholarships
The Innovation Award would give Louisiana freshman up to 3-thousand dollars. The Tiger Excellence Award is for nonresident students who have ACT scores of 28 or 29 and then there’s the Transformation Merit Scholarship. Aviles says that’s for students who have a 26 or 27 ACT and those are students most universities are trying to attract….