Collection:LPB

Genre: Panel

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2006-04-19

Duration: 00:53:46

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Health Care

Contributors:

• Courtney, Beth Host
• Freeman, Craig Host
• Godoy, Al Producer
• Awaotwi, Joseph Interviewee
• Hood, David Interviewee
• Wightkin, Joan Interviewee
• Cassidy, Bill Interviewee
• Hunt, Ginger Interviewee
• Gilmore, Andrew, Sr. Speaker
• Simonin, Kella Speaker
• LaCour, Christopher Speaker
• Percy, Vicelee Speaker
• Bilbo, Sharon Speaker
• Hull, Mona Speaker
• Pierre, Craig Speaker
• Priddy, Leigherin Speaker
• Scichowski, Gwen Speaker
• Campbell-Flint, Maxine Speaker
• Chrisentary, Frankie Speaker
• Williams, Joanna Speaker
• Chanet, Yolanda Speaker
• Fontham, Elizabeth Panelist
• Cerise, Fred Panelist
• Sokol, Dawn Panelist
• Sothern, Melissa Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana Public Square” from April 19, 2006, features Craig Freeman leading a discussion between the audience members and panelists on health care in Louisiana. A background report on the topic precedes the discussion. It includes interviews with: Dr. Joseph Awaotwi, an emergency room pediatrician; David Hood of the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR); Dr. Joan Wightkin of the Louisiana Office of Public Health; Dr. Bill Cassidy, an associate professor of medicine at the LSU Health Sciences Center (LSU-HSC); and Ginger Hunt, the CEO of Primary Care Providers. The audience members then discuss: the state’s high infant mortality rate; childhood obesity; and the state’s Charity Hospital System. A panel of experts then joins the audience to answer their questions. The panelists are: Elizabeth Fontham, the dean of the School of Public Health at the LSU-HSC; Dr. Fred Cerise, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals; Dr. Dawn Sokol, an infectious disease specialist with the Ochsner Health System; and Dr. Melissa Sothern, the director of the pediatric obesity clinical research center at the LSU-HSC. They discuss: the importance of educating people on how to live a health lifestyle; childhood obesity; the LaChip program for children’s health; mental health services; and the issues with health care access in the state. Hosts: Beth Courtney and Craig Freeman