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Healthcare

A growing community needs a growing hospital. As one of the pillars for growth in any society, having access to quality healthcare is essential. One of the reasons the Jennings community continues to grow is the availability of healthcare, and thanks to the vision and commitment of the leaders at Jennings American Legion Hospital (JALH), cardiology services have been expanded.

The Heart Associates of The Clinic are working together with JALH to provide heart care for the residents of the Jennings community. Cardiologists Richard Gilmore, MD; Carl Fastabend, MD; and Brian Di Stante, MD, are now seeing patients on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Suite 205 of JALH’s Medical Office building, located at 1636 Elton Road. Appointments can be made by calling (337) 824-6658.

The new cath lab at JALH opened in early July 2008, bringing enhanced cardiology services to the Jennings area and surrounding communities. “As new technology becomes available in the medical field, we have to ‘house’ it,” explained Dana Williams, JALH’s chief executive officer. “This industry is constantly changing, and in order to provide for the needs of our community, we’re continually looking for ways to incorporate new technology and expand services whenever possible. Expanding our cardiology services is something we’ve looked into for quite a while, and I'm pleased to see the pieces coming together.”

With the cath lab in operation, the Jennings hospital can provide a wide range of cardiology services, including nuclear stress testing, echocardiograms, pacemaker procedures and angioplasty. “The overall goal is to provide these needed cardiology services close to home, so that people in our community won't have to go out of town for these vital procedures,” Williams explained.

The growth of the hospital in recent years has necessitated changes to make room for additional space for patient care. “Renovation and expansion come with the territory in healthcare,” said Williams. “As new technology is available, as our services grow, and as our community expands, we have to accommodate these changes and ensure we are meeting the needs of the residents in our community.”

The number of people served by the hospital has grown significantly in recent years, with an increase of more than 24 percent for inpatient services, a 23 percent increase in outpatients and an almost 50 percent increase in surgeries.

“Healthcare is one of the founding pillars of any community,” Williams said. “Residents must have access to innovative medical care, as well as education, safety, recreation and other building blocks for a successful community. I believe that one of the reasons for the growth in the Jennings community is due to the healthcare resources available through this hospital,” Williams continued. “We are continually working on improving the scope of services offered, and communicating to our community that these services are available right here at home."

For more information about Jennings American Legion Hospital, call (337) 616-7000 or visit www.jalh.com