BATON ROUGE, La. – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Medical Director Dr. Tracy Lemelle will join Dr. Nicole Thomas and Dr. Winston Price, along with special guest East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome Wednesday, May 19 at 6 p.m. to talk about the All of Us Research Program.
Mayor Broome and the panelists will discuss hypertension warning signs, prevention and treatment, as well as the importance and need for health research programs like All of Us. They will explain why hypertension can go unnoticed and how the All of Us initiativecan contribute to tackling this silent killer.
What: High Blood Pressure Affects All of Us virtual conversation (a Facebook Live and Zoom event)
Who: Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, Blue Cross Medical Director Dr. Tracy Lemelle, Founder/Principal Consultant and Impact Nurse Consultant Dr. Nicole Thomas and Cobb Institute Director of IT Dr. Winston Price
When: Wednesday, May 19 at 6 p.m.
Where: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Facebook page or via Zoom
Mayor Broome has been a strong supporter of All of Us since the program first launched in Baton Rouge. She will be joined by Dr. Tracy Lemelle, Dr. Nicole Thomas and Dr. Winston Price on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana “All of Us” Facebook Live and Zoom webinar to talk more about the program.
Mayor Broome spearheads Healthy BR, a city-wide initiative that identifies and coordinates community efforts into a unifying commitment to better health. Combating obesity is one of the program’s four priorities, as 34% of adults in East Baton Rouge Parish fall into this category. Educating citizens on the direct link between hypertension and obesity is crucial, and Mayor Broome hopes to continue the conversation as Healthy BR grows.
Dr. Tracy Lemelle is the Medical Director of Clinical Solutions at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. She worked as a pediatrician at Our Lady of the Lake for nearly 10 years and began her medical career at IMG Healthcare Network. She is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and served her residency at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Nicole Thomas is an instructor of nursing at LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing who teaches adult health. She is a Masters Prepared Registered Nurse who is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree. She is certified as a case manager by the Commission for Case Managers. Nicole previously held the title of Director of Medical and Clinical Operations for a Fortune 7 managed care organization. Throughout her 12-year nursing career, Nicole has worked in various areas of healthcare to include medical-surgical, community adult health, managed care and nursing leadership.
Dr. Winston Price is a board certified pediatrician and past president of the National Medical Association (NMA). He currently serves as Director of IT for the W. Montague COBB Institute, which focuses on research and data analysis as it relates to improving healthcare of populations at risk. In addition to numerous leadership roles and community involvement, he serves as President and Chair for the National African American Drug Policy Coalition and is a Board Director for the National Center on Missing and Exploited Children. In his spare time Dr. Price practices clinical medicine, serving populations at risk for poor health outcomes in Georgia with a focus on preventive care.
All of Us is a research program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). With health information donated by people of all backgrounds, the All of Us Research Program aims to understand how to treat and maybe even prevent serious illnesses. Over 350,000+ have already joined. The program's goal is one million or more. People who join will give information about their health, habits, and what it’s like where they live. By looking for patterns, researchers may learn more about what affects people’s health.
Baton Rouge is one of the first cities nationwide to see a focused effort to recruit people to take part in the All of Us Research Program, led by Blue Cross. Visit www.joinallofus.org/LA to sign up or learn more.
Blue Cross is also helping Louisianians be Stronger Than Ever with wellness, nutrition and behavioral health tips. The insurer regularly hosts other Facebook Live events, including the Motivated Mindset behavioral health broadcast and Romaine Calm and Carrot On healthy eating broadcast, with their in-house clinical team members. You can watch past broadcasts and learn more about upcoming virtual events by visiting the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Facebook page.
Visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana YouTube channel to see short videos with members of the in-house clinical team and others on COVID-19 and other health topics. Subscribe to know when new videos are added. You can also connect with Blue Cross on social media for regular updates.
To learn more about health coaching with Blue Cross dietitians and other clinical team members, including nurses, social workers and pharmacists, visit www.bcbsla.com/Stronger. Blue Cross health coaches support members who are dealing with long-term health conditions, serious illnesses or acute injuries. Health coaches offer personalized support, information about their specific health needs and tips to stick to their doctors’ care plans. You do not need to pay anything to work with a health coach.
About the All of Us Research Program
The mission of the All of Us Research Program is simple - to speed up health research and medical breakthroughs. To do this, All of Us is asking one million people to lead the way to provide the types of information that can help create individualized prevention, treatment, and care for all of us. Trust is a key factor in bringing together one million people and nurturing relationships. To build that trust - we once again need you!
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Founded in New Orleans in 1934, we are a tax-paying nonprofit health insurer with offices in every major region to serve our customers. We were recognized in 2019 and 2020 as an honoree of The Civic 50, named by Points of Light as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. We invite all Louisianians to visit our website at www.bcbsla.com or talk to us on social media.
We're sorry, something went wrong! Please refresh your browser and try again.