In healthcare, where the work is a genuine calling, effective leaders embody a blend of dedication, determination, and profound compassion for those they serve. Phyllis Peoples, President and Chief Executive Officer of Terrebonne General Health System, exemplifies this transformative leadership philosophy.
With a career rooted in nursing, Peoples embarked on a journey of continuous learning, earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, two master’s degrees in nursing administration and nursing education from Valdosta State University, and a master’s degree in Public Health, along with completing Doctoral Studies at Tulane University.
Leading the largest Health System in the region, Peoples oversees a healthcare team of over 1,400 employees and more than 450 medical staff providers, offering an extensive range of 42 specialties. With 38 years of experience in healthcare administration, she has held her current position since 2003.
Terrebonne General Health System thrives under Peoples’s leadership, fostering a family-like culture. Long-term employees who have spent their entire careers at Terrebonne General attest to an environment that not only presents challenges but also provides opportunities for growth and development. This unique culture allows individuals to contribute meaningfully in an environment where they help people during their most vulnerable moments.
In Peoples’s words, “The satisfaction derived from being part of something larger than oneself is rewarding.” Join us in exploring the compassionate leadership of Phyllis Peoples, “where healthcare is not just a profession but a calling to make a difference in the lives of others.”
Blending Healthcare and Business
Peoples comes from a medical family, with her grandfather and father being pharmacists, she always had a desire to enter the medical field. Inspired by her grandmother, who was a nurse, Phyllis aimed to follow her family’s path in medicine. However, she also saw an opportunity to blend her passion for healthcare with business, influenced by her mother, a successful real estate business woman.
This combination of a love for medicine and exposure to successful entrepreneurship guided Phyllis in her career path. She pursued nursing as her field of study, recognizing that it would provide a gateway to the business side of healthcare.
70 Years of Dedication
Terrebonne General Health System is celebrating its platinum jubilee, marking 70 years of dedicated service to the community. The hospital, which originally opened its doors in 1954 with 76 beds and fewer than 80 staff members, has transformed into a prominent healthcare facility. Today, it stands as the largest community Health System in Southeast Louisiana. It boasts 321 beds, is nationally recognized, and has garnered numerous awards and accolades.
Over the years, Terrebonne General has expanded its medical services to meet the community’s evolving needs. The hospital’s cardiology services are renowned globally, featuring procedures and leading-edge research conducted by top cardiologists. The Women’s Health Center, recently recognized as a Birth Ready and Blue Distinction facility, and the Terrebonne General | Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center exemplify the hospital’s commitment to comprehensive healthcare.
Terrebonne General’s dedication to community health is further exemplified through its Healthy Lifestyles Center, offering a range of services such as Wellness for Life, Inpatient and Outpatient Rehabilitation, Diabetes Management, Weight Management, the Performance Training Center, and the Community Sports Institute. The latter plays a significant role in fostering health and wellness by partnering with local schools and providing certified athletic trainers to support student-athletes in injury prevention and triage.
In 2010, The Foundation for Terrebonne General Health System was established with a mission to enhance the health and well-being of South Louisiana residents. The Foundation collaborates with community partners to support various essential services for patients and families. The hospital is grateful for the exceptional support received from its committed community partners in advancing these programs.
Setting the Standard in Healthcare
Terrebonne General Health System, is a leader in delivering medical excellence and innovation to the people of the region. The hospital adopts a “high tech” and “high touch” approach, offering a comprehensive range of services for hospital care, preventive care, and basic healthcare needs on and off-site. Terrebonne General is commitment to providing the highest quality, safety, and patient experience to its patients.
Key highlights of Terrebonne General Health System’s services include:
- Cardiovascular Care: As partners with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) for over 40 years, Terrebonne General provides exceptional cardiovascular care. The hospital is at the forefront of diagnosing and treating coronary and peripheral artery disease, performing a multitude of cardiac procedures annually. The Hybrid OR, including a Structural Heart Program and A-fib treatment, employs innovative solutions with the latest technology.
- Cancer Care: Terrebonne General | Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center provides quality cancer care close to home. The newly renovated center offers an expansive infusion suite, a fitness and wellness area, state-of-the-art radiation oncology, free clinical trials, and screenings as well as compassionate physicians for the most advanced cancer treatment.
- Women’s Health: The Women’s Health Center delivers over 1,600 babies annually and boasts the only Level 3 NICU in the region. It holds Birth Ready Louisiana and Blue Distinction Designations.
- Orthopedic Procedures: Board-certified orthopedic surgeons practice advanced orthopedic procedures, minimally invasive spine procedures, hip/knee replacements, and sports medicine.
- Newly Recruited Physicians: Expanded specialty services include palliative care, pulmonary, infectious diseases, hospitalists, and pathology.
- Pulmonology Intensivists: Pulmonology intensivists work in the intensive care unit, ensuring specialized care for critical patients.
- Hospitalist Program: The hospital boasts the most extensive hospitalist program in the region, with clinical doctors providing real-time care.
- Pharmacy Technology: The hospital’s pharmacy has a revolutionary robotic medication inventory system, Omnicell XR2, enhancing patient care and safety.
- Multispecialty Clinics: Terrebonne General has two Multi-Specialty Clinics for added patient convenience, providing care in pulmonology, endocrinology, and neurology services.
- Mobile Care Services: The Mobile CARE Clinic provides free health screenings, health and wellness education, and clinic visits to serve patients where access is challenging.
Terrebonne General’s commitment to advancing medical care and embracing innovation is evident in its range of services and collaborative efforts, ensuring the well-being of the community it serves.
Compassionate Healthcare
According to Peoples, Terrebonne General’s core mission is to provide exceptional healthcare with compassion. The hospital is dedicated to treating each patient with the highest quality healthcare in a caring and comfortable environment, aiming to make them feel like they are part of the family.
The hospital’s staff is made up of individuals who are not just healthcare professionals but also patients’ family and friends. These individuals have chosen the healthcare profession with the specific goal of making a positive difference in the lives of the patients they serve. This commitment reflects the hospital’s emphasis on fostering a sense of community and personalized care, ensuring that each patient receives not only medical expertise but also warmth and support throughout their healthcare journey.
Serving the Community
Peoples emphasizes that Terrebonne General sees its primary responsibility as serving the people of the community. The hospital’s corporate strategy is centered on the needs of the community, and they actively seek input through regular surveys. The goal is to align services with what is best for patients and the community, and there is a commitment to adapting and evolving based on these needs.
In regards to improving healthcare, and enhancing people’s lives, Peoples wishes for two key values. First, she emphasizes the importance of ensuring access to high-quality healthcare, highlighting the significance of providing excellent medical services to the community.
The second value Peoples mentions is respect for others’ differences. She acknowledges that diversity is a strength and believes that understanding and appreciating differences contribute to creating a high-functioning and unique culture. This reflects a commitment to inclusivity and recognizing the value that diverse perspectives bring to the community and the healthcare environment.
Facing the Storm
Peoples highlights that her greatest professional risk was evacuating the hospital during Hurricane Ida. The primary focus during this challenging event was ensuring the safety of all patients, providing a secure place for staff and physicians to practice, and managing the unique challenges presented by Hurricane Ida. Despite the difficulties, Peoples notes that the situation brought out the best in people, emphasizing the resilience and collaborative efforts that emerged in the face of such challenges.
Strategic Initiatives for Tomorrow
Phyllis outlines several future endeavors for Terrebonne General Health System as part of its commitment to providing the highest quality healthcare and innovative solutions to the community:
- Completion of Cancer Center Expansion: The system plans to complete the expansion of its Cancer Center to ensure comprehensive and innovative care for cancer patients at all stages of treatment and recovery. The expansion includes an expansive infusion suite, and an innovative group activities space for meditation and alternative therapies.
- Retail Pharmacy: Terrebonne General has recently completed its retail pharmacy, allowing patients to receive prescription medications before leaving the hospital with its Meds to Beds program.
- Convenience and Time Saving Options: The health system will continue to offer COVID tests, vaccines, and other necessary immunizations through its Drive-Thru Center, providing a convenient and accessible option for the community.
- Wellness Center: There are plans to build a wellness center to promote community health and fitness.
- Advanced Technology Diagnostics: The use of advanced technology diagnostics, such as robotic assisted navigational bronchoscopy, will be employed to detect lung cancer sooner in patients, particularly by pulmonologists.
- Utilization of Automation and Technology: The system plans to leverage automation in its services, incorporating wearable devices, telehealth, and MyChart to bring convenience to patients. Additionally, research is being done on how aspects of AI can be responsibly instituted to benefit patients, staff, physicians, and advanced practice providers.
- Exceptional Performance on Quality Standards: The commitment to continually achieve exceptional performance on quality standards and benchmarks will be maintained.
Terrebonne General Health System recognizes the evolving nature of healthcare and emphasizes its readiness to adapt by incorporating the latest innovations, technologies, and expanding service offerings.
Advice to Emerging Healthcare Leaders
Peoples offers advice to young emerging healthcare leaders, highlighting the rewarding and diverse nature of the healthcare field. Her advice emphasizes the satisfaction and excitement that healthcare careers can bring, whether one has a clinical or non-clinical background. Peoples encourages individuals who enjoy problem solving, creativity, collaboration with peers and professionals, and a focus on patient care to consider pursuing a career in healthcare. She emphasizes the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the field, where each day brings new challenges and opportunities.
