NOTE: (This is the first of a 12-part series by the Jackson Parish Journal focusing on the Jackson Parish Hospital, the people who work there and the services that are offered. Today’s feature – Jackson Parish Hospital Family Care Clinic)
How familiar are you with the Jackson Parish Hospital (JPH)? Surely you know that the JPH has been the primary emergency healthcare provider in Jackson Parish for over a half a century. You most likely know some of the people who work or have worked there over the years as well.
Yet do you really know about “today’s” Jackson Parish Hospital? The best way to currently describe the JPH is to paraphrase a statement made in an old car commercial that said “This ain’t your daddy’s car.” Well, this isn’t the same hospital that your daddy knew either, not even close.
Speaking of statement’s the first sentence of the JPH “mission statement” says it all. “We at Jackson Parish Hospital are invested in caring from the heart every day of every year.” Talk to almost anybody that have been treated at the JPH over the last couple of years and you will know this isn’t just words but a true working focus.
It isn’t just the reviews from patients or family members of one that prove this out either. Last year the JPH was listed as one of the top hospitals in the state by a leading healthcare auditing group who had them ranked in the top five percent in every single rating category of hospitals of their size.
Today we focus on the Jackson Parish Family Clinic which is a part of the JPH family tree that specializes on family medical needs ranging from disease care to management and care of all organs and organ systems. Located at 107 Watts Street in Jonesboro, the medical staff of the Clinic is made up of Dr. William J. Slusher and Nurse Practitioner’s Dana Williams and Holly Knapp.
Doctor Slusher has been a Family Physician for over 20 years in north Louisiana. He is recognized not only for his diagnosis accuracy and professionalism but for forming lasting relationships with patients and paying special attention to their lives outside of their physical health, specifically their family and community relationships. It is very rare occurrence indeed that he isn’t familiar with you or someone in your family.
It could be considered that Williams and Knapp are “two NP’s in the same pod.” This is not only in their credentials (both are APRN, FNP-Certified with nursing degrees from the University of Louisiana-Monroe) but also the reason they chose to practice their skills at the JPH Family Care Clinic.
What exactly is a Nurse Practitioner (NP)? An NP is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who has earned at least a Master’s degree and completed additional training in a specialty area of medicine. NP’s are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe treatment plans.
When asked why they work here instead of the many other places they had the opportunity to work at they both said it because they not only wanted to be able to care for people but especially for the people of Jackson Parish and the surrounding area.
From providing medical care in their facilities to running vital programs in our community the Jackson Parish Hospital and the JPH Family Care Clinic is committed to supporting the health and well-being of the residents of Jackson Parish.
We at Jackson Parish Hospital are invested in caring from the heart every day of every year. Join us in thanking the many individuals who give their all to their neighbors. From providing medical care in our facilities to running vital programs in our community, we are committed to supporting the health and well-being in and around Jackson Parish Hospital. Jackson Parish Hospital serves our local community with excellent quality services with ancillary, emergency services, three clinic locations and swing bed availability.
