The Health Data Panel is a statutorily-created advisory committee that provides recommendations to the Department on the design and implementation of the Louisiana Consumer's Right to Know Act (SB 287/ACT 537).  This legislation requires LDH to provide the Louisiana health care consumers expanded, Web-based access to reliable information on the cost, quality and performance of their health care providers and health plans. The Panel advises the Department on numerous aspects of this project, including but not limited to:

  • the identification and definition of the core health care cost, quality, and performance data elements to be reported to the Department,
  • the development of standards of accuracy, quality, timeliness, economy, and efficiency for the provision of data, 
  • the identification of the most practical methods to collect, transmit, and share required health care data,
  • utilization of existing administrative data bases and modalities of data collection to provide the required data,
  • ensuring confidentiality of personal health information,
  • publication of provider and health plan specific cost, quality, and performance data for consumer use.

LDH Appointments to the Health Data Panel
R.S. 40:1173.1, as amended in the 2015 Legislative Session

  • Mr. Rudy G. Gomez, Chair
    Blueprint Louisiana
  • Ms. Jayne Bacot, RN, CNOR, CASC, Member
    Lake Surgery Center
  • Dr. Eric T. Baumgartner, Member
    Louisiana Public Health Institute
  • Ms. Marcia Blanchard, Member
    Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum
  • Ms. Diane Davidson, Member
    Roy O. Martin Lumber Company
  • Dr. Mark Diana, Member
    Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
  • Ms. Rebecca Dowdy, Member
    Louisiana Hospital Association
  • Ms. Christine Foerster, Member
    Louisiana Primary Care Association
  • Mr. Korey Harvey, Member
    Department of Insurance
  • Mr. Randal Johnson, Member
    Louisiana Independent Pharmacies Association
  • Mr. Peter Lee, Member
    Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana
  • Dr. Frank Opelka, Member
    LSU Health Sciences Center
  • Mr. John Overton, Member
    Turnkey Solutions, LLC
  • Ms. Kathryn Ponder, Member
    OLOL Regional Medical Center
  • Mr. Scott Sittig, Member
    University of Louisiana at Lafayette
  • Ms. Ashley Stewart, Member
    The Rapides Foundation
  • Mr. Jeff Williams, Member
    Louisiana State Medical Society
  • Ms. Kim D. Wixson, Member
    Cottonport Corner Drug, LLA
  • Ms. Karen Sue Zoeller, Member
    Louisiana Nursing Home Association