STQN announces 2020 third-quarter medical director’s award

St. Tammany Quality Network Medical Director Dr. Michael K. Hill, left, presents Dr. David Toups with the third-quarter 20202 STQN Medical Director’s Award. (Photo by Tim San Fillippo / STHS)

By STHS Communication Department

COVINGTON –– St. Tammany Quality Network presented its third-quarter 2020 Medical Director’s Award to Dr. David Toups for his leadership and tireless work in developing processes that improve patient throughput and enhance the patient experience in St. Tammany Health System’s Emergency Department.

“Dr. Toups’ dedication to patient care is inspiring,” said Dr. Michael K. Hill, medical director and board chair of St. Tammany Quality Network. “It was not surprising that he has provided extraordinary support to improve care in the emergency room. David always gives a 110 percent. In his clinical role, he provides empathetic, patient-centric care. We are fortunate to have him as our ER medical director.”

Dr. Toups and his team have also been involved in informing the community of the need for medical follow-up to prevent unintended medical catastrophes. “We’ve seen too many people arriving in the ER with major avoidable issues that stem from a delay in seeking medical care in a timely manner,” Dr. Hill said. “This has become a major issue during the COVID pandemic.”

Dr. Toups has been on the medical staff for more than five years. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.

He and his family live in Covington, and he is active in the community.

St. Tammany Health System has the busiest Emergency Department in St. Tammany Parish.  Under Dr. Toups and the ER leadership team, the STHS ER has earned a number of accreditations including: verified trauma center, chest pain center and advanced certification for primary stroke centers. 

STQN continuously strives to define and improve the healthcare needs of our community. Promoting wellness is a key component of this quest.

The St. Tammany Quality Network is a physician-led organization that demonstrates a commitment to quality and outcomes by creating a medical community aligned around quality initiatives and payer engagement; using a common information technology platform to capture disease specific data to assist in proactive patient care; and collaborate on patient-centric initiatives that enhance the quality and improve efficiency of health care delivery.