From the Heart: A regular dose of news and notes from St. Tammany Health System

March 2026 | Vol. 7, No.3

No catch, no copay, all joy

Louisiana has exactly one physician certified in lifestyle medicine – and she happens to be inviting you for a walk.

Family medicine specialist Dr. Maria Roberts recently brought the innovative Walk With a Doc initiative to the Northshore, part of an international program built on a simple but powerful idea: Invite the community to spend time with a physician in a relaxed, low-stress setting, talk a little about health and then take a walk together.

To get the community moving, Dr. Roberts is leading community members on walks on the third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. starting at Mandeville’s lakefront gazebo. The next one is March 21. Each gathering begins with a five-minute discussion on a health topic, followed by a leisurely 30- to 40-minute walk – or longer, if the group is feeling inspired.

And, truly, everyone is welcome. It is not a fast-paced trek. It is not a test of endurance. “You’re not fit? Great. This is a great place to start,” Dr. Roberts said about the program during a recent visit to The Lake 94.7 FM studios.

You do not need to be her patient – or even a St. Tammany Health System patient – to participate. As she puts it, there is “no catch, all joy.”

No registration is required, either. Just show up, walk and bask in the warmth of spring.

Learn more about the local Walk With a Doc initiative at walkwithadoc.org/join-a-walk/locations/mandeville-louisiana/ – and find other good-news headlines from the STHS newsroom below.

Happy reading, happy walking – and thank you, as always, for choosing St. Tammany Health System with your family’s healthcare.

Community Checkup

Carnival might be over, but there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate at St. Tammany Health System, as President and CEO Joan Coffman tells us in her latest message to the community.

Watch

A sneak peek

Local healthcare workers, members of the Northshore business community and invited guests got a sneak peek Tuesday (Feb. 24) at the new 22,000-square-foot Cardiology Center at St. Tammany Health System, a state-of-the-art facility in Covington that will consolidate the health system’s outpatient cardiology procedures under one roof.

Under construction since 2025, it is expected to open in late March pending required inspections and certifications.

Click the button below to read more about why this facility is seen as such a game-changer – and to check out the first-look photos we captured during the open house.

Best-kept secrets

In this latest episode of our “Northshore Healthbeat” podcast, local physician and STHS Board of Commissioners member Dr. Merrill Laurent pulls back the curtain on some of the health system’s hidden gems.

Please and thank you

Good manners are just part of the culture here in South Louisiana – but children are not born with them. In this latest installment in her regular Tiny Topics column, Kayli Coleman of the STHS Parenting Center offers tips on how to make “thank you,” “please” and “yes, sir” regular parts of your child’s vocabulary.

Going for the gold

Speaking of the Parenting Center, it has been recognized as a Gold Level Safe Sitter Provider after teaching more than 125 students in a single year across its popular babysitting classes. The designation marks the second consecutive year the Parenting Center has been honored by Safe Sitter.

Folsom tests weekend hours

The St. Tammany Physicians Network primary care clinic in Folsom will offer Saturday hours on March 7 and 28 in an effort to expand access and offer additional convenience for patients. The clinic will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days and will accept scheduled appointments as well as walk-ins.

A new look

The first 2026 edition of St. Tammany Health System’s quarterly Heart to Heart magazine has arrived, and, in addition to all the STHS stories and updates you are used to, observant readers will notice we have given it a bit of a refresh.

St. Tammany Health System