Lafayette General Health and Ochsner Health System Create Future Vision for Healthcare in Southwest Louisiana

Today, Lafayette General Health (“LGH”) and Ochsner Health System (“Ochsner”) celebrated the formation of a long-term, strategic partnership focused on increasing local access to care, improving quality and reducing the cost of healthcare for patients across southwest Louisiana. Together, as part of the Ochsner Health Network, the two organizations will build upon their unique strengths and effectively collaborate as partners to improve the health of the Louisiana communities they both serve today and to meet the needs of new communities across the state.

“This is a unique opportunity for Acadiana,” said David L. Callecod, President, Lafayette General Health. “The LGH network has grown tremendously and is very strong, but through this partnership, we are now stronger. It is a proactive step to improve quality and decrease costs, while offering access to higher acuity healthcare closer to home.”

The partnership provides benefits for both organizations, physicians and, most importantly, patients, who will have the convenience of being treated close to home at all Lafayette General Health facilities, while gaining better access to the depth and breadth of care for which Ochsner is nationally recognized. The partnership will create greater opportunity for alignment through a comprehensive clinically integrated physician network, joint investments in the resources needed to start new programs and the expansion of patient services and resources in the region.

“Two of the highest quality organizations in the state are coming together as partners in the Ochsner Health Network (OHN) around a common goal – our patients,” said Warner Thomas, President and CEO, Ochsner Health System. “We are proud to have Lafayette General Health as one of OHNs founding partners – an evolving multi-state network that will be made up of the highest quality organizations in each market. Together we will share best practices and resources to expand our ability to deliver additional services to both patients and physicians across western Louisiana, the state and the region.

The two organizations announced several areas of initial focus for the partnership including expanding pediatric subspecialty care and comprehensive stroke care. Additionally, they will expand current technology to build a comprehensive telemedicine program so that services like TeleStroke and TeleNICU – are available across LGH facilities and launch additional patient-focused initiatives aimed at improving the treatment of chronic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. Finally, LGH and Ochsner plan to work together to build a comprehensive, clinically integrated physician network in Acadiana, made up of the highest quality physicians.

The agreement is a strategic partnership representative of strengths of both organizations and the commitment to the region we serve. Under the agreement, each organization will retain its identity and operational oversight. The partnership does not change the governance, employees or medical staff relationships of Lafayette General Health or of Ochsner Health System. The networks of care within the LGH system will remain intact and will be enhanced by this partnership.