Ochsner launches initiative to improve Louisiana's health

Ochsner Health announced Friday a 10-year plan to improve the state’s health that encompasses various aspects of health care.
While it’s unclear how exactly Ochsner St. Mary will be included directly in the plan, an Ochsner Health spokeswoman said Monday that plans catered to individual areas will be forthcoming.
“We’re going to be doing a much deeper dive into what it means for each community that we serve,” she said.
She said that the plan released Friday is a broad, across-the-board initiative the hospital system is taking to improve the state’s health, but that there are plans to include some of these programs coming to Morgan City.
As for what’s known, the plan includes the establishment of community health centers in 15 Louisiana locations, the partnering with Xavier University in New Orleans for the establishment of the Ochsner Xavier Center for Health Equity and a scholars program to help prepare future medical personnel, all with the commitment of $100 million during the next five years.
The goal, based on research, is to use this plan to improve the state’s ranking from its current ranking of No. 49 by America’s Health Rankings to No. 40 by 2030.
In an unrelated matter, the Hospital Service District No. 2 recently heard from Ochsner St. Anne’s Community Outreach manager about community heal and wellness outreach.
Board attorney Bill Bourgeois said the board approved at its meeting implementing parts of the plan here.
As for Ochsner’s statewide health initiative, its plan to accomplish this goal includes the establishment of 15 community health centers in underserved areas of Louisiana. A combined six of these clinics will be in Orleans and Jefferson parishes, while two each will be in Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Lafayette and one apiece on the Northshore, Monroe and Lake Charles.
The health equity center partnership with Xavier will be used to study health inequity, which is a factor in poor health, and find solutions.
Ochsner’s Scholars Program will help train medical personnel through funding tuition or workforce development programs, beginning in 2021. The program will cover medical school tuition for medical students who will practice psychiatry or primary care in Louisiana with Ochsner, beginning with a $15 million investment during the next five years. The program is anticipated to reach 30 students per year eventually who attend medical school at LSU Health Shreveport or the University of Queensland Ochsner Clinical School. At least 50% of the participants will be from underrepresented groups or lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Ochsner is committing $15 million during the next 10 years for workforce development programs in partnership with Louisiana’s Community and Technical Colleges to expand the pipeline of nursing and allied health professionals in Louisiana. The grant will support tuition and workforce program and is expected to impact more than 3,000 students.