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Ochsner Health and St. Charles Parish Hospital is commemorating 10 years of partnership, which has expanded access and improved the quality of healthcare for residents of St. Charles Parish. The partnership, originally established in September 2014, continues to represent a commitment to bringing locally accessible healthcare services to the community.

“As we look back on this decade of progress and innovation, we at St. Charles Parish Hospital also look to the future and remain steadfast in our vision to inspire healthier lives,” said Keith Dacus, chief executive officer, St. Charles Parish Hospital. “Together, we can continue to positively impact our community by empowering individuals and providing them with high quality healthcare close to home.”

Enhancing Patient Care

A significant highlight of the partnership has been Ochsner’s investments in facilities and services that positively impact local healthcare access.  This includes the establishment of Ochsner Health Center – Destrehan in 2016, a 52,000-square-foot facility at 13100 River Road. This state-of-the-art medical building enhances accessibility to primary care, urology, family medicine, pediatrics, pediatric therapy, orthopedics, sports medicine, podiatry, optometry, adult and pediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) care and women’s services. The health center hosts an optical shop and an outpatient pharmacy.

Additionally, SCPH added a 10-bed medical psychiatric inpatient unit and outpatient rehabilitation services, including physical and occupational therapy, available at three locations in Destrehan, La. and Luling, La. In partnership with the Ochsner Andrews Sports Medicine Institute, athletic trainers serve the community by helping to care for athletes at various middle schools and high schools throughout St. Charles Parish.

In 2022, with the bond referendum passed by the residents of the St. Charles Parish, SCPH introduced a new outpatient chemotherapy and infusion center along with a Caring Suite MRI, outpatient mental health services, lifesaving equipment for emergency medical services (EMS) and generators, creating access to essential treatment. By offering services locally, SCPH is removing a common barrier to treatment by meeting patients where they are within their community.

The partnership has also expanded SCPH’s medical team by recruiting new physicians and specialists across various fields including hematology/oncology, rheumatology, pain management, obstetrics and gynecology, optometry, ENT, orthopedics, sports medicine, podiatry, neurology, interventional cardiology, general surgery, gastroenterology, colorectal surgery and pulmonology. Technological advancements have been an essential part of the partnership. SCPH utilizes electronic medical records through the industry-leading Epic software, ensuring seamless and coordinated patient care across the Ochsner Health system. The MyOchsner app and online portal empowers patients with access to their health information and provider communication. Telemedicine programs, such as eICU, TelePsych, TeleStroke and TeleNeuro, have expanded care options, enhancing patient experience and outcomes.

Recognition of Quality and Patient Safety

Since 2014, SCPH has been recognized for excellence with various accolades. The hospital has consistently earned an ‘A’ hospital safety grade from The Leapfrog Group. The latest accolade, in the spring of 2024, was the sixth consecutive recognition since the fall of 2021.

SCPH is also the recipient of Press Ganey’s 2022 Human Experience (HX) Guardian of Excellence Award®, the 2023 LAMMICO Patient Safety Award and the Get With the Guidelines- Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award. In 2023, SCPH was named among the Great Community Hospitals by Becker’s Hospital Review, and Ochsner Health was named the best place in New Orleans for Mental Health Care by Gambit. This year, SCPH was honored with the Louisiana Hospital Association Quality Improvement Award and included among 391 hospitals with the lowest Clostridioides difficile (C.diff) rates by Becker’s Clinical Leadership. SCPH has also received the Acute Stroke Ready Hospital designation by The Joint Commission.