To start, six doctors will complete their Family Medicine training over the next three years at the 18,000-square-foot, purpose-built St. Tammany Physicians Network North Covington clinic at 17240 Heartbeat Circle near the intersection of U.S. 190 and Louisiana 25. They are:
- Meghan Castillo, DO
- Madison Lambert Dronet, DO
- Mary Payton Grimmet, DO
- Ashlin Hinojosa, MD
- Mohammed Hussein, MD
- Marlie Giardina Welch, DO
“We are overjoyed to welcome our first class to the St. Tammany Health System family and look forward to providing this crucial piece of your medical training,” said Dr. Lisa Casey, program director of the Family Medicine Residency.
The program was established as a strategic response to the ongoing national shortage of Family Medicine practitioners and is the culmination of five years of preparation and planning by the STHS Board of Commissioners, Medical Staff and executive team, in partnership with Ochsner Health. Once at full capacity, the program will graduate eight new Family Medicine physicians each year.
Family Medicine physicians are trained to provide primary care to every member of the family, from newborns to geriatric patients. According to St. Tammany Health System Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Torcson, that makes them a perfect fit for the family-focused culture of the Northshore.
“This is the beginning of a new era for St. Tammany Health System and our mission and purpose to serve the community of western St. Tammany Parish,” Dr. Torcson said. “That mission now includes training the next generation of primary care physicians that will improve access to healthcare services, promote health equity and ultimately improve the health and well-being of our community.”
The new residents will learn under the tutelage of longtime local physicians including Dr. Christopher Foret, Dr. Gabrielle Givens and Dr. Catherine Pechon.
The North Covington clinic at which they are based offers a full range of care, including acute and preventive care for children and adults; women’s health services including Pap smears and contraceptive counseling; on-site physical therapy; and in-office surgical procedures such as skin biopsies, abscess drainage and joint injection.
Having access to a primary care physician has been shown to improve patient outcomes, improve the patient experience with healthcare, and result in reduced healthcare spending.
“Through enduring partnerships, family physicians help patients prevent, understand and manage illness, navigate the health system and set health goals,” Dr. Casey said. “Family physicians and their staff adapt their care to the unique needs of their patients and communities. They use data to monitor and manage their patient population and use best science to prioritize services most likely to benefit health. They are ideal leaders of health care systems and partners for public health. The resident and faculty physicians in the program look forward to providing this level of care to their patients, becoming part of this community, readily addressing its healthcare needs and bettering its outcomes.”
The St. Tammany Physicians Network clinic in North Covington is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (985)898-4001 to make an appointment.
###
About St. Tammany Health System
The heartbeat of its community, St. Tammany Health System cares for patients and families with excellence, compassion and teamwork. It is nationally recognized for quality, safety and service excellence by CareChex, Leapfrog, Healthgrades, Hospital Compare, Women’s Choice and US News & World Report. The health system is home to the 281-bed St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1, three diagnostic centers and 12 medical clinics throughout western St. Tammany Parish. Self-supporting, not-for-profit STHS is AA- rated by Fitch and receives no tax funding. More at StTammany.health.
About Ochsner
Ochsner Health is the leading not-for-profit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. For 12 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Ochsner as the No. 1 hospital in Louisiana. Additionally, Ochsner Children’s has been recognized as the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana for three consecutive years. Ochsner inspires healthier lives and stronger communities through a combination of standard-setting expertise, quality and connection not found anywhere else in the region. In 2023, Ochsner Health cared for more than 1.5 million people from every state in the nation and 65 countries. Ochsner’s workforce includes more than 38,000 dedicated team members and over 4,700 employed and affiliated physicians. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit https://www.ochsner.org.
About the partnership
St. Tammany Health System and Ochsner Health work together in partnership to improve our community’s health and quality of life, today and for the future. Together, we represent the most complete system of care, aligning west St. Tammany’s top two independent health leaders behind the common goals of improving access, expanding specialty care and making care affordable.