Launch of Ochsner Health Network
At a press conference, President and CEO Patti Ellish had the opportunity to talk about what our partnership is, why it is so advantageous for our patients and how it’s going thus far as a founding member of the Ochsner Health Network. See her comments below.
"At St. Tammany Parish Hospital, we are proud to have joined the vision Ochsner has for a clinically integrated network.
"When we signed our letter of intent last spring and joint operating agreement last fall, we said we’d found the right partner to help us navigate the radically changing face of healthcare.
"When we were asked why a financially sound, clinically successful, high quality hospital would make this change,
we said we want to be on the forefront, taking action before the healthcare landscape forces change. We said Ochsner is the partner that will enable us to remain independent, will collaborate with our strong base of independent community physicians, and will keep care local, even as we align our business operations for efficiency and growth. 
"We chose Ochsner because it meant we could continue to be the St. Tammany Parish Hospital we have always been, while also stepping forward into the future with our eye on the triple aim: increasing quality and the patient experience while reducing the cost of care.
"The partnership has already increased quality by bringing Ochsner pediatric subspecialties into our service district. As we combine our extensive pediatric inpatient services with a broad coalition of community pediatricians and Ochsner’s specialists, we are delivering on our promise to advance world-class children’s care, close to home.
"Patients seeking neuroscience care in west St. Tammany can see the difference too. From telemedicine with Ochsner’s vascular neurologists remotely in our Emergency Department to new and exciting resources for Parkinson’s and stroke, the partnership is improving and saving lives in west St. Tammany.
"As for reducing the cost of care, there are so many examples in our first three quarters, but I think the single most exciting way we are reducing the cost of care is with electronic records and the patient portal. Thanks to our partnership, patients, physicians and staff at both Ochsner and St. Tammany will have instant access to vital health information that forms decisions about the plan of care. The EHR will reduce duplication by sharing diagnostic tests and labs throughout the partnership.
"We have aspired to this kind of health information technology at St. Tammany for many years, but it is directly as a result of our partnership with Ochsner that we were able to launch the comprehensive enterprise-wide solution that is rolling out in our facilities this year.
"We recognize that Ochsner, St. Tammany and the other fine hospitals throughout our state represent the best plan for achieving the triple aim, and we are excited to be part of the Ochsner Health Network."