La. hospital, Ochsner team up to expand services

St. Tammany Parish Hospital, Covington, La., and Ochsner Health System plan to form a strategic partnership to provide integrated care in the region.

The not-for-profit hospital and New-Orleans-based system signed a letter of intent for the agreement earlier this month, but explained that it would have no effect on governance, employees or medical staff relationships at either organization. There are currently no plans for the two healthcare organizations to exchange any funds as part of the deal, said Stafford Maestri, spokesperson for Ochsner.

Instead, the partnership is expected to facilitate expansion of services, improved resource coordination, sharing of best practices, technology implementation and a continued focus on quality, according to a joint news release.

“There is no doubt the future of healthcare will be about collaboration,” Ochsner Health System President and CEO Warner Thomas said in the release. “Partnerships like this one are crucial for independent hospitals and providers, as well as for larger systems.”

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