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COVID-19 Healthcare Hero Discharged from Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner

Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner (OMC-Kenner) celebrated the discharge of a healthcare hero and COVID-19 patient who had been in its intensive care unit (ICU) for 38 days. Hospital staff clapped and cheered as Peter A. Woullard, Sr. – a Behavior Health Unit (BHU) tech at St. Charles Parish Hospital – exited the hospital on Monday, May 18.

Woullard (age 52) had been working on the frontlines of the pandemic response at St. Charles Parish Hospital before testing positive for COVID-19 in late March. After spiking a high fever, he was admitted to St. Charles Parish Hospital’s emergency department on Thursday, April 9 before being transferred to OMC-Kenner ICU the next day.

During his time in the ICU, Woullard was placed on a ventilator three different times, totaling 29 days on the machine that helped him breathe. Woullard’s team of critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists and occupational therapists collaborated closely to ensure strong coordination of care.

The day of his discharge, Woullard’s wife Patricia – an operating room assistant at St. Charles Parish Hospital – alongside family, friends and co-workers gathered to recognize this milestone moment in Woullard’s recovery. OMC-Kenner nurses, physicians and staff lined the hallway to cheer on a colleague and fellow healthcare hero as Woullard departed the facility. To date, more than 300 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from the hospital.

Following his discharge from OMC-Kenner, Woullard was transferred via ambulance to Ochsner Extended Care Hospital on Jefferson Highway – a long-term acute care hospital – to continue his recovery.

The heroic efforts of Ochnser healthcare workers- nurses, providers and staff- have been recognized through the Ochsner Heroes program, which highlights the lifesaving work being done each day across the region. To learn about our Ochsner Heroes, visit Ochsner’s Facebook page.

To learn more about Ochsner Health and COVID-19, visit www.ochsner.org/coronavirus.

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About Ochsner Health

Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Ochsner Health is a not-for-profit committed to giving back to the communities it serves through preventative screenings, health and wellness resources and partnerships with innovative organizations that share our vision. Ochsner Health healed more than 876,000 people from across the globe in 2019, providing the latest medical breakthroughs and therapies, including digital medicine for chronic conditions and telehealth specialty services. Ochsner Health is a national leader, named the top hospital in Louisiana and a top children’s hospital by U.S. News & World Report. As Louisiana’s leading healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. Ochsner Health is innovating healthcare by investing in new technologies and research to make world-class care more accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner's team of more than 26,000 employees and 4,500 providers are working to reinvent the future of health and wellness in the region. To learn more about Ochsner Health, please visit www.ochsner.org. To transform your health, please visit www.ochsner.org/healthyyou.