Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center Resumes Inpatient Services and Honors Team Following Hurricane Ida

Today, Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center celebrated a monumental step in Hurricane Ida recovery with the return of inpatient, critical care, and surgical services. Chabert Medical Center’s Emergency Department remained open during and after the Category 4 storm made landfall to continue serving the Bayou community.

The facility sustained significant damage from the storm and evacuated 42 patients to other Ochsner Health facilities across Louisiana including Morgan City, New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette in the days following Ida’s landfall.

More than 100 physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers joined Tim Allen, CEO of Ochsner Health’s Bayou Region, and the Nicholls State University band to cheer on patients arriving by ambulance. The occasion was also commemorated with a brief ceremony, including a plaque dedication honoring Chabert’s healthcare heroes and the raising of the United States flag – a symbol of the hospital’s return to full operations.

“Today marked an important and exciting moment for our healthcare team, patients and entire community,” noted Tim Allen. “I’m humbled by the extraordinary team who continued caring for patients as Ida impacted our hospital and their homes and loved ones. We’ve heard our team members called healthcare heroes throughout the last 18 months, and now they’ve earned the title of Superheroes. This is another step forward for our community and an important reminder to our neighbors that we are here as they rebuild and recover.”

Chabert’s Emergency Department never closed throughout the storm and outpatient services have gradually returned as facility damage was repaired. Chabert’s team of providers, nurses and staff continued caring for patients at nearby facilities and supported the communities hardest hit by Ida by bringing mobile urgent care, COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.

Chabert Medical Center has cared for the Bayou region since 1978. In 2013, Ochsner Health and Terrebonne General Health System formed a public-private partnership to continue operations and enhance services at Chabert. Chabert employs nearly 750 staff and providers and has been nationally recognized by Healthgrades for exceptional patient experience.

To learn more about Chabert and healthcare services in the Bayou, please visit www.ochsner.org/chabert.

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 900,000 people from across the globe in 2020, 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 32,000 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.