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Care of COVID-19 Patients at Ochsner Health

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) recently visited Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank Campus to review the care our team provided during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Orleans.

After thoroughly reviewing our procedures and practices, the Department of Health found no deficiencies with our team members or the care our team provided.

We appreciate LDH taking time to thoughtfully examine our practices and put concerns to rest. Their findings serve as reassurance to our team, patients and community. The LDH findings also reaffirm our confidence in our team and the high-quality care they have provided during the pandemic. We are immensely proud of our caregivers and their commitment to patients.

As we look ahead, our message to our community is simple: every patient will receive high-quality care at Ochsner Health. It is essential that patients, especially Black patients who feel the impact of health inequities, have confidence in their local healthcare system so that they seek needed care. Our organization is committed to continuing to do our part to improve health - and health equity - throughout Louisiana.

-- Ochsner Health

Editor’s Note:

In addition to the findings by the Louisiana Department of Health, Ochsner data shared in the New England Journal of Medicine study, led by Ochsner’s Dr. Eboni Price-Haywood, indicates that Ochsner effectively maintained balanced care independent of race. Highlights of that data include:

  • Between March 1 and April 11, 1,382 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were hospitalized in Ochsner hospitals of which 1,063 patients (76.9%) were Black and 319 patients (23%) were white.
  • The risk-adjusted mortality rate for in-hospital death did not differ between Black and white patients.
  • Of the 1,382 patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19, 46% of white hospitalized COVID-19 patients had DNRs
  • 27% of Black hospitalized COVID-19 patients had DNRs
  • Of the 1,382 patient admissions, 31 patients (2.2%) chose to receive hospice care; 4.4% of white patients (14/319) and 1.6% of Black patients (17/1063).

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