New Orleans Ranked Among Top 25 Cities in National Health Index

Top cities honored for patient satisfaction, outcomes and access

New Orleans has been named among the top 25 cities of one million or more residents that are getting healthcare right in the 2019 National Health Index, a study of cities nationwide. The National Health Index is published by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

The Index evaluated more than a dozen variables, grouped into four healthcare factors:

1. Whether the residents of each city were healthy overall
2. If consumers had access to healthcare
3. If local specialists achieved high marks in patient satisfaction and physician count per capita
4. If patients had access to high quality hospitals, determined using the Healthgrades 2019 hospital quality analysis

As the one of the largest independent academic health systems in Louisiana, Ochsner Health is committed to improving quality outcomes, access to care and supporting positive lifestyle choices for a healthier New Orleans and state.

Here are a few of the ways Ochsner is setting the standard for meaningful care and healthy living:

• Implementing digital medicine programs to combat chronic disease and engage patients in their own health and wellness.
• Increasing access to high quality care through online appointments and Ochsner Anywhere Care urgent care virtual visits as a convenient option.
• Creating healthy initiatives like EatFit to provide nutrition literacy and nutritious choices at schools, local restaurants and and other foodservice establishments.
• Offering community health screenings and family-friendly wellness events to promote preventative care.
• Expanding critically needed mental healthcare services to deliver much needed inpatient care to adults and adolescents.

“Ochsner’s positive outcomes and dedication to making expert specialist care available has played a role in raising the quality of healthcare for Greater New Orleans, making our city a national and global destination for care,” said Warner Thomas, President and CEO, Ochsner Health System. “We take our commitment to improving the health of our community very seriously and are relentless in our efforts to change and save lives every day.”

Ochsner has consistently been named among the nation’s best hospitals by Healthgrades, earning Five Star ratings, Specialty Excellence Awards and being ranked among the top 5 percent and 10 percent in the nation in the organization’s 2018 Report to the Nation. This evaluation of the nation’s hospitals analyzes the performance of nearly 4,500 hospitals as measured by risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates. From this data, Healthgrades identifies the hospitals whose outcomes are significantly better than expected.

Additionally, Ochsner is the only Louisiana hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “Best Hospital” across three specialty categories and the only children’s hospital to be ranked in the top 50 for pediatric gastroenterology and GI surgery.

For more information about Ochsner Health or to make an appointment, please visit www.ochsner.org/info.

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Ochsner Health is Louisiana’s largest non-profit, academic, healthcare system. Driven by a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate, coordinated clinical and hospital patient care is provided across the region by Ochsner's 30 owned, managed and affiliated hospitals and more than 80 health centers and urgent care centers. Ochsner is the only Louisiana hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “Best Hospital” across three specialty categories caring for patients from all 50 states and more than 60 countries worldwide each year. Ochsner employs more than 19,000 employees and over 1,200 physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties, and conducts more than 700 clinical research studies. Ochsner Health is proud to be a tobacco-free environment. For more information, please visit ochsner.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.