Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South. Ochsner inspires healthier lives and stronger communities through our mission to serve, heal, lead, educate and innovate.
NEW ORLEANS – Mike Hulefeld, president and chief operating officer (COO) of Ochsner Health, announced he will step down from his role at the end of 2025. Ochsner has named Timothy Riddell, MD the executive vice president and chief operating officer effective upon Hulefeld’s departure.
Hulefeld’s career with Ochsner spans 27 years, the last 13 years as COO, and he was named president and COO in November 2022. Prior to that, he was chief executive officer of Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans for four years. He joined Ochsner as an administrative fellow and served in many roles throughout the years, shaping teams and operations that have provided care for patients daily.
As president and COO, Hulefeld has executive leadership responsibility for daily operations across Ochsner’s 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. During his tenure, Hulefeld has been an integral leader in the strategic growth of Ochsner through geographic expansion and partnerships to serve more communities and increase access to healthcare. He spearheaded the integrated partnership establishing Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center with seven locations across New Orleans, St. Tammany Parish and Baton Rouge, La.
"We are profoundly grateful to Mike for more than 25 years of dedicated leadership at Ochsner Health. During his remarkable time at Ochsner, he has set a standard of excellence and care that has shaped who we are as an organization. Mike genuinely cares about the well-being of every person who is a part of our organization and those that receive care here, and he demonstrates this respect in every interaction. He has strengthened our foundation, making a lasting, positive impact on our patients, our teams and the communities we serve,” said Ochsner Health CEO Pete November.
During Mike’s leadership as chief operating officer, Ochsner has been consistently recognized for operational excellence, including being awarded the No. 1 hospital in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report each year. Reflecting his commitment to the development and strength of the entire Ochsner team, hospitals and partnerships throughout the Ochsner system have received accolades for quality, patient safety, medical specialties, rural healthcare and more. Additionally, he has led the team through some of the greatest challenges in healthcare and in the region. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Hulefeld performed a pivotal role in the revitalization and growth of Ochsner, a vital healthcare foundation for New Orleans to rebuild and thrive. He maintained this commitment to care for patients and employees, leading and working alongside his team through many hurricanes and adverse weather events. With his guidance, the operational team also adapted quickly to care for an influx of patients and changes in the healthcare environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hulefeld will remain involved with the organization even after his transition, most notably through serving as a mentor, coach and educator to develop Ochsner leaders, continuing with his longstanding commitment to leadership development.
“I have been honored to spend more than half of my life at Ochsner – a place I love dearly. I have complete confidence in my decision because the most important achievement of my time here has been building an incredible team of dedicated leaders, who are truly passionate about providing the highest-quality and most compassionate care to the millions of patients and families we serve every year. Ochsner has set the standard for the last 83 years in the Gulf South, and as we continue to innovate and transform care, I am confident that Ochsner will continue to be the trusted healthcare leader for our community for another 80+ years,” said Hulefeld.
Since January 1, Riddell has served as the chief medical officer for Ochsner’s Northshore, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Baton Rouge, Acadiana and Rush (central Mississippi and east Alabama) regions. Previously, he was the regional chief executive officer for Northshore and Mississippi Gulf Coast regions. Riddell is a family practice physician and has been a member of the Ochsner group practice for 28 years.
Visual assets: Mike Hulefeld headshot; Dr. Timothy Riddell headshot.
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About Ochsner Health
Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. For 14 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Ochsner as the No. 1 hospital in Louisiana. Additionally, Ochsner Children’s has been recognized as the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana for four consecutive years. Ochsner inspires healthier lives and stronger communities through a combination of standard-setting expertise, quality and connection not found anywhere else in the region. In 2024, Ochsner Health cared for more than 1.6 million people from every state in the nation and 63 countries. Ochsner’s workforce includes more than 40,000 dedicated team members and over 4,900 employed and affiliated physicians. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit https://www.ochsner.org/.