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.
LAFAYETTE – On Friday, February 3, at 1 p.m., Ochsner Lafayette General will hold a ribbon cutting to celebrate the one-year anniversary of its Community Health Center located at 1317 Jefferson Street.
Since opening its doors on January 24, 2022, there have been more than 7,200 visits to the Ochsner Lafayette General Community Health Center, which has created an avenue for greater access to healthcare for the residents of Lafayette’s Downtown, Port Rico and Freetown communities – areas that had been sorely lacking healthcare resources.
“Meeting patients where they are, the Ochsner Lafayette General Community Health Center’s providers and nursing staff have made a significant impact in improving the overall health and well-being of these historically underserved areas,” said Katie Hebert, CEO, Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics. “We are excited about the progress we’ve made in the first year. We look forward to expanding services, promoting health equity, and building a healthier region to live and thrive in.”
The facility covers 9,700 square feet and features 12 exam rooms staffed by three primary care providers. Ancillary services include a lab draw area, X-ray, EKG and other point-of-care testing. Along with primary care, the health center has developed opportunities to promote health education through its onsite services. In 2022, many patients received access to diabetes health and management plans and were provided free eye exams and glasses during the center’s partnership event with the American Diabetes Association. The health center also offers behavioral health services and added a social worker in December to join Dr. Andrew Aubin, a psychiatrist, to support growing mental health needs.
“Improving access to mental health is an important step toward improving our community’s health,” said Andrew Aubin, MD, Ochsner Lafayette General Community Health Center. “With an additional behavioral health practitioner on staff, we are furthering our commitment to removing barriers to mental health while at the same time reducing the stigma of mental illness.”
The Ochsner Lafayette General Community Health Center is a true community center and has brought together a Community Advisory Board to review impact studies, provide outreach, bring attention to patient needs and provide feedback and suggestions about health services. Additionally, through a partnership with Bare Walls Lafayette and Basin Arts, the center showcases a rotating selection of pieces from local artists, which increases the health of the creative economy and enhances the overall experience for patients.
Designated as a historical landmark, it has the distinction of being Lafayette’s oldest medical facility, built in 1937. It is the first site in Lafayette to provide medical care to the Black community as St. Anne’s Infirmary. It later served as a free clinic under the Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic from 2000-2016, after which the building and property was gifted to the Lafayette General Foundation by the former Clinic board of directors.
Last year’s reopening of the clinic was made possible by support from the Ochsner Lafayette General Foundation with a lead gift from LHC Group and other corporate support from VieMed, SCP Health, Cardiovascular Institute of the South, Acadian Companies and Gachassin Law Firm. It is open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 337-703-6500.
###
About Ochsner Lafayette General
Ochsner Lafayette General has more than 5,500 employees and serves 220,000 patients per year. The organization includes Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, Ochsner Lafayette General Orthopedic Hospital, Ochsner Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, Ochsner St. Martin Hospital, Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics, Ochsner Acadia General Hospital, Ochsner Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital, Ochsner American Legion Hospital and a number of clinics, urgent cares and professional centers. Ochsner LGMC is the only Level II Trauma Center in Southwest Louisiana. Both Ochsner LGMC and Ochsner UHC are major teaching hospitals, providing graduate medical education across many disciplines.