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Ochsner Helps Local Organizations Re-Open Safely

NEW ORLEANSOchsner Health has been on the frontlines of the pandemic response, caring for many of Louisiana’s COVID-19 patients. While the COVID-19 fight is not done, Ochsner has a responsibility to help its communities stay healthy and safe. That includes equipping business owners with the tools and resources they need to welcome back their employees and customers, while easing anxiety and concern.

Based upon a series of webinar conversations led by Ochsner’s employer solutions team, the need to assist in revitalizing the local economy was evident. From there, a variety of the Safe to Return plans were developed to meet the needs of employers as they started their own risk mitigation planning to safely bring back their employees and customers, while creating a safe workplace environment.

“There are many unknowns with COVID-19, but it is possible to protect employees and customers, and thus enable a safe return to business by following certain safety measures and guidelines,” said Mark Muller, senior vice president of strategy and business development, Ochsner Health. “As a system that delivers health, Ochsner is proud to offer these resources to businesses and organizations across the Gulf South.”

Ochsner Employer Solutions offers three comprehensive Safe to Return plans, as well as an array of optional, a la carte products and services. Ochsner can help with a variety of business needs, while putting the health and safety of employees and customers first. The solutions include, but are not limited to, on-site assessments and recommendations on how to create a safe work environment, such as:

  • On-site screening stations
  • Access to education
  • Signage and resources
  • On-site Virtual Employer Clinic, powered by TytoCare, so your employees can see a doctor virtually without leaving the office.

When it comes to re-opening a business now that COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted, two things are most important: relieving employees’ anxiety about returning to an office and/or business setting and reassuring customers that all necessary precautions are being taken to protect them. Both concerns can be alleviated with Ochsner Health’s Safe to Return Employer Solutions program.

Ochsner is already working with various organizations—large and small—on these safe to return initiatives, including Stirling Properties, the Covington-based commercial real estate company that manages more than 20 million square feet of commercial property across the Gulf South. Ochsner is currently onsite at the Pan American Life Center in downtown New Orleans, helping to safely transition hundreds of employees back to work across 28 stories and 674,000 square feet.

“We wanted a clean, safe environment for our employees to return back to,” said Grady Brame, executive vice president, Stirling Properties. “Ochsner has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic since day one. They have created environments that are clean and safe for their employees and we wanted to recreate that same environment for ours. It was a very logical partnership.”

Ochsner was also entrusted to implement safe to return plans at Loyola University New Orleans, a self-described “small city” across 24 acres on St. Charles Avenue, with more than 5,000 students, staff and faculty. Loyola’s complex needs include ensuring the health and safety of its entire campus: classrooms, dormitories, dining halls, sporting venues and other high-trafficked buildings.

“Universities are enormously complicated organizations. We are working with Ochsner Health to assess campus logistics, including how we create less density to protect all members of our school community, especially those most vulnerable to the virus,” said Tania Tetlow, J.D., president, Loyola University New Orleans. “This is a moment to be really nimble and flexible. The more we can communicate what our safety plans are to our students and their families, the more they trust that we understand the risks and are taking it seriously by implementing Ochsner’s recommended safety measures.”

Ochsner is proud to implement its employer solutions plans at a broad scope of organizations, including local municipalities, banks, law firms, schools and hospitality businesses, just to name a few. For more information on how Ochsner Health can help your business re-open, call 855-542-9108 or email employersolutions@ochsner.org.

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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 876,000 people from across the globe in 2019, 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 26,000 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. To transform your health, please visit www.ochsner.org/healthyyou.