Ochsner Health Network announces multi-million dollar impact

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Dec 20, 2023, 13:50 ET

Annual performance report shows lower healthcare costs, better patient experiences,
gains in diabetes and cancer care, and significant provider rewards

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ochsner Health Network, LLC (OHN), the Gulf South's largest physician-led clinically integrated network, is pleased to report its 2022 – 2023 impact resulting from care delivered to nearly a half-million patients living throughout the Gulf South. The network's all-new digital report boasts more than $56 million in total cost-of-care savings to our community's most vulnerable populations, with $38 million in rewards to be shared among the network's providers.

"Our country's healthcare system must evolve; our communities' health must improve; and the rising costs of care must be reversed. Proudly, Ochsner Health Network remains a driving force in the industry, impacting meaningful, sustainable change for the better, year over year," noted Eric Gallagher, CEO, OHN.

Highlights from OHN's all-new digital impact report showcase advantages of the network, such as higher patient satisfaction; lower costs of healthcare; improved health outcomes in chronic disease management; and effective interventions in high-risk behaviors like smoking/tobacco cessation. Member clinicians are rewarded for high outcomes in these areas.

Among the notable results of Ochsner Health Network and its partner accountable care organization, the Ochsner Accountable Care Network, in 2022:

Reducing Medicare patient care costs by more than $27 million
Ranking in the top 5% of all ACOs (accountable care organizations) for best customer service
Reaching 87% in breast cancer screenings among the network's covered lives
Securing a 95% testing rate for patients at risk for diabetes
Earning $12.9 million in care management fees for improved clinical outcomes

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are groups of physicians, hospitals and other healthcare providers who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated, quality care to Medicare patients. The goal of an ACO is to improve efficiency, coordination and experience of care, resulting in improved care delivery and reduced healthcare costs to the patient and organization. Patients see the benefit of an ACO through improved communication of their healthcare teams and reduced duplication in paperwork and medical tests.

"The blossoming success of Ochsner Health's network and ACO is a testament to our team's unwavering commitment to providing greater value and experiences for our patients across the Gulf South," said OHN Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Beau Raymond.

"As a practicing primary care physician member of OHN and OACN, delivering value-driven care requires significant resources that most individual physicians cannot afford or possess independently," said OHN member Dr. William A. Cefalu, Jr., of Morgan City, La. "Our network provides the critical data tools and systems; supportive care programs and networking; and EMR (electronic medical record) technology platform that makes my approach to care management reliable and efficient. OHN, in turn, rewards me for my office's efforts to deliver higher value care and experiences to our patients – ensuring that we are incentivized for performing to the highest standards for quality healthcare."

For more information, please visit www.ochsner.org/ohn, www.ochsneracn.org or the 2022-23 Impact Report.

SOURCE Ochsner Health