Top Health System Announces First Strategic Partnership to Extend High-Quality Care to Patients in the Home

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Nov 12, 2024, 09:04 ET

Ochsner Medical Center- New Orleans sees a significant improvement in patient throughput in the first six months of partnering with myLaurel.

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ochsner Health, a leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, announced impressive results from a recent partnership designed to deliver acute and transitional care services in the home to avoid low-acuity admissions from the Emergency Department (ED) and to help reduce readmissions for discharge from all units.

myLaurel logo (PRNewsfoto/myLaurel)

Ochsner Health launched the Acute Care at Home™ program at Ochsner Medical Center- New Orleans in March of 2024 to enhance patient outcomes, streamline ED operational flow and observation unit throughput, shorten the length of stay, reduce unnecessary hospital utilization, and decrease readmissions. To accomplish these goals, the New Orleans-based hospital partnered with myLaurel, a home-based acute and transitional care company tailored to the needs of frail, elderly, and complex patients. The program has achieved significant early outcomes, preventing either initial admission or 15-day readmissions for 92% of patients referred to the program from the emergency department and observation units.

The success of this pilot lays the groundwork for expansion to other Ochsner facilities, as part of a broader initiative to scale Acute Care at Home across the Ochsner system.

Logan Davies, MD, medical director of hospital access and throughput, Ochsner Medical Center- New Orleans, credits myLaurel's Acute Care at Home service for the hospital's ability to discharge patients timelier and safely transition them to care at home. "Ochsner has a proven track record of fostering innovation and working with companies like myLaurel to deliver transformative healthcare solutions that improve outcomes, enhance patient experiences, and streamline care delivery," said Davies.

As a result of the partnership, providers can discharge eligible patients from the ED and observation units with myLaurel's at-home services, avoiding an observation stay or inpatient admission. This approach results in over 1,000 bed days saved and has the potential to allow for 200+ new admissions. Patients are seen the same or next day at home by a virtual physician leading an in-home care team, ensuring continuity of IV medications, managing point-of-care labs, treating symptoms, providing in-home education about treatment plans, and performing medication reconciliation.

Remote check-ins with a registered nurse are conducted for seven days, during which care plans are communicated with the Ochsner team and the patient's primary care physician to coordinate treatment and reduce care gaps. Monitoring patients in the home allows myLaurel to closely track symptoms, even those unrelated to their ED visit, effectively avoiding unnecessary hospital utilization.

"We're proud to partner with Ochsner Health and thrilled that such a visionary health system recognizes the benefits of Acute Care at Home," said Juan Vallarino, Chief Executive Officer of myLaurel. "We are pleased to be an extension of the Ochsner team that provides world-class healthcare services to their patients."

Ochsner Health, through its investment arm, Ochsner Ventures, invested in myLaurel as part of its broader strategy to collaborate with innovative companies that address critical challenges for patients and care teams. Acute Care at Home capabilities include real-time diagnostic testing, lab work, therapeutics, medication management, care coordination, transition planning, symptom escalation, and more. Plans are underway to expand services to three additional Ochsner locations.

About Ochsner Health
Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. For 13 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 2023, Ochsner Health cared for more than 1.5 million people from every state in the nation and 65 countries. Ochsner's workforce includes more than 38,000 dedicated team members and over 4,700 employed and affiliated physicians. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit www.ochsner.org.

About myLaurel
Headquartered in New York, NY, myLaurel is a pioneering healthcare company dedicated to elevating patient experiences and fostering significant cost efficiencies for hospitals, health systems, ACOs, and payers along the eastern and southern coasts of the U.S. myLaurel partners with payers, health systems and providers and puts their fees at risk. myLaurel offers its unique care model to more than 100,000 covered lives. Specializing in tailored home-based care solutions, the company focuses on enhancing health outcomes for patients with frailty and complex conditions. For further details about myLaurel, please visit www.mylaurelhealth.com.

Contact: Corrie A. Fisher, media relations
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Ochsner Health