Ochsner Baton Rouge to Honor Heroes, Commemorate Patients
BATON ROUGE – March 8, 2021 is a somber day for Louisiana, as it marks 365 days since the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in the Pelican State on March 9, 2020.
The staff at Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge (OMCBR) has planned special activities to honor healthcare heroes and pay tribute to patients across Louisiana. The Ochsner resource group, Women Empowering Women, will lead fellow employees in creating chalk art at various locations with inspiring messages.
At approximately 2pm, OMCBR staff will recognize the encouraging news that 10,000 COVID-19 positive patients have been discharged from Ochsner hospitals across the state. In honor of attaining, and surpassing, 10,000 people to defeat COVID-19 at Ochsner, OMCBR has planned a special send-off for Monday’s COVID-19 patient discharge in Baton Rouge.
A gathering of vaccinated employees, along with a musical accompaniment, will cheer the patient out of the hospital with a grand exit.
“Our city, state, country and world have been through so much,” said Eric McMillen, CEO, Ochsner Baton Rouge. “As South Louisiana faced COVID-19 we added multiple hurricanes and most recently an ice storm. Through all of it, I’ve watched so much dedication and resilience to helping others.
“This is not a day to celebrate, but we should all take a minute to appreciate our healthcare heroes and first responders and reflect back upon the struggles many of our patients have faced. No one is going to stop until COVID-19 has been defeated. We’ll continue to be here for our community and lead by example. Our workers are relentless and will not give up.”
In the 365 days since COVID-19, Ochsner Baton Rouge has:
- Discharged nearly 1,000 COVID-positive patients
- (approximately 10,000 discharged across Ochsner Health)
- Treated 36% more patients in the ICU compared to the previous 12 months in Baton Rouge
- Performed nearly 60,000 video visits with Baton Rouge-based providers
- (compared to 564 in the prior 12 months)
- Administered over 20,000 COVID vaccines
- (over 200,000 across Ochsner Health)
- Mailed over 20,000 adult, pediatric, and windowed masks to patients
- (162,584 total masks mailed by Ochsner Health)
- Enrolled over 1,300 patients into Ochsner Hypertension and Diabetes Digital Medicine Programs
- Over 3,300 patients have been enrolled since inception in Baton Rouge (2018)
From March 8th through March 12th, OMCBR will join other Ochsner hospitals to “light up the night”. Locations with exterior colored lighting capabilities will light their campus with blue lights every night to honor all healthcare heroes.
The quickest way to end the pandemic is by herd immunity through vaccination. Ochsner offers vaccine clinics throughout the state, including at Ochsner Pharmacy & Wellness retail locations. The easiest way to make an appointment is online through MyOchsner, the MyChart app or by calling 844-888-2772. For more information about vaccines, please visit Ochsner.org/vaccine.