Ochsner Health | Louisiana: Ochsner Embraces Innovation and Consistency to Improve Patient Outcomes

About Ochsner Health

Ochsner Health provides safe, quality care to over 1.7 million patients annually across its network of 48 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. With a flagship hospital based in New Orleans and 40,000 team members across all sites of service, it is the largest health system in the Gulf South. Ochsner Health’s goal is to inspire healthier lives and stronger communities through its mission to serve, heal, lead, educate and innovate.

Reducing Infections and Identifying High-Risk Patients

In 2023, the network launched a systemwide initiative to reduce severe pressure ulcers acquired in the hospital setting by addressing standardization challenges presented by variations in hospital size and capacity across the system. These health events are included in external quality reporting programs and are tracked internally through Ochsner Health’s Target Zero patient harm framework. Pressure ulcers prolong hospitalization, increase resource utilization and raise the risk of infection and mortality — making the systemic reduction of these events imperative to staff and patients.

To address this serious issue, Ochsner Health has invested in its internally developed Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury (HAPI) predictive model. This technology identifies patients who are at an increased risk of developing pressure injuries and assesses a patient’s predicted risk of developing a pressure injury. When a patient’s risk score crosses a specific threshold, preventative care orders are suggested to the care team, allowing them to respond. Ochsner Health has worked over the past year to expand the model into its emergency department since these patients are at greater risk of developing pressure injuries, especially if boarding.

Ochsner Health also implemented a multipronged strategy designed to work effectively across the system, regardless of which community or setting the patient sought care. Utilizing new technology and the capabilities of virtual nursing, Ochsner Health piloted a workflow that allowed bedside nurses to connect with a virtual nurse instantly to complete documentation and initiate care orders related to skin and wound care. This change allows bedside clinicians to focus on delivering fast and accurate care rather than managing patient documentation. By providing timely care, Ochsner Health staff at every level are helping to reduce patient harm.

Program Results

Through the implementation of these new changes, Ochsner Health has seen substantial improvements throughout the system. From 2024 to 2025, Ochsner Health experienced a 28% decrease in serious preventable harm, which includes things like pressure injuries and hospital-acquired infections. Further, Ochsner has decreased its incidence of PSI3 by 65% since 2023. These improvements across their network show how substantial reductions in harm can be achieved when hospitals use structure with practical action to achieve goals. Through strong collaboration across the network and solutions designed for all patients, Ochsner Health has shown how complex issues can be tackled through innovation and consistency.