The Jennings American Legion Hospital has become part of Ochsner Health and will be renamed Ochsner  American Legion Hospital. 

The 49-bed, 70-year-old hospital officially announced the move Friday that officials say will better position it to expand access to high-quality, affordable, innovative care to residents of Jefferson Davis Parish and the surrounding communities. 

The announcement comes after the hospital first signed a letter of intent in 2019 to explore a merger with Lafayette General Heath before that group merged with Ochsner. As per the merger, OALH will be part of the OLG region and operate under a long-term lease agreement that includes the hospital, medical office building and affiliated facilities.

The Jennings leadership team will continue to manage day-to-day operations of the hospital.

“We have a strong, healthy hospital, but health care is complex and rapidly changing,” OALH CEO Dana Williams said. “By joining Ochsner Health, we’ll be better positioned to meet the evolving needs of patients in Jennings and the surrounding communities for generations to come.”

As part of the deal, Ochsner will invest $3.25 million to install and implement its instance of Epic, a nationally recognized electronic health record system. It will also raise the minimum wage for employees there to $12 an hour, a move that impacts more than 150 employees and represents an investment of $570,000.

Patients will be able to use the MyOchsner patient portal to schedule appointments, communicate with their doctor, request prescription refills and view visit summaries, lab and imaging results from their laptop, tablet or smart phone.

“Jennings American Legion Hospital has a strong history dating back more than 70 years, when the James O. Hall Post 19 established a hospital to meet the needs of its community,” OLG CEO Patrick Gandy said. “We’re committed to maintaining and growing its legacy to serve local patients for generations to come. OLG has had a clinical affiliation with Jennings since 2016, and we look forward to expanding our relationship while at the same time keeping care local.”

Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@theadvocate.com.

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