The merger between Rush Health System and Ochsner Health has been completed, with the combined entity renamed to Ochsner Rush.
Ochsner gains seven hospitals under the deal, which was initially announced in June 2021. Ochsner Health is an integrated healthcare system based in Louisiana with 40 hospitals and more than 300 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South. Rush Health Systems is the largest, most diverse healthcare system in East Mississippi and West Alabama, comprising seven hospitals and more than 30 clinics.
The seven hospitals will assume new names to reflect the new branding, including:
- Ochsner Rush Medical Center
- Ochsner Specialty Hospital
- Ochsner Choctaw General
- Ochsner Scott Regional
- Ochsner Laird Hospital
- Ochsner Stennis Hospital
- Ochsner Watkins Hospital
The new entity will focus on several areas with the intent to benefit patients. Ochsner Rush Health will expand access to specialty and sub-specialty services so more patients can receive care closer to home, such as cardiology, neurology and highly specialized stroke care, women’s services, cancer treatment and surgical oncology. The combined entity will also focus on innovation through expansions in telehealth, digital monitoring and clinical improvements guided by AI.
“This is an exciting time for our community, and we are proud to be the trusted healthcare provider of the region. As Ochsner Rush Health, our patients will benefit from the skills and experience of both teams with enhanced access to new services and highly specialized care,” Larkin Kennedy, CEO Ochsner Rush Health, said in a statement. “By coming together, we’ll be able to do more to enhance and expand clinical services focused on the critical needs of the communities we serve while ensuring our patients have access to local, high-quality care for generations to come."
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."