NEW ORLEANS – LCMC Health has launched a new podcast titled “Beyond Extraordinary” which provides listeners with first-hand updates from a diverse range of LCMC staff, insights into the healthcare system’s advancements including trends in specialized service lines and innovative treatments, and interesting glimpses into LCMC’s dedication to medical education across the region.
The inaugural episode of “Beyond Extraordinary” features LCMC Health CEO Greg Feirn who has been leading LCMC since 2009. He is in conversation with host Kristen Gradney, LCMC’s Chief Wellness Officer and Corporate Vice President of Total Rewards, LCMC’s employee benefits program.
This inaugural episode is called “Healthcare with Heart: How LCMC Health is Making a Difference.”
“I started with Children’s Hospital in 1998, so I’ve been with Children’s/LCMC Health for coming up on twenty-seven years,” said Feirn. “I think what sets us apart is our culture. We provide that little something extra. Coming from Children’s it’s in our DNA – it takes a little something extra to take care of kids and I think that permeates the 18,000 plus employees that we have. We fit in well with our community. New Orleans works hard, plays hard. It’s a fun community, and I like to think that our culture at LCMC Health is fun. We’re there when the community needs us the most but we’re also add a little fun.”
In discussing the origins of LCMC Health, Feirn talks about its evolution into an eight-hospital system which now serves the entire Greater New Orleans area. It all started after Katrina. Children’s Hospital was closed for forty days but bounced back faster than most other hospitals in the area.
“As we progressed post Katrina, many hospitals, Touro being one of the first, was experiencing significant financial hardship. Children’s Hospital had the financial wherewithal to acquire Touro in 2009 and that really started the growth of LCMC Health.”
Feirn also highlights the significance of academic partnerships with Tulane University, LSU, and other educational institutions which are instrumental in creating a cohesive pipeline for medical education and training.
With Tulane, LCMC Health is expanding access to comprehensive and specialty care, investing approximately $600 million to revitalize the Charity Hospital building and repurpose the Tulane Medical Center building.
LCMC Health also collaborates with LSU Health New Orleans to educate students, improve patient care, and advance medical research, advancing health service lines including oncology. LCMC Health has committed $75 million over five years to support the National Cancer Institute designation initiative.
In healthcare, “service lines” refer to specialized programs that integrate services across various disciplines to address specific medical conditions or patient groups. At LCMC Health, these service lines encompass areas such as cardiac care, orthopedics, women’s health, and oncology.
“We’re moving into developing a heart transplant program in pediatrics and we’re also doing this on the adult side with growing our heart failure program,” Feirn said.
LCMC Health has over 2,800 board-certified physicians and is comprised of eight hospital locations: Manning Family Children’s, East Jefferson General Hospital, New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, Lakeview Hospital, and Lakeside Hospital.
They also have a network of urgent care centers across the greater New Orleans area in addition to their physician practices.
“I’ve been in healthcare a long time and I’d never been to a second line inside of a hospital,” said “Beyond Extraordinary” host Kristen Gradney. “I think that is just one of the special things about us – that we truly embrace the culture and you see patients and visitors and everyone, from every demographic, enjoying the space that they’re in while we’re providing groundbreaking care. You can’t get that anywhere else.”
“Beyond Extraordinary” is available here and on platforms such as YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
New episodes are scheduled for release on the fourth Tuesday of every month.
