All over the US, there has been a doctor shortage and St. Tammany Health System and Ochsner Health are joining forces to help remedy this problem by creating a new family medicine residency program. The program will be on the Northshore in Covington and is already under construction.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the country might have a big shortage by 2034 of 50,000 primary care doctors. In the state, the Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners reported in 2022 there were a little over 18,000 licensed doctors.

The 18,000-square-foot clinic is slated to begin in July 2024 with eight residences and then add twenty-four residents each year. Both health systems want to bring more doctors to South Louisiana. “Workforce has become all of our challenges. We’re always looking to create a pipeline,” says Joan Coffman, president and CEO of St. Tammany Health System. The program’s director will be Dr. Lisa Casey, who will work with all the residents. The clinic will offer x-rays, lab work and physical therapy.

This is just part of the healthcare expansion around St. Tammany. Currently, there is a $75 million outpatient surgery center that is planned to open in 2024 and a $50 million three-story addition to Slidell Memorial Hospital. “We are seeing healthcare change, so it is more important than ever that we adapt to families’ needs,” Dr. Timothy Riddell, CEO of Ochsner Northshore and Mississippi Gulf Coast Region said.

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