Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South. Ochsner inspires healthier lives and stronger communities through our mission to serve, heal, lead, educate and innovate.
Northshore & Mississippi Gulf Coast Outreach
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3.7K Team Members
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181K Patients Served
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Northshore & Mississippi Gulf Coast
Bringing a sensory room to life
The regional executive team recently spent a meaningful day of service at Slidell Elementary School, partnering with staff to support students in a hands-on way. During the visit, the team helped paint a classroom that the school is transforming into a dedicated sensory room for its large population of Students with Exceptionalities.
We are proud to serve as the sole sponsor for outfitting the space with the specialized materials and equipment needed to create a fully functional sensory room. Once complete, the room will provide a calming, supportive environment designed to help students feel safe, regulated and ready to learn.
New wide-bore MRI in Hancock
A new wide-bore, AI-enhanced MRI at Ochsner Medical Center – Hancock delivers faster scans, higher-quality images and greater patient comfort, including for pediatric patients, individuals with claustrophobia and those requiring higher weight capacities. The system expands access to advanced prostate and breast imaging and will soon support MRI-guided breast biopsies.
Expanding countywide access to care
From free transportation to and from appointments to on-site support at community events, Ochsner Medical Center – Hancock is working to make care easier and more accessible for local families. More than 70% of surveyed community members now report that getting an appointment is “very easy,” reflecting progress in meeting patients where they are.
Meeting the needs of our youth
In partnership with the American Heart Association, we donated 150 boxes of food to the Slidell Boys & Girls Club, which supports children and families in the local community. Coordinated by our Community Outreach team, the giveaway took place right before Thanksgiving to ensure kids had a nutritious meal while school was out.
Promoting children’s health and fitness
We partnered with the Junior Auxiliary of Hancock County to host KidFit, a fun and energetic children’s health and fitness fair. Families enjoyed dancing, yoga, jiu jitsu, karate, Pilates and hands- on nutrition demos, showing kids that healthy eating and fitness can take many forms.
Giving back to the community through gardening
Thirty nurses volunteered at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Northshore campus, spending the day gardening to help beautify the Covington location. Teams worked in the main garden, greenhouse and near the residences, pulling weeds, hauling mulch, clearing debris, and planting flowers and seeds. Whether pushing a wheelbarrow or plowing dirt, the group enthusiastically supported NAMI’s mission of serving individuals with mental illness while strengthening their own connection to community service. The effort not only refreshed the campus grounds but also reinforced the meaningful impact of showing up for a cause that truly matters.
Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center now open in Slidell
The new Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Slidell Regional Cancer Center, a Campus of Ochsner Medical Center, opened in October 2025, bringing world-renowned cancer expertise, advanced therapies, coordinated nurse navigation, nutrition support and select clinical trials— including Louisiana’s only Phase I program—to Slidell. Through the MD Anderson partnership, patients now have expanded breast, prostate and oncology services close to home, supported by leading clinical specialists. The center’s launch also creates new clinical roles, interdisciplinary training opportunities and long-term career pathways for local healthcare professionals. “We are transforming the cancer care landscape in Slidell,” says Matthew McElveen, MD, medical director at Slidell Regional Cancer Center.
Read full Community Benefit Report
Our Community Benefit Report reflects the great work underway across Ochsner Health and in collaboration with our partners to inspire healthier lives and stronger communities. See photos and read more highlights in the full report.