The Ochsner 65 Plus Clinic on Jefferson Highway is set to open the doors to its new 11,844 square-foot facility. This clinic looks to redefine what it means to provide good quality healthcare to its patients, especially those 65 and up. With a holistic approach, they look to take preventative healthcare measures instead of reactive. Instead of waiting for a medical emergency to happen, this approach takes active measures to improve and maintain a good quality of health in their patients.
It all starts as soon as you walk in the doors. If you look down at the floor, the patient’s health and wellbeing is considered with flooring that limits glares. Glares can cause falls for those with aging retinas. From hand railings located around the building down to the color of the walls, this clinic’s mission is literally laid out in the building’s foundation. It was designed for this holistic approach to medicine.
Health care for those 65 plus needs to be taken seriously, and with the same–if not more–attention due to the already lingering health problems that come with age. Appointments are not going to be a quick 15-20 minutes that rushes patients in and out and hardly allows them to see their doctor, who only says things like “I’m so sorry” or “there isn’t anything I can do right now.” At Ochsner’s new 65 Plus Clinic, patients can expect the first visit to last at least an hour, and follow-up visits will be 40 minutes long. They can also count on a team that will work together to come up with a game plan for their health instead of completely disregarding the patient in the process. This team-based style of care can be further seen in the designing of the physician’s office. It has a big table and room for many chairs to be pulled in, which allows for open communication and discussion between the entire team. There is wisdom that everyone from different departments can bring to the table, and this clinic recognizes that and looks to utilize it for the benefit of the patient.
At Ochsner’s 65 Plus Clinic, the patient’s needs and overall health matter. From the physical designing of the building to the healthcare philosophy that is being put in place, Ochsner’s new clinic is looking to revolutionize how we care for our elderly.