Education Update

Medical Education

Medical Education and Allied Health training programs at Ochsner continue to grow at all Ochsner Health System locations. With our expanding patient base across the region, our facilities support numerous clinical training programs and we remain one of the largest independent academic medical centers in the country.

The 2007 match for our medical training programs was successful, with all positions filled. We currently have 16 independent Ochsner-sponsored accredited programs, training 200 interns, residents, and fellows annually. An additional 90 residents and fellows train in jointly sponsored programs with Tulane and LSU, with another 100 residents and fellows rotating under affiliation agreements with local and regional programs.

More than 475 local, regional, national, and international medical students choose Ochsner annually for clinical electives.

Ochsner has formal associations with a number of institutions of higher learning through which students enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States are able to conclude formal degree requirements, permitting certification in various allied health professions.

To complete the education continuum, Ochsner remains committed to supporting continuing medical education for all medical staff. The Ochsner Continuing Medical Education program is accredited by the American Council for Continuing Medical Education. In 2006, Ochsner offered over 500 hours of continuing medical education to over 1000 participants.

Media Production Services

Media Production Services offers a full-service multimedia production.These services include: audiovisual equipment support, photography, videoconferencing, and video production. The department manages an 18-site videoconferencing network and a seven-site pediatric cardiology telemedicine network. Media Production Services has taken the leading role in bringing effective communication tools to its users across the Ochsner Health System. In September, they implemented a web streaming presentation content delivery system utilizing Mediasite hardware. This system enables them to record lectures, Continuing Medical Education courses, and employee education classes, and post this content for online viewing. Other projects include procuring servers to maintain the exponential growth of Ochsner's digital image library.

Center For Knowledge Management

In August of 2006, the Academic Division reorganized Ochsner's library and publishing services to form the Center for Knowledge Management. This group integrates the professional services of editing, illustrations, library, archives, academic database systems, web development, federal grant support and academic outreach activities. Expert personnel streamline the delivery of information and educational resources. The Center is seen as the nexus for the creation of “open-ended opportunities for innovation and a roadmap for working toward seamless integration, synergy, and substantial enhancement of Ochsner's research, educational, and practice mission.”

Knowledge Management Information Specialists implemented the academic portions of the System's website, www.ochsner.org, last year. Statistics show that 96,000 new visitors have accessed the academic website since January of 2007 for current and reliable information pertaining to our various academic programs. This informative site is a reliable source of information regarding Medical Education programs, clinical trials, and other valuable academic services. In addition, the Systems Administrator coordinates all academic systems and applications to meet the growing initiatives of both Research and Education.

The Fourth Annual Research Night 2007 was quite successful this year. The event hosted 81 exhibits (64 original research posters and 17 case studies) showcasing the most recent activities and accomplishments achieved by 200 of our clinicians and research scientists. These exhibits represented all regions from the Ochsner Health System.

The Academic Division Knowledge Management Staff Members welcomed 11 high school students from Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish Public Schools to the Second Annual Summer Science Youth Academy from June 1, 2007 – July 31, 2007. This program provided an excellent opportunity for students to participate in hands-on scientific research in a laboratory setting with research-funded scientists. Summer Science Youth Academy was well-received by the community and will be expanded in 2008. Other outreach initiatives sponsored by Academics included Job Shadow Day in March of 2007. This initiative engaged local college students by demonstrating a connection between academics and careers, helping to prepare students to join the workforce of the 21st century. Other outreach plans continue to evolve with various local public schools across the New Orleans metropolitan area.

The Ochsner Library and Archives was the first library to reopen in the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina. The librarians teamed up with the National Library of Medicine, librarians at Southeastern Louisiana Area Health Education Center in Hammond, and the Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma, Louisiana to establish the Medical Library Recovery for Southeast Louisiana. This project allowed the team to reopen hospital libraries at Ochsner St. Anne General Hospital and the Ochsner Medical Center Baton Rouge. Funding provided E-Stations to Ochsner Medical Center Kenner and Ochsner Medical Center West Bank, as well as new print and online reference materials.

The health information needs are greater than ever in the New Orleans area. As such, the Ochsner Medical Library and Archives quickly extended its information services and resources across the Ochsner System. The Hospital Library at St. Anne General Hospital located in Raceland, Louisiana, was reopened by our librarians in the Summer of 2006. Hospital libraries located at Ochsner Baptist Medical Center, Ochsner Kenner, Ochsner West Bank and Ochsner Baton Rouge now have full access to the thousands of online journals, textbooks, and databases through the Ochsner Network. The librarians travel to all Ochsner hospitals, providing training and information support. The Ochsner Baptist Library reopened as a tremendous resource to the Baptist Community on October 10, 2007. The Academic Division is happy to offer these rich information resources to all system-wide Ochsner healthcare professionals.

The Knowledge Management Publishing Services (Medical Illustrations and Medical Editing) also continue to expand. The publications, The Ochsner Journal and Academic Update are managed within the Medical Editing Department. The Ochsner Journal is growing to meet the needs of its readers with 5000 printed issues circulated each quarter to physicians throughout the New Orleans area and the nation. The electronic version of The Ochsner Journal is accessed monthly by hundreds of professionals. Academic Update, the popular quarterly publication showcasing the activities of Ochsner Academics, is circulated throughout the Ochsner System, and is also available through the Ochsner website. In addition to facilitating these publications, the Editing and Illustration offices have provided oversight and assistance for hundreds of manuscripts submitted to nationally prominent specialty journals. Over one hundred posters were produced for physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals to exhibit at national conferences this year. The Publishing Services Team has been instrumental in the success of other academic events throughout the year. Their expertise has been extremely valuable to various departmental and certification manuals, annual reports, CME conference brochures, posters, syllabi, book illustrations, and marketing projects.

As the Ochsner Health System continues to grow, the Academic Division continues to seek programs to support the development of our workforce, bring new training programs to support new clinical services, and identify technological advances that will allow us to expand the reach of our educational opportunities. Centralized oversight and operational functions have created greater efficiency in processes as well as accountability for outcomes.