Established in 1923 in the river town of Baton Rouge, Our Lady of the Lake began its legacy of healing for the families of this region. Today, Our Lady of the Lake Health offers the most advanced comprehensive healthcare in the capital area.
In the tradition of its founders, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, Our Lady of the Lake has gone where called, responding to the needs of the community, especially those most in need. The Catholic healthcare ministry’s commitment to the community will continue to be its driving force as it looks to the future of healthcare in the region.
“We will build upon the work done for the community over the past 100 years with planned strategic investments in technology, security and infrastructure to provide new and innovative ways of meeting healthcare needs,” says Chuck Spicer, Our Lady of the Lake Health president. “The full extent of new technology will be leveraged to ensure quality and safe care for those entrusted to us for their healthcare needs.”
AT A GLANCE
Top executives: Chuck Spicer, President
Phone: 225.765.7600
Address: 5000 Hennessy Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Website: ololrmc.com
Our Lady of the Lake is committed to the highest standards of quality care with cutting-edge medical technology and an emphasis on listening to heal. “We believe a big part of healthcare is hearing our patients,” Spicer says. “Through listening we can understand what’s going on, what good health means to each person, and most importantly, how we can heal.”
The mission of Our Lady of the Lake Health has always been to respond to the community’s greatest needs. In 1923, the need was a hospital. Since then, the need has been for the hospital to grow into a regional presence and provide the most up-to-date technology and healthcare right here in the Greater Baton Rouge region.
“We continue this mission to serve God’s people, especially those most in need,” Spicer says. “Our Lady of the Lake has a living spirit, one breathed into the Baton Rouge community by the Sisters’ special gifts and their devotion to other people’s lives. We are the Spirit of Healing.”
Our Lady of the Lake Health, affectionately known as “the Lake,” is the predominant healthcare provider in the Greater Baton Rouge area. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is the largest privately owned hospital in Louisiana, with more than 900 licensed beds. Its emergency department is the largest in the state, serving more than 200,000 patients per year.
In addition to the regional medical center, Our Lady of the Lake includes campuses across several parishes to meet the needs of its growing communities. Its hospitals, emergency departments and clinics offer care in areas that are medically underserved.
Our Lady of the Lake annually treats more than 38,000 patients in the hospital and serves over 820,000 people through outpatient locations. With more than 650 employed providers and over 7,300 team members, Our Lady of the Lake is committed to building a healthy community through excellence in patient care and education.
Recognized for excellence in the areas of heart and vascular, trauma and emergency, stroke, cancer, minimally invasive procedures and more, Our Lady of the Lake is positioned to serve all corners of the community, attract top medical talent to the area and increase the scope of its medical education, training and research.
Our Lady of the Lake Health was the first in Baton Rouge to perform both heart surgery and open-heart surgery and is the statewide leader in cardiology with its Heart & Vascular Institute, which opened in 2013. Furthermore, Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute offers the largest group of specialists in the state to fight cancer. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is designated as a Level I trauma center, the only one in the capital region and one of only three in the state. The hospital was first in the nation to implement an innovative and life-saving tool to detect sepsis, the leading cause of death in hospitals across the U.S. Our Lady of the Lake’s relationship with the state’s flagship university began in the hospital’s first months in 1923. Together, LSU and Our Lady of the Lake have invested in medical education programs and research while nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals and driving innovation. The partnership led to a $1.5 billion increase in economic impact over the decade from 2013 to 2023. Our Lady of the Lake is a branch campus for the LSU School of Medicine, consistently recognized as a national leader in implementing innovative models for collaboration, including the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers (AIAMC) Innovation Award, Pathway Innovator in Pursuing Excellence in Clinical Learning Environments, and the AIAMC Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion National Initiative. Our Lady of the Lake is proud to be the official Championship Health Partner of LSU, one of the largest investments for our state’s health in Louisiana’s history. This partnership is charting a new, long-term course to change the trajectory of health in Louisiana.
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, or FranU, once known as Our Lady of the Lake School of Nursing (from 1923) then Our Lady of the Lake College (until 2016), offers certificate programs, associate, bachelor, master and doctoral degrees. A leading Catholic institution in the southeast U.S., FranU provides dedicated students a faith-filled and formative education in preparation to serve communities. Over its 100 years, the university has formed Franciscan servant leaders of all faiths who are integrated thinkers and highly skilled professionals.
Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital was the first and continues to provide the only pediatric emergency room in the Greater Baton Rouge area. Its Level II pediatric trauma center is the first and only in the region.
Our Lady of the Lake was the first, and continues to be the leader, in advanced minimally invasive and robotic surgeries. Through its Metamor Metabolic Institute, it is the only organization in the region to offer comprehensive treatment and surgery for obesity. Through this and other joint ventures Our Lady of the Lake is able to offer comprehensive care.
Over the years, Our Lady of the Lake has grown and changed to meet the healthcare needs of the region. What remains constant is the Sisters’ mission to care for the entire community. Our Lady of the Lake is special. Mother de Bethanie knew that 100 years ago, and 100 years from now it will still be true.
Chuck Spicer
I’ve been privileged to be part of this ministry for just over a year, 1 percent of Our Lady of the Lake’s first 100 years. It started with a commitment from the Sisters in 1923, and we will continue and accelerate as we begin the next 100 with a dedication to our patients, team members and our community!
