News

NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The Ochsner-Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research, or OXIHER, has published its first strategic plan, outlining strategic priorities and achievements since the institute began in 2020.

A partnership between Ochsner Health and Xavier University of Louisiana, OXIHER examines health disparities at the community level while educating healthcare providers on creating and nurturing a culture of equity, and training more students for advanced careers in healthcare.

The new plan details OXIHER’s substantial progress in its first three years in addressing the leading health inequities experienced by Louisiana residents. As of press time, more than 34,000 community members have been reached through more than 100 outreach events supported by OXIHER. Additionally, 36 percent of newly enrolled patients in Ochsner clinical trials represent racial and ethnic minority groups. Three million in legislative funding has been received for Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine. OXIHER’s partnership with Ochsner’s digital medicine hypertension program helped reduce racial disparities in blood pressure control among Medicaid-insured patients from a high of 16 percent down to one percent after 18 months of follow-up.

“We believe that clinical expertise, data, knowledge and action will lead to improved health for the people in the communities we serve,” said Eboni Price-Haywood, MD, OXIHER medical director, via a press release.

The strategic plan is available here.