Our Lady of Lourdes Leads Healthcare Innovation in Acadiana with Groundbreaking Sepsis Detection
August 05, 2024
LAFAYETTE, La. – Our Lady of Lourdes Health, part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS), announces a major advancement in healthcare with the implementation of the IntelliSep test in its emergency department. This innovative diagnostic tool allows for the early detection and treatment of sepsis. The condition is a leading cause of mortality in hospitals across the nation and prior to the development of the IntelliSep technology, there was no objective test to determine if a patient was septic.“Our Lady of Lourdes Health is proud to welcome IntelliSep to our impressive list of patient care technology and services,” said Stephanie Manson, Our Lady of Lourdes Health president. “The IntelliSep test seamlessly integrated into our Emergency Department processes, ensuring a prompt, appropriate diagnosis, so patients receive the right care at the right time.”
Sepsis, a condition triggered by the body’s response to infection, can rapidly lead to organ failure if not promptly identified and treated. The IntelliSep test uses a standard blood sample to analyze white blood cell responses, delivering results in under 10 minutes. This early detection enables healthcare providers to intervene sooner, reducing inpatient stays by an average of 1.28 days and ICU stays by 2.24 days, while also saving approximately $1,429 per patient. For every 500 high-risk patients in the emergency department, FMOLHS has shown the ability to save one life utilizing this technology.
“Innovation in healthcare is not just about adopting new technologies; it’s about transforming patient care and outcomes,” said Christopher Thomas, MD, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. “The IntelliSep test exemplifies our commitment to delivering high-quality, efficient care by enabling early and accurate detection of sepsis.”
The implementation of IntelliSep follows rigorous research, development and clinical studies in partnership with medical diagnostics company Cytovale, Our Lady of the Lake Health and LSU, which began in 2014. The test received FDA clearance in December 2022 and has been successfully deployed in hospitals across the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. FMOLHS is the first health system in the country to implement the technology across multiple facilities and regions.
“We are proud to pioneer the adoption of the IntelliSep test across our health system, setting a new standard in emergency medicine,” said E.J Kuiper, President and CEO of FMOLHS. “This technology represents a significant advancement in sepsis care, ensuring patients receive timely and precise diagnoses that are crucial for improving outcomes and saving lives.”
After 75 years of dedicated healthcare excellence for Acadiana families, Our Lady of Lourdes Health continues to lead care and treatment innovation. Continuing that legacy of healing, Our Lady of Lourdes recently unveiled Advancing Acadiana, a bold vision to invest nearly $100 million across all its campuses to treat patients in the right place, with the right resources, at the right time, further improving quality and experience. Get more details and a sneak peek at what’s in store by visiting LourdesRMC.com/AdvancingAcadiana.
For more information on how Our Lady of Lourdes Health is pioneering sepsis care with the IntelliSep test, click here.
About Our Lady of Lourdes Health
Founded by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady in 1949, Our Lady of Lourdes Health is a not–for–profit Catholic healthcare ministry based in Lafayette, Louisiana. With a regional acute care medical center that employs more than 2,800 people, Our Lady of Lourdes Health offers a physician staff of over 850 doctors in a variety of medical and surgical specialties. Lourdes’ services include Centers of Excellence in the areas of Orthopedics, Stroke and a Robotic Surgery Program. Lourdes is home to the only burn unit in Southwest Louisiana and a Commission on Cancer-accredited oncology program. Our Lady of Lourdes operates Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital, a premier 32-bed cardiac facility, and Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital, offering the area’s only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Level III Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. With additional services including multiple clinics, four imaging locations and a primary care physician network, Lourdes provides easy access to comprehensive care throughout the community. Our Lady of Lourdes is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and is driven by its mission to serve all God’s people, especially those most in need. Discover more at LourdesRMC.com.
About the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System
The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System is one of the largest healthcare systems based in Louisiana and is the leading healthcare provider for more than half the state’s population. The health system is a non-profit, Catholic organization sponsored by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the ministry serves patients in Louisiana and Mississippi through a network of hospitals, clinics, physicians and integrated health systems. The health system’s unified physician organization is comprised of more than 1,100 adult and pediatric primary care physicians and specialists. The system’s nine main campus hospitals include St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge and Gonzales, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, Heart Hospital, and Women's & Children's Hospital in Lafayette, Our Lady of the Angels in Bogalusa, and St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. For more information, visit fmolhs.org.