How to Find Top-Notch Health Care in Southwest Louisiana
When you are facing a serious illness, need emergency care or are about to welcome a new baby, Southwest Louisiana medical providers throughout the region are there for you, offering outstanding care just a short drive away. Convenient, close-to-home health care in Lake Charles and the surrounding communities improves community health while saving time, money and stress.
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital (WCCH), a 107-bed facility in Sulphur that serves Sulphur, West Calcasieu and Cameron parishes, offers a wide range of medical and surgical services.
In July 2022, it was the first hospital in the nation to use the new GE Allia IGS 530 Cath Lab technology that provides highly precise images during heart surgery. Other recent innovations include the GE Nuclear Medicine SPECT/CT machine and UroNav, a more accurate method of diagnosing and treating prostate cancer.
WCCH expanded its mission when it opened the Community Health Center of WCCH in July 2021. The center treats patients with or without insurance. It also opened a new clinic in Carlyss, the fastest-growing part of WCCH’s service area.
“In 2023, WCCH celebrated 70 years of caring for our community. Throughout our history, the growth of the hospital has reflected the region’s dynamic growth, with services added to meet the needs of our community,” says Janie Frugé, CEO of WCCH.
Great Health Care in Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana
Lake Charles Memorial Health System (LCMHS), the largest in the area, includes the 314-bed Lake Charles Memorial Hospital; Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women; Moss Memorial Health Clinic; the Archer Institute of Memorial, a behavioral health hospital; and Memorial Medical Group, an affiliate group offering more than 120 specialties and sub-specialties.
LCMHS also includes the Memorial/ LSUHSC Family Medicine Residency Program. With 2,700 full-time, part-time and PRN employees, LCMHS prides itself on its personalized, holistic approach to patient care.
“We understand that the best health care is not solely about treating illnesses; it is about fostering genuine connections, instilling hope and empowering individuals to live their lives to the fullest,” says Devon Hyde, LCMHS president and CEO.
As the area has grown, LCMHS has grown. Recently it decided to partner with South Cameron Memorial Hospital, and it will soon open a diagnostics center in Moss Bluff. These expansions “represent our dedication to meeting the health care needs of the communities we serve. We understand that proximity to quality health care is paramount,” Hyde says.
Beauregard Health System, a 49-bed acute care facility in DeRidder, is also in growth mode. In 2024, it will open a new emergency department, doubling the size of the existing department. It also plans to open a new women’s center, with new labor, delivery and postpartum-care suites.
BHS recently expanded to Vernon Parish and has purchased land in the Longville-Ragley area for future expansion.
Among many outstanding area hospitals, CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital has won several national citations for the excellence of its cardiac and stroke care. Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals in Lake Charles provides extended-term treatment for illness, injury or chronic conditions.
Allen Parish Hospital is undergoing a $40 million expansion of its emergency department and adding a 27,000-square-foot surgery center.
Other community hospitals keeping Southwest Louisiana healthy include DeQuincy Memorial Hospital, Jennings American Legion Hospital, Jennings Senior Care Hospital, Jennings Rehabilitation Hospital, CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital, Oakdale Community Hospital and Oceans Behavioral Hospital.
Get to Know Southwest Louisiana
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