HJNO Nov/Dec 2022

60 NOV / DEC 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Hospital Rounds Ochsner’sWarner Thomas Takes NewRole with Sutter Health Ochsner Health’s board of directors announced that after 24 years of service to the organization, Warner Thomas will enter the next chapter of his career as president and CEO of Sutter Health. The Ochsner Health board has unanimously voted to appoint Pete November, Ochsner Health’s current executive vice president and chief financial officer, as Thomas’s successor. November will assume the role of CEO Nov. 1, 2022. “Since joining Ochsner in 1998, and assuming the role of President and CEO in 2012, Warner has been instrumental in our growth and success. Under Warner’s leadership, Ochsner Health has expanded across Louisiana and the Gulf South and built a national reputation for quality and excellence,” said Andy Wisdom, chair of Och- sner Health’s board of directors. “Warner’s leg- acy will live on at Ochsner for many years to come. On behalf of the entire board of directors, we are grateful for Warner’s visionary leadership, and we wish him the very best in this next chapter.” During his tenure as CEO, Thomas has led the organization through a period of transformation, tripling the size of the health system from nearly 13,000 to approximately 36,000 employees, from 860 to more than 2,300 physicians, and provid- ing high-quality care in 40 hospitals serving our communities across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. “Leading Ochsner Health over the past 10 years will be one of the greatest accomplishments of my career,” Thomas noted. “I leave Ochsner with a tremendous amount of pride and satisfaction, but also a tremendous confidence in the future of the organization and the great accomplishments that are yet to come. With Pete at the helm and the exceptional leadership team in place, Ochsner Health will continue to navigate the challenges brought on by a changing healthcare landscape.” Since joining Ochsner in 2012, November has held numerous senior leadership positions within the organization with responsibility ranging from operations and finance to partnership develop- ment and digital health. Through these roles, he has been involved in nearly every aspect of the organization. Notably, during his tenure at Ochsner, November spearheaded the develop- ment of Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana, creating meaningful impact within the region through the hiring of more than 300 physi- cians, expansion of behavioral health services, and investment of more than $200 million. “Pete is an exemplary leader who has a deep understanding of Ochsner Health, our patients and the communities we serve,” said Wisdom. “Over the last several years we’ve developed a clear leadership succession plan, and the Board’s unanimous vote is a strong signal of our confi- dence in Pete to build on Ochsner’s foundation of excellence to ensure we remain strong for many years to come.” Before joining Ochsner in 2012, November served as executive vice president, general coun- sel and head of acquisitions for LHC Group, Inc. Prior to LHC Group, Inc., he was an equity part- ner with Alston & Bird, an international law firm, where he helped a wide range of healthcare orga- nizations navigate growth and complex partner- ships for more than 14 years. Kids Join The Fight, Children’s Hospital NORaise Funds for Walker’s Imaginarium Imagine a place where kids can discover, learn, play, and just be kids — in a hospital. Children’s Hospital New Orleans and Kids Join The Fight have announced plans to build a 12,000-square-foot enrichment center located on the hospital’s main campus. The center is named Walker’s Imaginarium in memory of Walker Beery, who launched Kids Join The Fight before he passed away from pediatric brain cancer last September. “Walker’s Imaginarium will enhance each patient’s care and provide joyful moments while these families navigate their healthcare journey,” said Taylor Beery, Kids Join the Fight founder and father of Walker Beery. “Walker wanted better for every child who has to face a tough diagnosis. This place will provide moments of joy and normalcy that these children and their families so highly value and so deeply deserve.”  Walker’s Imaginarium will be made possible through donations from the shared community of supporters between Children’s Hospital and Kids Join the Fight, a nonprofit organization. A campaign steering committee has already raised more than $4 million toward the project including a transformational $1 million matching gift from Boysie and Joy Bollinger. LCMCHealth and Tulane University Announce Partnership LCMC Health and Tulane University announced in October intentions to partner. Upon approval, Tulane Medical Center, Lakeview Regional