Scott Boudreaux, CEO of Ochsner North Shore, has been named chairman of the St. Tammany Healthcare Alliance for the coming year. The alliance is comprised of all hospitals and patient care facilities in St. Tammany and was primarily formed to address the healthcare workforce shortage in the Northshore region.

Boudreaux said he plans to continue the programs developed to increase workforce development in the area and will see what other needs exist in the industry.

Jan Robert, executive director of the alliance, said with Boudreaux’s leadership, they are poised to continue to work with education, economic development and the healthcare industry to build the capacity of our workforce on the Northshore.

Scott Boudreaux

Although the workforce is more stable than in the past, Boudreaux said the demand for healthcare workers remains high.

The projected population growth in the area is for a 7 percent net gain by the year 2012.

He said the alliance is an unusual group because even though many of the members are competitors, they have joined together to find solutions to their common problems, such as recruiting, retention and retraining of workforce personnel.

One problem that will be addressed soon is transportation. Many allied health professionals work outside St. Tammany Parish or in outlying areas of the parish far from their work. With gasoline prices at record highs, many can no longer afford to drive to work. The alliance is exploring options to offer a minibus or car pool option to help reduce commuting costs, said Boudreaux.

The alliance is currently working with Delgado Community College, Southeastern Louisiana University and various job fairs to inform the public of openings in employment and various educational and training opportunities available, including some at little or no cost.

SLU has now begun a program where those with nursing associates degrees can get a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing online. This allows those who are already working in the field to finish their studies without worrying about a particular class schedule, he said.

The alliance also creates programs and visits middle and high school students who may be interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare field, either with or without getting a college degree, said Boudreaux.

Boudreaux joined Ochsner in 2007 after serving as CEO of River Parishes Hospital for several years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of New Orleans.