The large building on Bertrand Drive that was constructed for the Daily Advertiser years ago is back in service, this time as Ochsner Health Center - Betrand.
Ochsner Lafayette General announced the opening of the renovated 100,000-square-toot outpatient facility.
Officials say it is a $35 million healthcare investment in Acadiana, with patient care rooms and spaces for internal medicine, orthopedics, sports medicine, and MTS Physical Therapy. The relocation and expansion of these services from Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics (Ochsner UHC) to Ochsner Health Center – Bertrand creates space at Ochsner UHC to expand specialty care, including rheumatology, neurology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and infectious disease, a release states.
The facility officially opened its doors to patients on Sept. 2, 2025. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration was held Sept. 10.
The new health center includes 75 exam rooms, 15 treatment rooms and four point of care rooms; multiple simulation rooms for medical residents, a PT gym, two x-ray rooms and four blood draw rooms, support and administrative spaces and 40,000 square feet of additional space for future growth.
"By moving internal medicine and orthopedic services into Ochsner Health Center – Bertrand, the team is creating the space and capacity needed to care for significantly more patients. With expanded exam rooms, additional providers, and the integration of more telemedicine, the health center is projected to increase patient care by 28% in its first year compared to its prior location at Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics. This growth comes from doubling the internal medicine clinic footprint, expanding orthopedic and sports medicine services, and adding new providers and fellows across specialties," the release states.
“This new facility represents our ongoing commitment to Acadiana. By increasing access, we’re making it easier for patients to get the care they need sooner. We’re expanding patient care, supporting medical training, and, most importantly, taking care of people. We’re proud to invest in what truly matters most - our patients, our healthcare workers and our community. This is truly a milestone for healthcare in this region,” said Patrick W. Gandy Jr., CEO of Ochsner Lafayette General.
The 2024 Ochsner Lafayette General Joint Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) identified access to care as the number one health need across the region. The opening of Ochsner Health Center – Bertrand directly addresses this need by offering more providers, expanded clinic space and comprehensive services under one roof, the release states.
“When patients can see a doctor sooner, receive diagnostics on-site, and get follow-up therapy in the same location, it improves outcomes and quality of life,” said Ochsner Lafayette General Regional Medical Director Amanda Logue, MD, MMM, FACP. “This facility will help meet the needs identified in our health needs assessment and improve care for our most vulnerable populations.”
According to the release, Ochsner Health Center - Bertrand also will expand capacity for the LSU Health New Orleans Graduate Medical Education residency program in Lafayette, which recently grew from eight to 12 first-year internal medicine residents thanks to added space. Today, Ochsner UHC hosts 25 family medicine residents and 32 internal medicine residents, supported by 35 LSU faculty exclusively based in Lafayette. In addition, there are three sports medicine fellows and three geriatric medicine fellows. Each year, an average of 140 medical students rotate through the campus, many of whom choose to remain in Acadiana to practice.
“Medical education has been a part of Lafayette’s story since 1950, and this new facility builds on that proud tradition. By expanding residency and fellowship programs and giving students and physicians-in-training the space they need to learn and grow, we are strengthening the pathway of doctors who will serve Acadiana for generations to come. Ochsner Health Center – Bertrand ensures that the legacy of training and retaining physicians in this region not only continues, but thrives,” said James B. Falterman, Jr., MD, FACP, Associate Dean for Lafayette Affairs, Designated Institutional Official, LSU Health New Orleans.
The release states that Ochsner Health Center - Bertrand will support job growth beyond physicians, adding new positions for medical assistants, nursing staff, environmental services and other roles.
“Seeing Ochsner Health Center – Bertrand open its doors is a proud moment for all of us. This is more than a renovation—it’s a transformation of how care is delivered in Acadiana. It is a centrally located, welcoming facility where patients can see their providers, get diagnostics, and access therapy services all in one place. I’m equally excited for our staff to have the space and resources they need to deliver the very best care. At its heart, this center is about putting patients first,” said Glenn Dailey, CEO, Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics.
The project was delivered in partnership with Kent Design Build, AQ Architecture and ADG Engineering.
