In May 1736, healthcare in New Orleans changed forever upon the opening of Charity Hospital. Founded by a grant from French sailor and shipbuilder Jean Louis, the hospital was dedicated to serving the indigent, per Louis’ last will and testament. It also made American history, becoming the second hospital to open in the United States and the first one to treat a patient.
Much has changed in those 288 years. The hospital has been rebuilt five times – three times for growth, one time after a massive fire, and again after Hurricane Katrina caused significant damage. Following the catastrophic 2005 storm, Charity Hospital closed and later reopened as University Medical Center, operated by LCMC Health. However, the original mission to treat everyone regardless of their financial circumstances remains the hospital’s core priority.
“Everybody has their own story about Charity, but the common theme is that it’s about people who choose to show up and serve others,” said John R. Nickens IV, president and CEO for University Medical Center and president of hospital services for LCMC Health. “That very much represents the spirit of New Orleans. People choose to do the hard work and that has certainly been true with Charity and now UMC. In New Orleans, we take care of people in every situation. We’ve added to that the concept of choosing excellence in every decision we make. We’re continuing to build that into our culture and live it out every day.”
At the same time, Nickens said it is important to the LCMC Health team to honor the legacy of Charity Hospital. The system works closely with the Spirit of Charity Foundation, a nonprofit that raises funds to support patient-centered care, promote health and wellness, and advance medical research and education. In addition, as part of this year’s 288th anniversary celebration, the 50 Days of Charity campaign has brought together former patients and employees to share stories of how the hospital impacted their lives. That project will culminate on May 17, with the unveiling of one wall of University Medical Center as a dedicated space for large images and descriptions that explore the history of Charity Hospital over nearly three centuries.
“It’s been important to us to engage the public and hear their stories, because we are their hospital,” Nickens said. “It can be easy to focus on the struggles, particularly during and after Katrina. But, when you truly listen and allow people to tell their stories, you hear from nurses who are so proud to have graduated from the Charity School of Nursing and doctors who work here who proudly call themselves ‘Charity Babies’ because they were born at the hospital. I think it’s really powerful.”
Aleisa Thompson has had a firsthand look at the transformation from Charity Hospital to UMC. Thompson was a nursing student at Charity, then fulfilled a dream by working as a nurse at the hospital beginning in 1986. Since then, Thompson has treated patients from premature babies to the elderly in a nursing career that continues to this day.
Aleisa Thompson in her early nursing days at Charity Hospital. Thompson continues to work as a nurse today at University Medical Center.
“I’ve always felt like Charity is my home,” Thompson said. “It’s special because it’s my community. I’ve always felt like this is where I belonged because of the patient population. These are people that I go to church with and see at the grocery store. It’s my purpose and my passion to serve them.”
Thompson was a member of the activation team – her first time on the assignment – when Katrina struck, meaning she remained at Charity Hospital during and after the storm before being rescued from floodwaters.
“Prior to Katrina, everybody would bring food and come prepared to stay for about three days and then go home. Nobody was really concerned because nothing major had happened before. Katrina was entirely different,” Thompson said. “I remember we were hearing stories that we had been rescued, but it wasn’t true. We needed people to know we were still there. I’m grateful that it eventually worked out. It was an experience that I will never forget, but I don’t think it was as bad as some horror stories say. There are many ways that it could have been worse.”
Katrina proved to be a pivotal point. In 2005, temporary clinics named Spirit of Charity were established. In 2006, University Hospital reopened as Interim LSU Public Hospital. That hospital joined LCMC Health in 2013. In 2015, University Medical Center opened and was included in the LCMC Health system. The names and locations have changed, but Thompson said the dedication to patient care has remained.
“I love being with UMC because we still see a lot of the same patients that we saw at Charity,” she said. “I’m glad to be part of a team that cares about and provides service for the underserved, because I feel like, without us, where would they go? I feel like we are needed here and that it is my purpose in life to serve them. I truly love what I do.”
Nickens said he is proud that UMC carries on Charity’s tradition while also embracing new opportunities and modern healthcare methods. The hospital is a Level 1 trauma center, meaning its staff is trained to handle the most complex and life-threatening situations. It also houses the only dedicated burn center between Galveston and Atlanta, as well as a 61-patient behavioral health program for people in crisis. UMC is also an academic medical center, meaning medical students and fellows are learning alongside nurses and physicians each day.
“I think our future is brighter than ever,” Nickens said. “With our amazing data and trained providers, we are ripe for building a network for clinical trials and research where we can learn from these trauma cases that we treat each day and enhance treatment plans even more. That would be powerful for Louisiana. I think we can be on the leading edge of that and drive the next generation of healthcare.”
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