Healthcare today faces a critical challenge. Patients need better access to care, while primary care providers (PCPs) are overwhelmed by the complexity and sheer number of patients. At Ochsner Digital Medicine, we believe there’s a smarter way forward. Over the past decade, we’ve pioneered a groundbreaking, technology-driven clinical care model. This model doesn’t just simply monitor cardiometabolic conditions, but actively manages and treats them — with impressive results.

What started as an idea to rethink care delivery has grown into a scalable solution addressing some of today’s most pressing healthcare issues. We combine advanced technology with specialized clinical teams to empower health systems, employers and health plans by improving patient outcomes while alleviating strain on healthcare providers.

I was recently invited, along with my colleague Dr. Kenny Cole, medical director of Digital Medicine,  to present at the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition. As Ochsner Health is a previous HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence winner, we were honored to participate and lead a session to explain what we are doing and why it matters. This is what I shared with the audience:

More Than Monitoring

It’s easy to think of Digital Medicine as another remote patient monitoring (RPM) program. And while monitoring is crucial to what we do, our model is far more comprehensive. Ochsner Digital Medicine treats cardiometabolic conditions like hypertension and Type 2 diabetes by gathering real-time health data and turning it into actionable care. But we don’t stop there.  

We’ve essentially created a new type of specialist where one didn’t exist before. Our dedicated digital care teams — including licensed clinicians authorized to prescribe medications and order labs — focus solely on managing these conditions. By keeping the patient’s PCP at the center of the decision-making process, we’ve built a seamless system that enhances, rather than interrupts, traditional care workflows.  

This approach isn’t just transformational for patients; it’s making life easier for PCPs. By resolving the recurring challenges of time, data, and variability, we’re filling a gap that modern medicine has long struggled with.

Ten Years of Proven Outcomes  

When we started this program a decade ago, we knew it had to be measured by one thing above all else: patient outcomes. That guiding principle has shaped every decision we’ve made. With a commitment to piloting every change and refining only what drives results, our outcomes speak for themselves.  

Today, most Ochsner Digital Medicine patients come from our Ochsner’s own panels; our program is the standard of care due to its clinical success. But we’ve gone further, expanding our offering to employers, payers and health systems nationwide. Licensed in all 50 states, currently delivering care in 38.  

Members of Ochsner Digital Medicine see significantly improved blood pressure control, healthier A1C levels, and better cholesterol management than those in traditional care settings. This doesn’t just translate to healthier lives; it leads to fewer hospitalizations and lower costs for everyone involved.

Rewriting the Story

One of the most striking parts of our story is how we’ve addressed the central challenges of time, data and access.  

For PCPs, the burden of managing these complex chronic conditions often feels insurmountable. Providers don’t have enough time in a single patient visit to gather and act on the data required to make informed decisions. That’s where we step in.  

By equipping patients with devices like blood pressure cuffs and glucometers, we’re able to collect continuous data and directly integrate it into their medical records via Epic. But it’s not just raw data — we’ve developed a custom-built high-priority report that filters and identifies patients needing immediate intervention. Instead of burdening a stretched-thin PCP, this information goes directly to our remote care team.  

The workflow is seamless because the system that documents these care interventions is the same as the patient’s PCP uses. No extra portals or duplicate systems. Just better outcomes and streamlined collaboration.

Expanding the Solution

We began with a focus on hypertension but have since evolved to address the full spectrum of cardiometabolic conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and weight management. With the advent of innovative treatments like GLP-1 medications, we’re seeing even more opportunities to expand patients’ options.  

This care model is also designed for scalability. What works in one condition can be applied to others. Over the next year, we plan to expand our program to include heart failure and chronic kidney disease. By building on our successes, we aim to bring the same level of care to even more patients across new conditions.

Why Partner with Ochsner Digital Medicine?  

For health plans, employers and health systems, the benefits of partnering with Ochsner Digital Medicine are clear. Our unique ability to combine cutting-edge technology with hands-on clinical care means we deliver results that are both measurable and meaningful.  

We understand that every organization faces different challenges, but our model is adaptable. Whether you’re managing rising healthcare costs in your workforce or looking to improve the quality metrics of your health system, our partnership is designed to align with your goals.

As part of a nearly 80-year-old academic health system, our program is backed by decades of expertise. We’re not just another startup testing an unproven solution—we’re a mission-driven team committed to outcomes, quality, and lasting patient impact. Let’s connect.

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