LAKE AFTER HOURS
SPECI AL ADVERTI SI NG FEATURE
Lake After Hours at 8751 Sullivan Road
LE CE
1999
BRATIN
20
G
2019
YEARS
Lake After Hours celebrates 20 years of fast, convenient care WORKING AS EMERGENCY room physicians 20 years ago, Drs. Kevin DiBenedetto and Graham Tujague noticed that many of the cases coming into the ER were for conditions better treated in an urgent care setting. Respiratory ailments, influenza, minor injuries and more were part of a case load that competed with life-threatening issues for time and attention. “We saw many patients because they needed relief and couldn’t wait for an appointment with their regular doctor,” recalls Tujague. “At that time, we’d seen models of urgent care clinics across the country and we thought it sounded like a good idea for Baton Rouge.” In 1999, Tujague and DiBenedetto, together with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, opened Lake After Hours urgent care clinic on Perkins Road, launching one of the first physician/ hospital urgent care partnerships in the nation. Two decades later, Lake After Hours treats more than 150,000 patients annually at 17 locations across
Dr. Graham Tujague
58
ANNUAL REPORT 2019 | AnnualReportBR.com
Dr. Kevin DiBenedetto
Baton Rouge and neighboring communities. “When we started we had no idea Lake After Hours would be the success it is today,” says DiBenedetto. “Our goals were simple. We wanted to deliver excellent care for minor injuries and illness quickly and efficiently.” DiBenedetto and Tujague still treat patients in Lake After Hours clinics. While fast, convenient care is at the heart of what Lake After Hours does, it’s the seamless connection to OLOL that sets it apart. For urgent care patients needing additional treatment, Patient Navigators can set up expedited follow-up appointments with the appropriate OLOL physician. “Lake After Hours plays an important role in our community as far as having access to the right care, at the right place, at the right time,” says Scott Wester, president & CEO of Our Lady of the Lake. “Their numerous locations give patients the choice to get the care they need closer to home, and through our partnership, there is a smooth transition when more advanced care is required.” The Lake After Hours business model continues to innovate. Its clinics were the first in the state to be accredited by the Urgent Care Association demonstrating a commitment to quality and the highest level of patient care. All Lake After Hours clinics feature on-site X-rays as well as lab testing for conditions like the flu, blood sugar levels, urinalysis and more. The clinics also offer breathing treatments and IV fluids.
AT A GLANCE PRIMARY PRODUCT/SERVICE Lake After Hours Urgent Care Clinics provide fast, convenient medical treatment for minor illnesses, injuries like colds, flu, cuts and fractures, and near-site occupational health services LOCATIONS 17 clinics across Baton Rouge and its surrounding areas PATIENT VOLUME More than 150,000 patients annually WEBSITE........................... lakeafterhours.com
Working with its affiliate, Total Occupational Medicine, Lake After Hours’ extensive network of clinics throughout the region offers a near-site occupational health solution for area employers. Services include substance screenings, pulmonary function tests, DOT physicals, lab work and more. Employees who use a nearby Lake After Hours clinic will be seen quicker and will generally return to work sooner. Lake After Hours is also a pioneer in telemedicine, offering the high-tech option to patients at select clinics that want to be seen quicker. Virtual visits are conducted in the same manner as regular faceto-face exams, but by Lake After Hours clinicians at another location. Support staff are at the patient’s side to collect information necessary to make a diagnosis which is then transmitted to the offsite provider via a secure, online video system. “The technology is really effective for patients with conditions like sore throats, ear infections, flu and lots of other issues,” says DiBenedetto. “It’s also great for rechecking injuries to make sure they’re healing properly.” At the end of the day, the physician founders of Lake After Hours recognize that providing excellent, consumer-friendly care in an urgent care setting will always be their focus. *In some locations, Lake After Hours does business as Lake Urgent Care.