North Oaks Offers First Look at Building Plans for Medical Complex at Satsuma, Schedules Groundbreaking for Fall 2008

North Oaks Health System, the largest community-based health care organization serving the Florida Parishes since 1960, plans to break ground this fall on construction of a 2-story, 47,000-square-foot medical complex in Satsuma that will focus on convenient and efficient outpatient medical care.
 
North Oaks Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michele Kidd Sutton and Livingston Parish President Mike Grimmer gave a joint project update and unveiled the first architectural rendering of the facility, designed by Gasaway-Gasaway-Bankston Architects, at the Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce general membership meeting held Wednesday, June 11 at 12 noon at Forrest Grove Plantation in Denham Springs.
 
Representing a $32 million community investment that includes construction, furniture, fixtures and equipment costs, the North Oaks-Livingston Parish Medical Complex will be located on 30 acres of land that was secured by the health system for $5 million in the spring of 2007. The property is located near the I-12 Satsuma-Colyell interchange in the Suma Crossing traditional neighborhood development. It is anticipated that the 18-month construction phase will create 70 new jobs with an average wage of $18.50 per hour, according to North Oaks Senior Vice President of Facility Development Brian Hannah. In the first year that the medical complex is operational, North Oaks plans to employ approximately 100 health care professionals with an estimated $4.4 million payroll and a projected economic impact of $13.2 million cycling through the community, according to Sutton. At present, the North Oaks Clinics located in Livingston Parish employ 50 health care professionals with an annual payroll of $1.4 million and an estimated economic impact of $4.2 million cycling through the community.
 
Scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2010, the complex will include: a 24-hour urgent care center, a family medicine clinic, a specialty clinic, an outpatient diagnostic and treatment center and a community conference room. The diagnostic and treatment center will offer cardiology, radiology, rehabilitation, and laboratory services for outpatient blood work. The Cardiology area will encompass EKG, echocardiogram, exercise stress testing and 24-hour cardiac monitoring services. Radiology will feature 64-slice CT, 1.5 Tesla MRI, full-field digital mammography, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, bone densitometry, diagnostic X-ray, as well as filmless, digital viewing and storing of radiological images. The rehabilitation component will offer physical, occupational and speech therapies, audiology and sports medicine services.
 
“The development of the North Oaks-Livingston Parish Medical Complex at Satsuma further strengthens our long-term commitment to working with the local governing authority of Livingston Parish to build a solid foundation for, as well as provide, quality health care services close to home for area residents,” Sutton affirms.
 
North Oaks officials first made public their intentions to build the North Oaks-Livingston Parish Medical Complex at the May 9, 2007 Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce general membership meeting as part of the announcement of the Suma Crossing traditional neighborhood development plans. For the past year, North Oaks facility planners have worked to prepare the site, complete construction documents and finalize the design of the building.

Current North Oaks Facilities in Livingston Parish
In 2004, the health system opened North Oaks Specialty Clinic and North Oaks Walk-In Clinic in Walker through a cooperative endeavor agreement with the local governing authority of Livingston Parish.

North Oaks Walk-In Clinic offers treatment for most illnesses and minor traumatic injuries with no appointment necessary. The medical staff of family- and emergency-medicine trained physicians offers care for infants (age 2 months and older) to senior adults. Diagnostic X-ray and laboratory services also are offered on-site. Extended office hours are available on weekdays from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Walk-In Clinic is not a replacement for an emergency room in cases of life- or limb-threatening situations.

North Oaks Specialty Clinic offers medical care by appointment in the areas of cardiology, ear, nose and throat, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and urology. The clinic’s nearly 20 physicians welcome the chance to partner with each patient’s family doctor to provide appropriate diagnostic X-ray or lab testing and specialized health care close to home. Patient appointments are available on weekdays between the hours of
8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and may be scheduled by calling (225) 664-9618.

In August 2007, the health system further strengthened its commitment to the future of health care in Livingston Parish by opening North Oaks Family Medicine Clinic in Walker. Livingston native DeSha Folgar, MD, leads the Family Medicine Clinic, which is located at 28799 Walker S. Rd., Suite 1, in Walker. From young children to retirees, Dr. Folgar and the North Oaks Family Medicine staff stand ready to care for entire families, providing: management of short- and long-term illnesses; routine screenings; well and sick child care; annual physical exams; sports physicals; breast exams; pelvic exams/Pap smears; and minor skin procedures. Patient appointments are available on weekdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and may be scheduled by calling
(225) 664-4398.

North Oaks Specialty and Walk-In Clinics are located in Southside Plaza next to Wal-Mart in Walker. North Oaks Family Medicine is located nearby at 28799 Walker S. Road.

Building a Healthy Community
Beyond the provision of health care services, North Oaks’ hallmark is community involvement, health education and outreach designed to improve the quality of life in the communities served.

North Oaks extends this mission in the Livingston Parish community through its “Especially for You” series of free health educational programs and screenings. The 2008 line-up kicked off with presentations on health New Year’s resolutions, prescription drug safety and “Heart 101.” Other planned programs include babysitting classes and a women’s health fair.

Also of note, North Oaks Community Education has taught more than 300 classes to over 10,000 participants in Livingston Parish alone since 2004. And in May 2007, North Oaks provided 1,720 student-athletes from 26 schools in Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes with free physicals.

North Oaks proudly supports the Livingston Parish community through sponsorships and volunteer hours. In 2007, North Oaks served as a major sponsor of initiatives, such as the Livingston Prom, the Fourth Annual Denham Springs Kids Bike Race, CASA/North Oaks Children’s Health and Safety Fair, Great River Road Run, the Livingston Parish Relay for Life and March for Babies, and the Livingston Parish School Board Pre-K Fall Fest, to name only a few.

The North Oaks team also is actively involved in local organizations that strive to make a difference, such as the Greater Denham Springs Chamber of Commerce, Healthy Livingston 2010, Livingston Parish Economic Development Council and Livingston Parish Drug Task Force Committee.

For More Information
• For a project overview regarding the North Oaks-Livingston Parish Medical Complex, click here or call North Oaks Marketing/Business Development at (985) 230-6647.

• To learn more about current North Oaks facilities in Livingston Parish, click here or call North Oaks Clinic at (225) 664-2111.

• To view the North Oaks Community Events Calendar, click here.

• To schedule an appointment at North Oaks Specialty Clinic, call (225) 664-9618.

• To schedule an appointment at North Oaks Family Medicine Clinic, call (225) 225-4398.

• For more information about the services of North Oaks Walk-In Clinic in Walker, call (225) 664-2111.

• For more information about Suma Crossing, please visit www.sumacrossing.com.

An architectural rendering of the North Oaks-Livingston Parish Medical Complex to be built in Satsuma was unveiled at the Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce general membership meeting held Wednesday, June 11 at Forrest Grove Plantation in Denham Springs. North Oaks plans to break ground on the 47,000-square-foot outpatient medical complex in the fall of 2008.

North Oaks Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michele Kidd Sutton (left) and Livingston Parish President Mike Grimmer (center) gave a joint project update to Livingston Parish Chamber members at their June 11 meeting concerning North Oaks’ plans to break ground this fall on construction of a 2-story, 47,000-square-foot medical complex in Satsuma that will focus on convenient and efficient outpatient medical care. Pictured at right with Sutton and Grimmer is North Oaks Senior Vice President of Facility Development Brian Hannah.

Those participating in the formal announcement of Suma Crossing and the North Oaks-Livingston Parish Medical Complex  at the May 9, 2007 Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce meeting  included: (first row, from left) North Oaks Senior Vice-president/Facility Development Officer Brian Hannah; Real Estate Brokers Randy Macon and Lee Lambert; Suma Crossing Developer Garry Lewis of Gary Lewis Properties; Donnie Jarreau and (second row, from left) Chad Ortte, both of Donnie Jarreau Real Estate; Livingston Parish President Mike Grimmer; Buck Monroe of Denkman and Associates; and North Oaks Executive Vice-president/Chief Operations Officer Michele Sutton. Not pictured are Sherman Messer of Messer Real Estate and Douglas Villien of Acadian Zoning Services LLC.