West Ascension Parish Hospital Announces September 1 EPIC CommunityConnect Go-Live
New electronic health record system will strengthen care coordination, improve access to health information, and help keep quality healthcare close to home
DONALDSONVILLE, LOUISIANA — August 28, 2026 — West Ascension Parish Hospital (WAPH) is proud to announce the official go-live of EPIC CommunityConnect on September 1, 2026, marking a significant milestone in the hospital’s continued commitment to providing accessible, connected, high-quality healthcare to the residents of Donaldsonville, West Ascension Parish, and surrounding communities.
Over the past 11 months, West Ascension Parish Hospital, through its contractual agreement with Our Lady of the Lake Health for EPIC CommunityConnect, has worked extensively to prepare for the implementation. This effort has included clinical preparation, staff training, technology integration, workflow redesign, data migration, testing, and numerous hours of planning to ensure the hospital is prepared to provide patients with a more connected healthcare experience.
EPIC is one of the nation’s leading electronic health record platforms and will provide West Ascension Parish Hospital with enhanced capabilities to securely manage and share patient health information across participating healthcare organizations.
What Does EPIC Mean for Our Patients?
For patients, the transition to EPIC means much more than a new computer system. It creates a stronger connection between patients, providers, and their healthcare information.
Through EPIC, patients can benefit from:
- Improved access to health information through the patient portal.
- Greater interoperability, allowing authorized healthcare providers participating in the connected network to more efficiently access important medical information.
- Improved coordination of care when patients receive services from multiple healthcare providers.
- More complete clinical information, including medical histories, medications, allergies, laboratory results, imaging, and other important health information.
- Reduced duplication of testing and procedures when appropriate information is available to providers.
- More efficient communication between care teams, helping providers make informed decisions about a patient’s care.
- Improved medication management and visibility of important medication information.
- Enhanced patient engagement, allowing patients to become more involved in managing their healthcare.
- Greater continuity of care, particularly for patients who may receive care at West Ascension Parish Hospital and other participating healthcare organizations.
- A more seamless healthcare experience, helping reduce barriers that can occur when patients have to navigate between different healthcare systems.
Most importantly, EPIC CommunityConnect supports West Ascension Parish Hospital’s vision of ensuring that residents can receive high-quality healthcare closer to home, without unnecessarily traveling outside of the community for services.
A Major Investment in Our Community
West Ascension Parish Hospital CEO Shelton Anthony said the implementation represents one of the most important investments the hospital has made in its ongoing transformation.
“This is about much more than implementing a new electronic health record. This is about building the healthcare infrastructure our community deserves. Over the past 11 months, our team has worked alongside Our Lady of the Lake Health to bring EPIC CommunityConnect to West Ascension Parish. We are creating a more connected healthcare system where our patients can have greater access to their information and where our providers have the tools they need to deliver safe, efficient, high-quality care. Most importantly, EPIC helps us move toward a future where our patients do not have to leave their community to receive the healthcare they deserve.”
Chief Nursing Officer Loretta Larvadin emphasized the impact EPIC will have on clinical care and patient safety.
“From a nursing and clinical perspective, having timely and comprehensive patient information is extremely important. EPIC will give our care teams a more integrated view of the patient’s healthcare journey, which can help us make better-informed clinical decisions and improve communication across the continuum of care. Our nurses and clinical staff have spent countless hours preparing for this transition because we understand that the ultimate goal is better care for our patients.”
Director of Ancillary Services Alicia Falsetta highlighted the importance of interoperability across departments and the patient experience.
“EPIC will help connect the many different areas of healthcare that our patients interact with every day. From laboratory and imaging to registration and other ancillary services, having a more integrated system allows information to move more efficiently between departments and helps our teams work together. For our patients, that means a more coordinated experience and fewer barriers when receiving care. This has been a tremendous undertaking, and our team is excited to see the benefits this will bring to our community.”
Special Projects Director Jared Lormand, who has been heavily involved in the implementation process, noted the amount of preparation required to reach the September 1 go-live.
“An implementation of this magnitude takes an incredible amount of teamwork, planning, testing, and preparation. For the past 11 months, our teams have been working through the details necessary to make this transition successful. We have trained our staff, evaluated workflows, migrated information, tested systems, and worked through countless details to prepare for September 1. We know there will be an adjustment period as our teams become familiar with the new system, but we are prepared to support our employees and, most importantly, our patients throughout the transition.”
Keeping Healthcare Close to Home
The implementation of EPIC CommunityConnect is part of West Ascension Parish Hospital’s broader strategy to strengthen healthcare services in the community and expand access to quality care.
As a Critical Access Hospital serving a rural community, West Ascension Parish Hospital recognizes that access to healthcare is about more than having a hospital nearby. It is also about ensuring that patients have access to the technology, resources, specialists, and coordinated healthcare services necessary to manage their health.
West Ascension Parish Hospital’s contractual agreement with Our Lady of the Lake Health through EPIC CommunityConnect strengthens that connection and creates additional opportunities for information to follow the patient when care is received across participating facilities.
“Our patients should not have to choose between receiving care close to home and receiving care that is connected, coordinated, and technologically advanced,” Anthony said. “We believe we can provide both.”
What Patients Should Expect on September 1
As with any major technology implementation, patients may notice some changes to registration, clinical workflows, scheduling, documentation, and other processes beginning September 1.
Patients are encouraged to allow additional time and patience during the initial transition as hospital employees become familiar with new workflows and technology. West Ascension Parish Hospital has invested significant time in training and preparation and will have additional support available during the go-live period.
The hospital remains committed to making the transition as smooth as possible while maintaining the safety, quality, and compassion its patients expect.
A New Chapter for West Ascension Parish Hospital
The September 1 EPIC CommunityConnect go-live represents another step forward in West Ascension Parish Hospital’s continued transformation and commitment to the community.
From emergency care and diagnostic services to primary care, inpatient services, outpatient services, and future healthcare initiatives, the hospital continues to invest in building a stronger healthcare system for Donaldsonville and the surrounding communities.
September 1 is not simply the launch of a new electronic health record. It is the beginning of a more connected healthcare experience for our community.
West Ascension Parish Hospital is proud to take this next step with its patients, employees, providers, and community partners.