Ochsner LSU Health Enhances Trauma Care with $20,000 AEP Foundation Grant for Lifesaving Equipment

Ochsner LSU Health now has an additional piece of lifesaving technology thanks in part to a $20,000 grant from the American Electric Power Foundation (AEP Foundation).

November 7, 2024

SHREVEPORT, LA – Ochsner LSU Health now has an additional piece of lifesaving technology thanks in part to a $20,000 grant from the American Electric Power Foundation (AEP Foundation).

The AEP Foundation, at the request of Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), recently provided LSU Health Sciences Foundation (LSUHS Foundation) with funding to purchase a transesophgeal echocardiogram (TEE) machine on behalf of Ochsner LSU Health. The machine gives providers more detailed and accurate pictures of a heart than a traditional echocardiogram. This is crucial in trauma, burn, and ICU settings where life-threatening issues need to be quickly assessed to produce the best outcomes for patients.

As the region’s only Level I Trauma Center, Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport – Academic Medical Center has the resources and equipment needed to stabilize and treat the most complex traumatic injuries. The additional TEE machine will increase access to this lifesaving equipment and provide optimal care to patients in critical conditions.

“We are honored to contribute to Ochsner LSU Health’s efforts to enhance cardiac care through our $20,000 grant from the American Electric Power Foundation to the LSU Health Sciences Foundation,” said SWEPCO External Affairs Manager Michael Corbin. “This follows our previous support of $25,000 for the purchase of an ICU regulator, highlighting our commitment to strengthening Shreveport as a regional medical hub. By collaborating with local healthcare providers, we aim to improve patient diagnosis and treatment, ensuring the best possible outcomes for our community.”

This grant was initiated at An Evening for Healers 2024 and marks the second year in a row that the AEP Foundation has partnered with the LSUHS Foundation. An Evening for Healers serves as a platform to honor and celebrate first responders, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and other healthcare providers who each played a vital role in saving the lives of patients at Ochsner LSU Health while raising mission-critical funding for LSU Health Shreveport. The LSUHS Foundation used the opportunity to fundraise for a vital piece of equipment at Ochsner LSU Health’s Academic Medical Center.

“We are grateful to SWEPCO and the AEP Foundation for investing in our mission to serve and heal the members of our community who need it most,” said Corwin Harper, Chief Executive Officer of Ochsner LSU Health System. “It is through community partnerships like this that our city and region will continue to make progress and thrive.”

About Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO)
We deliver safe, reliable and affordable power to more than half a million homes and businesses in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Our 1,400 employees power today’s necessities and inspire tomorrow’s possibilities. You’ll see us improving communities, promoting sustainability and building grid resiliency throughout our territory, spanning more than 25,000 distribution line miles. Our work in energy efficiency has been repeatedly recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy, which honored us as an ENERGY STAR® 2023 Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence. We recognize that innovative approaches to workforce development are necessary to effectively recruit qualified, diverse talent in today’s competitive labor market and this includes a commitment to building a diverse and skilled workforce through partnerships to grow the talent pipeline. We’re proud to be named Texas Workforce Commission’s 2023 Employer of Excellence and to receive the 2023 Curt Eysink Excellence in Workplace Development award from the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Because we produce and deliver one of the most powerful forces on earth, we keep the safety and well-being of our customers and employees at the forefront, always. We are proud of the Million Work Hours Safety Award from the Arkansas Department of Labor Licensing and Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission on behalf of our Flint Creek Power Plant for working 4 million hours without a lost-time accident. We believe we can deliver reliable electricity while protecting the environment. Our work to support habitat conservation was recently recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation (WHC) who awarded us a Silver Certification for supporting sustainable ecosystems at our Eagle Watch Nature Trail. SWEPCO is an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company. SWEPCO’s headquarters are in Shreveport, LA. News releases and other information about SWEPCO can be found at SWEPCO.com. Connect with us by following Facebook.com/SWEPCO, Twitter.com/SWEPCOnews, Instagram.com/swepco, Youtube.com/SWEPCOtv and LinkedIn.com/company/swepco.

About American Electric Power Foundation (AEP Foundation)
The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) and its operating subsidiaries. The Foundation provides a permanent, ongoing resource for charitable initiatives involving higher dollar values and multi-year commitments in the communities served by AEP and initiatives outside of AEP’s 11- state service area.

The Foundation focuses on improving lives through education from early childhood through higher education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math; by meeting basic needs for emergency shelter, affordable housing and the elimination of hunger; and championing social justice. Other Foundation support may be offered to protect the environment, promote healthcare and safety, and enrich life through art, music and cultural heritage.

About LSU Health Sciences Foundation
The LSU Health Sciences Foundation – Shreveport is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Foundation supports the development and growth of a world-class academic health center in North Louisiana by inspiring donors to invest in LSU Health Shreveport and Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport. For more information and how to give, visit lsuhsfoundation.org.