KEY TAKEAWAYS: Ochsner opened a $120 million, 132,000-square-foot neuroscience institute in New Orleans. The four-story facility begins seeing clinic patients Oct. 5. The institute combines neurology, neurosurgery, behavioral health and rehabilitation services. The facility includes the Team G leason Assistive Technology Lab and will serve as Ochsner’s largest neuroscience location. Ochsner Health has opened a $120 million neuroscience institute in New Orleans, bringing neurological, behavioral health and rehabilitation services together in a new 132,000-square-foot facility. The Debra H. and Robert J. Patrick Neuroscience Institute will begin seeing clinic patients Monday, Oct. 5. The four-story facility houses programs in neurology, neurosurgery, behavioral health, physical medicine and rehabilitation, therapy and wellness. Ochsner said the institute is the only neuroscience facility of its kind between Houston and Atlanta and will serve as the largest location for the health system’s neuroscience program. The facility is designed to provide patients with coordinated care for complex neurological conditions by bringing specialists, rehabilitation services, behavioral health support and advanced technology into one location. “The Patrick Neuroscience Institute is built on four core clinical pillars including neurology, neurosurgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation and behavioral health. Together, these disciplines allow us to treat the whole patient across every stage of disease and recovery,” said Dr. David Houghton, system chair of neurology at Ochsner Health. “This work reflects a broader commitment to brain health and wellness across a lifetime, shifting from reactive care to proactive and preventative strategies.” The institute includes the Team Gleason Assistive Technology Lab, developed in partnership with Team Gleason. The lab will provide patients with ALS and other neurological conditions access to communication devices, mobility equipment and environmental control technologies intended to support greater independence. Other features include specialized therapy spaces with body-weight support systems, functional electrical stimulation and biofeedback technology. A gait lab will use motion analysis to develop individualized treatment plans. The institute also offers music therapy, yoga and creative writing as part of its rehabilitation and wellness services. The Parker Family BioDesign Lab will provide space for clinicians and industry partners to work on neurological care applications, including 3D modeling. The project was made possible in part through a gift from New Orleans businessman and entrepreneur Bobby Patrick and his wife, Debbie Patrick, along with contributions from other donors, according to Ochsner. “The Debra H. and Robert J. Patrick Neuroscience Institute marks a significant investment in the health of our communities and the future of neuroscience care,” Ochsner President and CEO Pete November said. “We are deeply grateful to Debbie and Bobby Patrick for their extraordinary generosity, along with the many donors whose support made this vision a reality.” The Patricks also made an additional gift to establish the Patrick Neuroscience Academy within the institute. The academy will support education and workforce development for neuroscience physicians, clinicians, researchers and other professionals through scholarships, fellowships, specialty training and other programs. Ochsner’s neuroscience program includes more than 100 specialists working in areas such as neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, vascular neurology, movement disorders and cognitive impairment. Nearly 100,000 neuroscience and behavioral health patients receive care annually from more than 200 Ochsner physicians, advanced practice providers, rehabilitation therapists and behavioral therapists, according to the health system. The program includes more than 20 specialties and subspecialties and serves patients from Louisiana and 43 states. The institute will also consolidate multidisciplinary neurology, neurosurgery and clinical research programs while expanding Ochsner’s capacity for clinical trials, research and neuroscience training. Ochsner Health operates 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South. In 2025, the nonprofit health system reported more than 40,000 employees and 5,000 employed and affiliated physicians who cared for more than 1.6 million people. ...read more read less