Ochsner Value-Based Care Exec Leaving for Walmart

David Carmouche, M.D., who has headed up Ochsner Health System’s value-based care delivery models for six years, is leaving the New Orleans-based health system to head up Walmart’s national expansion into retail healthcare, according to a report in the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report.

In addition to his role as Executive Vice President, Value-based Care and Network Operations, Carmouche oversaw Ochsner’s Primary Care and Urgent Care/Occupational Health service lines and all population health programs as the Senior Vice President of Community Care for Ochsner Medical Center -- Jefferson Highway. Before joining Ochsner, Carmouche served as the Executive Vice President of External Operations and Chief Medical Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.

His biography on the Ochsner website noted that Carmouche had been “instrumental in developing strong direct-to-employer relationships resulting in important products like Ochsner’s accountable care plan that delivers affordable, coordinated and expanded access to care for Walmart employees across southeast Louisiana.”

In October 2018, Ochsner Health Network announced the Ochsner Accountable Care Plan (ACP) through Ochsner Health Network (OHN), to Walmart and Sam’s Club associates working in select facilities in the New Orleans Metro, North Shore and Baton Rouge areas. At the time that deal was announced, Carmouche said, “Walmart and Ochsner Health Network came together with the common goal of reducing healthcare costs, while focusing on improved quality and patient experience. “Walmart associates now have a plan that simplifies copays, coordinates care and provides access to thousands of providers in dozens of locations.”

Carmouche, who will become senior vice president of Walmart’s Omnichannel Care Solutions, told the Baton Rouge publication that “They feel well positioned to solve some of the challenges of rural health care. They want to build something that is accessible to everyone, which means targeting both underserved and well-served populations. But I think their model will be really effective at reaching some corners of the country that don’t have great primary care.”

In May 2021, Healthcare Innovation reported on Walmart Health’s acquisition of MeMD, a multispeciality telehealth provider. At the time Walmart officials said the acquisition would allow the company to provide access to virtual care across the U.S., including urgent, behavioral and primary care.

These virtual care offerings complement their existing in-person Walmart Health centers. Walmart Health started its journey by opening its first center in Dallas, Ga., in 2019. Since that first opening, the company has opened several new centers across the state and has also announced expansions to other states such as Arkansas and Florida. With the acquisition, officials believe that it affirms Walmart Health’s “commitment to integrated, omnichannel health delivery that leverages data and technology to improve engagement, health equity and outcomes.”