Our History

Nearly 70 years of compassionate care

St. James Parish Hospital opened in 1955 as part of a Hospital Service District. St. James Parish Hospital is a public, nonprofit, Critical Access Hospital that has transformed through the years to adopt to the ever-changing needs of the community.

As we evolve, we always remain committed to our mission of providing excellent, quality and compassionate care.

Our Story

In the 1950’s, the closest hospitals to St. James Parish were in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. David Reynaud—the namesake of the hospital’s medical plaza—was the mayor at this time. David saw a need to create access to healthcare in our community and spearheaded a campaign for a local hospital. He worked with government officials to create a Hospital Service District and secure necessary financing. Financing was approved at the time due to the threat of a nuclear attack.

The original St. James Parish Hospital was the first hospital designed by the chosen architects—the same group who went on to design the Superdome and eventually become an award-winning, globally recognized firm. David Reynaud, who we credit our existence to, was the original chairman of the St. James Parish Hospital Board of Directors—a position his son Wilbur now holds.

Since opening, St. James Parish Hospital has been accredited by the State of Louisiana. In 1993, St. James Parish Hospital received its first Joint Commission Accreditation of Hospitals which has been maintained ever since in both the hospital and laboratory. Joint Commission accreditation is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting high performance standards.

In August 2001, St. James Parish Hospital converted to a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) as a result of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 which incorporated legislation that created Rural Hospital Flexibility Programs. The CAH Program helps support financial viability for rural hospitals to ensure adequate community access to high-quality healthcare in areas like St. James Parish. Since then, St. James Parish Hospital has continued to grow.

In 2008, we opened a new, state-of-the-art facility down the street from the original hospital built in 1955. We still call this location home today.

In 2012, we added a Progressive Care Unit which was designed with the layout and technology needed for sicker patients and opened David Reynaud Medical Plaza next to the hospital. Our medical plaza was built to offer clinic space for primary and specialty care physicians.

In 2015, we purchased St. James West Bank Clinic in Vacherie in order to expand primary care services to residents on the west bank of the parish. Today, we employ primary care providers in both Vacherie and Lutcher.

In 2019, St. James Parish Hospital purchased land in Vacherie with plans to rebuild St. James West Bank Clinic in order to offer patients an upgraded facility with space to grow. This land includes additional acreage to offer new services. The hospital, parish government, school system and local industries are working together to plan a space that can address wellness outside of typical healthcare and improve lives in our community.

In 2021, we expanded our Medical Plaza which created a dedicated space and additional hours for St. James Urgent Care in addition to adding a new outpatient therapy center which offers cutting-edge technology and an experienced staff of physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. Additional space in our medical plaza also allowed us to offer an on-site lab and x-ray services to make care more convenient for clinic patients.

Large enough to serve, Small enough to care

Throughout our history we have remained focused on bringing more services home to you. Our 25-bed Critical Access facility offers an extensive range of inpatient and outpatient services. While comparable in scope of services to larger facilities, our hospital’s smaller size allows physicians and staff to provide quality medical services with a personalized touch. In addition, our central location attracts an experienced medical staff from other world-class organizations.

Back To Top