BATON ROUGE, LA / ACCESS Newswire / June 11, 2026 / Two of Louisiana's premier emergency medicine providers, Professional Emergency Physician Associates (PEPA) and Ascension Emergency Physicians (AEP), today announced a strategic merger and rebranding to Franciscan Emergency Physicians (FEP). This transition reflects a unified commitment to physician-led excellence and the faith-based mission of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady (FMOL) Health System.
The transition to Franciscan Emergency Physicians signifies a deepened commitment to the group's primary mission: providing elite, community-focused emergency care through a physician-led model. This new identity creates a seamless alignment with health system partners, reinforcing a two-decade-long legacy of clinical autonomy and operational excellence. By integrating lean methodologies with compassionate service, the organization ensures that patients receive world-class care within the comfort of their own community.
For patients and families, they desire timely care with cutting-edge medicine close to home. "The communities we serve deserve compassionate care by well-trained physicians and APPs. This goes for our flagship campus on Essen Lane as well as our satellite facilities in the Baton Rouge region. We also proudly train 12 LSU-BR emergency medicine resident physicians per year. These young professionals represent the future generations of emergency medicine care in our region and beyond," says Dr. Laperouse, President of Franciscan Emergency Physicians (FEP).
FEP assures all stakeholders, including hospital leadership, clinicians, and the multi-parish communities, that this rebranding will not affect staffing or the high standards of care provided. On the contrary, it will standardize the care provided throughout the region. The group will continue to be led by Drs. Laperouse, Trevino, and the established clinical leadership team, with operational support from Emergency Care Partners (ECP).
About Franciscan Emergency Physicians (FEP)
Franciscan Emergency Physicians is a physician-led emergency department management group dedicated to providing high-caliber emergency medicine throughout the Greater Baton Rouge area. As the exclusive provider for the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System's regional emergency departments, the organization integrates lean operational methodologies with a faith-based mission of healing. By prioritizing clinical autonomy and compassionate service, the group ensures that expert, localized care remains a cornerstone of the communities and parishes it serves. To learn more, visit their website: fepem.health
About FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake
Our Lady of the Lake is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare ministry based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with more than 7,500 employees committed to serving the Capital Region and building a healthy community through excellence in patient care and education. With more than 900 beds, Our Lady of the Lake includes an academic Regional Medical Center, a dedicated 99-bed Children's Hospital, a 78-bed hospital in Gonzales, Louisiana, two freestanding emergency rooms in outlying parishes, and a 650+ provider Physician Group, Our Lady of the Lake provides comprehensive healthcare services for common to complex conditions. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is a primary teaching site for graduate medical education programs in partnership with LSU and is recognized in the areas of heart and vascular, trauma and emergency care, stroke, cancer care, minimally invasive procedures, and more. Our Lady of the Lake is part of FMOL Health and is driven by its mission to serve all God's people, especially those most in need. For more information, visit ololrmc.com.
About Emergency Care Partners (ECP)
ECP is the largest single-specialty Emergency Medicine Group providing emergency medicine and emergency department management services for hospitals across the U.S., with current operations in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Vermont. ECP sees over 1.7 million patient visits annually across operations at 66+ sites, supported by a clinical workforce of 1,400+ physicians and mid-level providers, and 12 private physician practices. ECP employs a differentiated model highlighted by its ability to maintain ownership through a physician partnership model, with more than 60% of physicians currently being shareholders.?ECP supports revenue cycle management, financial and operational reporting, provider recruiting, training, compliance, contracting, scheduling, payroll, and marketing, among other functions. For more information, please visit www.ecp.net.
Contact Information
Kacie Hackel
Director of Marketing, Emergency Care Partners
Kacie.hackel@ecp.net
SOURCE: Emergency Care Partners (ECP)
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/pepa-and-aep-merge-to-form-franciscan-emergency-physicians-strengthen-1174949
