Dr. Rob Marier, Dean of the LSU Medical School and the son of a music composer, immediately embraced the concept of creating a health care facility at LSU for the local music community. Within weeks, Dr. McConnell had secured the seed money from a record company executive for initial planning. After a year and a half of planning, the clinic began treating patients this past March. The planning process included input from a survey distributed to thousands of musicians as well as including musicians in the planning process. The clinic was created by the LSU Medical Center and Healthcare Network together with its community partners, the Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans and the Jazz and Heritage Foundation.
Eligible musicians receive care based on their ability to pay.
For those without health insurance, a sliding fee scale is used. The Musicians' Clinic is the result of an effort to greatly improve the health of a segment of our population that has often been taken for granted and underserved medically. It's often been said that our musicians soothe our souls and lift our spirits. This clinic will help to keep them healthy. It is only fitting that the birthplace of jazz is also the birthplace of health care for musicians at the state's largest medical center.