Opelousas (La.) General Health System is expanding a shared technology infrastructure model designed to help rural hospitals access advanced IT capabilities without increasing costs.
The health system partnered with technology solutions firm Triad Executive Advisors in 2025 to modernize its technology environment and build infrastructure that could support other rural hospitals. More than a year into the partnership, the model is beginning to expand across South-Central Louisiana.
Three additional health systems have already joined the shared IT services network, with a fourth rural hospital preparing to come on board and several others in early planning discussions, Opelousas General Health System President and CEO Lance Armentor told Becker’s.
The model positions Opelousas General as an anchor hospital, with centralized infrastructure that participating hospitals can access through Triad.
“Essentially, we build the full IT infrastructure here — whether that’s network operations, security, call systems, data centers, ticketing systems or managing the EMR — and then make it scalable so other rural hospitals could access it,” Mr. Armentor said. “The goal was that hospitals could pay roughly what they’re paying today but receive higher-qualified personnel, stronger security and more IT services.”
Rural hospitals often struggle to recruit specialized IT professionals and maintain complex technology systems, he said. Smaller organizations may need expertise in areas such as cybersecurity, network operations or electronic medical record management but cannot justify hiring full-time staff for roles that may only require part-time support.
“When you’re located in a small rural community, one of the biggest issues you face is access to talent,” Mr. Armentor said. “Just like patients can have difficulty accessing providers, hospitals can have difficulty accessing specialized professionals.”
The shared-services model allows multiple hospitals to share the cost of specialized IT staff and infrastructure while maintaining their operational independence. Participating organizations contract individually with Triad, which manages and distributes the services across the network.
“As Triad expands those services to more hospitals, it lowers the fixed costs for everyone,” Mr. Armentor said. “Every time another system joins, everyone’s cost goes down a little bit. It’s working very well.”
The partnership has also supported upgrades to several technology systems at the health system, according to Mr. Armentor. One of the big issues Opelousas General was dealing with was its PACS system, which was outdated. Triad negotiated with vendors on Opelousas General’s behalf for a new PACS system and presented two options.
“One option was that the hospital could purchase and host the PACS system itself, which would cost somewhere between $800,000 and $1 million,” Mr. Armentor said. “The other option was that we could host the PACS system ourselves and extend access to other rural hospitals through a shared hub.”
With the shared model, rural hospitals would pay less than they currently pay for their older systems while gaining access to newer technology with advanced AI capabilities.
“The traditional model would be to build the infrastructure and then charge other hospitals a fee so the anchor hospital profits while everyone else pays,” Mr. Armentor said. “Instead, we’re approaching it differently. We’re taking the same cost savings that other hospitals receive. We’re an equal member of the hub. If you apply that concept, you could replicate this model across the United States and fundamentally change how rural healthcare systems share IT infrastructure and resources.”
The financial impact of this model is also beginning to emerge as the network grows.
Opelousas General, a 171-bed full-service medical center and the second-largest employer in Opelousas with more than 1,100 employees, spends about $15 million to $16 million annually on IT services, Mr. Armentor said. In the first year of the partnership, the health system kept those costs flat while upgrading its infrastructure.
“As we expand the model and bring in more systems, we’re projecting that our health system could see between $500,000 and $1 million in savings next year,” he said. “Those savings will also be seen proportionally by the other rural hospitals involved.”
Operational reliability has also improved with the partnership. Before the partnership, the health system experienced recurring IT disruptions, sometimes every few weeks. Mr. Armentor said those disruptions have declined significantly over the past year.
“I like to compare IT to electricity in your house. When you flip a light switch, you expect the light to turn on. The only time you expect it not to work is when the power company notifies you about a scheduled outage,” he said. “Through this partnership, we’re getting much closer to that level of reliability. As a result, productivity and staff engagement have improved because people trust that the systems will work.”
Mr. Armentor said the approach could serve as a template for other regions seeking to stabilize rural healthcare infrastructure.
“If we can help rural hospitals stay open and continue serving their communities, it’s a win for everyone,” he said. “In many rural towns, the hospital is the largest employer. Helping them reduce costs and invest in services keeps those communities alive.”
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