On a TV mounted to the left of his desk, E.J. Kuiper watches the census numbers of the Our Lady of the Lake facilities rise and fall.

The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System CEO has an eye on the live feed all day, which displays the number of occupied beds in the system’s five markets. Kuiper said he monitors upticks in admissions to ensure the hospitals have the manpower they need.

“We stay very connected with the people in the trenches, because they are the most important asset that we have,” Kuiper said.

The health system, which serves greater Baton Rouge, Acadiana, the northshore, northeast Louisiana and the Jackson, Mississippi, area, committed to more than $425 million in project and staff investments for this fiscal year, largely concentrated in expanding the capac

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