FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hippo Technologies, Inc. Launches Virtual Care Program with West Feliciana Hospital to Expand Access and Reduce Emergency Department Burden in Rural Louisiana
St. Francisville, La – May 1, 2026 – Hippo Technologies, Inc., developers of Hippo Virtual Care™, a next-generation telemedicine platform enabling real-time clinical collaboration, today announced the launch of a groundbreaking program with Louisiana-based West Feliciana Hospital aimed at transforming care delivery across rural communities.
The program introduces Hippo’s Coactive Care™ model, which connects remote specialists, local clinicians, and patients with real-time video telemedicine – whether in the clinic, urgent care setting, or patient’s home – helping address critical access gaps while improving outcomes and reducing costs.
West Feliciana Hospital is deploying Hippo across three key use cases:
- Expanding Access to Specialists
Hospital specialists can virtually participate in remote patient examinations in rural clinics via an “as if you were there” experience provided by Hippo’s Augmented Reality headsets, enabling patients to receive advanced care close to home without the need for travel. Initial specialties include rheumatology, with additional services such as pediatric endocrinology and neurology planned over time.
- Avoiding Unnecessary Emergency Department Visits
Emergency department providers can virtually support urgent care clinicians in real time via the voice-activated virtual care headsets, helping evaluate and treat patients within the urgent care setting. This approach reduces avoidable ED transfers, lowers costs, and improves the patient experience.
Extending Care into the Home
- Paramedics are equipped to assist wth primary care visits in patients’ homes, supported remotely by primary care telemedicine providers. This model expands reach to vulnerable populations and ensures continuity of care beyond traditional settings.
“Finally, a system built for us in rural care,” said Lee Chastant, CEO of West Feliciana Hospital. “Hippo Technologies has allowed us to reach patients on their terms – in the patient’s home, in their clinics, and in their hospital. Increasing specialist access into our rural clinics has helped our patients remain close to home and within their community.”
Hippo Virtual Care enables a new model of care delivery by combining wearable telemedicine technology with a Clinician Extender™ – a trained local provider who serves as the eyes and ears of remote physicians. This allows specialists to examine, diagnose, and guide treatment as if they were physically present, dramatically increasing capacity without adding overhead.
“Rural health systems face mounting pressure from workforce shortages and limited access to specialists,” said Dr Patrick Quinlan, CEO and Co-founder of Hippo Technologies, Inc. “This partnership with West Feliciana demonstrates how Coactive Care can unlock existing resources, reduce delays, and deliver high-quality care wherever the patient is.”
The program builds on Hippo’s experience across more than 50 deployments globally, where the platform has improved specialist productivity, accelerated diagnosis, and expanded access to care in underserved communities.
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About Hippo Technologies, Inc.
Hippo Technologies, Inc. is a global virtual care company servicing the healthcare and medical education industries. The next-generation Hippo Virtual Care™ platform combines the most advanced voice-activated, Assisted Reality headsets and clinical-grade software allowing clinicians to collaborate remotely in real time to deliver patient care or train healthcare professionals. In addition to supporting the delivery of specialist care in the field, Hippo can integrate seamlessly with hospital systems and connected devices for a multitude of use cases in the hospital ER, OR, ICU, inpatient units, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and in the home. Hippo’s solution effectively overcomes the barriers of time, distance and training to deliver specialist care wherever the patient is located. For further information, visit: https://myhippo.life
Media Contact:
Lee Phillips
lee@myhippo.life