Tulane Health System Dedication of Dr. Norman McSwain First Responders Clinic

“What have you done for the good of mankind today?” was one of Dr. Norman McSwain’s favorite questions. Today, Tulane Health System honored Dr. McSwain’s legacy of working with our city’s first responders at a special ceremony to dedicate the newly expanded First Responders clinic in his name.

“Today we are going to rename our First Responders clinic after Norman,” said Dr. William Lunn, CEO of Tulane Health System. “We are also going to elevate the services that we provide to those first responders. So, what have we done today for mankind? Norman, you’ve taught us well and we got your point,” said Lunn.

Dr. Norman McSwain, a pioneer in the field of trauma medicine, served as the New Orleans Police surgeon for more than 30 years before he passed away in July 2015. He had a close relationship with all first responders; working alongside them in the field, teaching them, and caring for them.

“Every Mardi Gras parade of every year, we gave [Dr. McSwain] a police car,” said NOPD superintendent. “He would drive at the front of the parade and give every police officer a B12 shot. He was our doctor,” said Harrison.

About 25 years ago, Dr. McSwain started the First Responders walk-in clinic at Tulane to serve the global healthcare needs of those who serve our community. The newly minted McSwain First Responders Clinic serves as a primary care clinic for all of New Orleans first responders including, NOPD, NOFD and local EMS providers. Both work related and personal illnesses are evaluated and treated. 

“I hope that having his name on this clinic will make young doctors, young EMS folks ask ‘who was Dr. McSwain?’’ said New Orleans Mayor, Mitch Landrieu. “The more like him we all can be, the better the people of the city of New Orleans will be. We’re all better when we are caring for each other, reaching out for each other and being there just to be there when we are needed,” said Landrieu.

About The McSwain First Responders Clinic

The McSwain First Responders Clinic is located at the Tulane Downtown Multispecialty Clinic on LaSalle Street. The medical team includes Dr. Paul Gladden, Tulane University School of Medicine chief orthopedic trauma surgeon and nurse practitioner Lisa Craft. The clinic cares for about 50 patients per month, but has recently expanded hours to accommodate more first responders. The McSwain First Responders Clinic is a part of Tulane Health System, an acclaimed teaching, research and medical system serving the greater New Orleans area. Tulane has more than 500 credentialed physicians who provide leading-edge care, ranging from primary to tertiary to quaternary. Facilities in the New Orleans area include Tulane Medical Center, Lakeside Hospital for Women and Children, Tulane Pediatrics, Tulane Cancer Center Comprehensive Clinic, Tulane Transplant Institute, Tulane Multispecialty Center Metairie, Tulane Multispecialty Center Uptown, Tulane Multispecialty Center Downtown and the Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine. Tulane Health System is a partnership jointly owned by LCMC Health and Tulane University. For more information about Tulane Medical Center, please visit TulaneHealthcare.com or call 1-800-588-5800.