Access Health Louisiana and DOCPACE® partner to streamline operations, reduce patient wait times, and improve patient access across Louisiana

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – Access Health Louisiana, one of the largest networks of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the state, and DOCPACE®, the only patented AI-powered schedule optimization platform for medical practices, announced a strategic partnership to improve operational efficiency, increase patient access, and reduce patient wait times across Access Health Louisiana’s network.

Navigating day-of health care logistics is often difficult for patients, particularly in underserved communities. At the same time, front-desk teams are managing hundreds of scheduling changes, manual phone calls, and time-sensitive updates. These operational challenges contribute to longer wait times, unpredictable schedules, and increased staff burden.

To address this, Access Health Louisiana has implemented DOCPACE® to deploy a smarter, more adaptive approach to managing patient volume—without compromising care quality or increasing staff workload. The AI-powered platform consolidates fragmented data sources into one centralized dashboard, enabling teams to coordinate daily operations more smoothly, standardize scheduling practices across locations and surface actionable insights.

“DOCPACE® allows our operations team to view productivity data by clinical location and by provider in real-time,” says Chenier Reynolds, Access Health Louisiana Senior Vice President of School Health and Strategic Media. “Instead of our team having to sort through multiple reports, we obtain all of the data in one convenient dashboard allowing us to make more strategic decisions to improve both patient care and our health care delivery.”

DOCPACE®’s intelligent scheduling platform supports Access Health Louisiana’s efforts to:

  • Reduce No-Shows: Appointment stacking keeps patients informed of delays or reschedules in real-time, helping reduce no-show rates and last-minute gaps.

  • Increase Visit Completion: Dynamic optimization ensures more patients can be seen each day by adjusting to real-time changes and minimizing idle time.

  • Improve Operational Efficiency: Automated communication and schedule insights allow staff to stay focused on patient care while eliminating manual coordination.

“Access Health Louisiana is leading by example in transforming how care is delivered at scale,” said Shelby Dabelich, Founder and CEO of DOCPACE®. “Our technology is designed to eliminate friction, reduce missed visits, and give both patients and providers more control. We’re honored to support their vision with tools that improve day-of operations and long-term impact.”

Together, DOCPACE® and Access Health Louisiana are building a more responsive, efficient and patient-centered care experience—strengthening health care delivery for communities across Louisiana.

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About DOCPACE®
DOCPACE® builds data-centric solutions that optimize provider schedules to maximize revenue—without adding hours or overhead. Patented appointment stacking technology enables real-time schedule adjustments, helping health care organizations reduce no-shows, increase throughput, and deliver a smoother, more predictable patient experience. By automating day-of logistics and streamlining patient communication, DOCPACE® empowers staff to focus on care while uncovering new operational efficiencies. As an official athenahealth partner, DOCPACE® integrates seamlessly within the EMR to support scalable, systemwide impact.  Learn more at docpace.com.

About Access Health Louisiana
Access Health Louisiana (AHL) is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center Network in Louisiana with health care providers across the state committed to delivering high-quality, affordable care to all, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. With community health centers and school-based health centers in 16 parishes across the state, AHL serves over 60,000 patients annually across primary care, behavioral health, and specialty services. With a mission rooted in improving the health care of Louisiana communities, AHL is advancing access to care through innovation, compassion, and a commitment to population health. Learn more at accesshealthla.org.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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