Ed Orgeron was rushed to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in August after an infection in his leg turned into sepsis, with his blood pressure falling to 60/40 by the time he reached the emergency department. The former LSU head coach is now back on the sidelines as the program's special assistant for recruiting and defense, but his hospitalization offers a fresh look at a rapid diagnostic tool now used throughout the Baton Rouge health system.
According to WAFB, citing an account from FMOL Health, the IntelliSep test immediately detected sepsis once Orgeron arrived at the hospital, and life-saving treatment started right away. He went on to spend seven days in the intensive care unit, and later left the hospital 28 pounds heavier from fluid retention, with a swollen leg and what the outlet described as a long road ahead in his recovery.
How the Rapid Blood Test Works
IntelliSep analyzes the response of white blood cells drawn from a standard blood sample and returns results in under 10 minutes, per FMOL Health's account relayed by the same report. The test was researched and developed by LSU, Our Lady of the Lake, and the biotech company Cytovale. An FDA filing on the device describes its result as representing the probability of the clinical syndrome of sepsis, intended to be used alongside other clinical information rather than as a standalone diagnosis.
Hollis “Bud” O'Neal, a physician who cared for Orgeron at Our Lady of the Lake and who led the research effort behind the test, said early recognition of sepsis saves both time and lives. He said IntelliSep immediately identified Orgeron as septic and in need of lifesaving measures, according to the hospital system's account relayed by WAFB.
From FDA Clearance to Everyday Use
IntelliSep earned FDA clearance in December 2022, according to The Source, FMOL Health's own publication. By August 2023, Our Lady of the Lake became the first hospital in the country to use it in everyday clinical care, and the test is now available in every emergency department across the FMOL Health system, the hospital system says.
The stakes behind that speed are significant. Sepsis mortality can increase by as much as 8 percent for every hour that treatment is delayed, according to LSU. Left untreated, sepsis can overtake the body within hours and cause permanent organ damage or death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 1.7 million U.S. adults develop sepsis annually, and at least 350,000 die as a result, figures WAFB's report attributes to the agency.
Faster Treatment, Shorter Stays
FMOL Health reports that patients whose IntelliSep results indicate a likely sepsis case are pulled from the waiting room 60 to 70 minutes earlier than they otherwise would be, allowing treatment to begin sooner. The health system also says average hospital stays have dropped by 1.28 days for general inpatients and 2.24 days for ICU patients since the test was put into use, according to its own research page.
Cost figures tied to the program vary depending on the source. FMOL Health reports a cost-of-care reduction of $1,429 per patient, while a separate analysis cited by NOLA.com put average savings at $1,400 for patients who received the screening compared with those who did not. The two figures come from different accounts and should not be treated as a single measurement. NOLA.com also reports that more than 7,500 Our Lady of the Lake patients have landed in IntelliSep's high-probability category since screening began, and that all six Our Lady of the Lake hospitals now use the test, with the Froedtert and Medical College of Wisconsin health network piloting it in its own emergency departments.
Orgeron Opens Up About a Health Scare
Orgeron Opens Up About a Health Scare In 2026, Orgeron opened up about a health scare, saying he had come close to dying and crediting the staff at Our Lady of the Lake with saving his life. In a video shared by Our Lady of the Lake, he said, “I was about to die and they saved my life,” according to Yahoo Sports. That same report included a radio and TV host's account that Orgeron had spent 18 days hospitalized with sepsis during his 2026 health scare. The outlet also reported that Orgeron left practice in mid-August 2026 after feeling unwell, missing the rest of fall camp and the team's first few games that season.
