LSU’s agreement with Ochsner to take over northern Louisiana’s two safety net hospitals was hailed by the partners on Tuesday, but a Shreveport senator eviscerated the current operator BRF, The Shreveport Times reports.
“We feel like this is the best partnership that could be put together in all of Louisiana,” LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport Chancellor G.E. Ghali said during testimony in a hearing of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.
LSU and Ochsner Health System are set to take over operation of the University Health hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe on Oct. 1. The 50-50 partnership, called the Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana, will be governed by a 10-person board with each partner having five appointments.
Ghali and Ochsner’s top executive, Warner Thomas, says the directors haven’t been chosen aside from BRF’s Steve Skrivanos, who will be one of Ochsner’s appointments.
“Our intent is to grow the medical school and the services at the hospitals,” Warner says. “We’re very confident in what we’re putting forth.”
The agreements haven’t been signed, but all parties are expected to do so by Monday, when Gov. John Bel Edwards is scheduled to travel to Shreveport and Monroe to celebrate the deal.
