LSU Health Shreveport deals with shortfall

Officials with LSU Health Shreveport are trying to boost hospital revenue by nearly $7 million to help offset a $13.7 million budget shortfall this year. The (Shreveport) Times reported that hospital administrator Joe Miciotto is reviewing all costs in an effort to cut another $6 million to $7 million in spending. He started cost-cutting measures in 2010 after state officials warned of declining revenue, then imposed midyear budget cuts. Miciotto has identified about $3 million in savings for this year from a combination of lower-cost natural gas, elimination of an in-house nursing pool, a ban on travel spending and a continued freeze on 40 vacant positions. The hospital hired 35 permanent nurses to replace the in-house pool, a move that was cheaper than paying an hourly premium for on-call nursing services, Miciotto said. His next step is to look at the cost of supplies and encourage employees to consider seeking competitive proposals for items such as surgical staplers. “I have convinced the administrative team that if we only want to freeze 40 positions, we have to find another $3 million to $4 million” in savings, Miciotto says. For his part, LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor Robert Barish says the health center won’t impose unpaid furloughs, lay off workers or eliminate health services.