There won’t be any raises—again—at the LSU medical, hospital and research complex in Shreveport. LSU Health Shreveport says forgoing raises for a third year is among steps taken to deal with a $12.8 million budget shortfall. The (Shreveport) Times reports that the complex also must come up with nearly $9 million to cover the state share of employee health insurance and retirement costs. The LSU Board of Supervisors will vote on university, medical school and hospital system budgets Aug. 26. The health sciences complex will forgo employee raises for a third year and withhold stipend adjustments for medical school graduates performing residences at the hospital, according to a letter submitted to the LSU Board. The letter also mentions increasing funding through “academic partnerships,” ”increasing revenue by maximizing patient care capacity” and “reducing outmigration of local patients” as measures to improve the bottom line; but it doesn’t discuss specifics.
LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor Robert Barish briefly discussed the budget situation at a civic club meeting in July, but he and other campus administrators so far have declined to be interviewed about the budget. Administrators are working on a plan to address the shortfall, which equals about 5% of its budget, says Sally Croom, LSU Health spokeswoman.
