LSU’s Shreveport medical school has signed letters of intent with hospitals in northern and central Louisiana for future collaboration to put the institution on firmer financial footing and improve its impact on health care, though officials declined to provide the letters or name the potential partners, Gannett Louisiana reports.
The Times of Shreveport and its fellow Gannett newspapers in Louisiana believe the documents are public records and have filed a Freedom of Information Act request with LSU to obtain and publish the letters of intent.
“(LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport) is exploring relationships with multiple regional hospitals, leveraging our respective resources to improve access to clinical care, medical education and research throughout North Louisiana,” Victor Yick, the medical school’s vice chancellor, told Gannett Louisiana in an electronic response to questions. “Letters of intent were signed to demonstrate good faith effort in the collaboration.”
Yick declined an interview with Gannett Louisiana but agreed to answer questions via email through Mimi Hedgcock, a spokeswoman with the medical school. LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport Chancellor G.E. Ghali is traveling out of the country this week and was unavailable.
Hedgcock says Yick cited “confidentiality agreements” as the reason for not providing the letters of intent.
LSU already has a contract with Biomedical Research Foundation, which operates state safety net hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe, although the two have a fractious relationship that has spilled into courtroom battles.
“I haven’t seen the letters of intent, but I look forward to learning more about it,” says Biomedical Research Foundation Chairman Steve Skrivanos.
Gannett Louisiana has the full story.
