[StBernard] Chalmette Medical is condemned

[Westley Annis]

Chalmette Medical is condemned
Hospital asks for time to clean out waste, confidential records 
Saturday, November 04, 2006
By Karen Turni Bazile

St. Bernard Parish has condemned Chalmette Medical Center, the parish's only
hospital, which has been shuttered since Hurricane Katrina. 

It's not clear if the parish will tear down the two-story building which was
inundated by floodwaters more than 14 months ago. Hospital officials have
asked for a delay so workers can remove confidential medical records and
medical waste still in the facility at 9001 Patricia St. in Chalmette. 

Parish Chief Administrative Officer Dave Peralta said he would not grant
Universal Health Services Inc., the hospital's parent company, any more
extensions although he said if they continue to clean the property, there
probably would not be any punitive action taken. 

 
Martin Landrieu, an attorney for the hospital, wrote to Parish Community
Development Director Gina Hayes on Oct. 27 asking for an extension and
explaining the company's cleanup plans. 

Hayes said under parish law, she granted the maximum extension of 10 days. 

In his correspondence with the parish regarding the condemnation of the
hospital and the neighboring medical office building at 9000 Patricia St.,
also owned by Universal Health Services, Landrieu said the company has kept
the buildings safe and maintained by boarding them up, erecting fencing and
establishing around-the-clock security. 

The company would prefer to clean and demolish the site because there are
certain requirements regarding confidential medical documents and medical
waste, the attorney said. Universal Health and Chalmette Medical have
received bids for removing the waste and records and for the demolition, he
said. 

Crews in protective gear were going in and out of the hospital building this
week. As of Friday afternoon, there were piles of computers and other
damaged equipment outside the hospital. 

The council and other parish officials have been highly critical of the
hospital, citing the way it handled its patient evacuation and blasting it
for refusing to return as a viable business until the parish's population
rebounded. 

At a meeting in November 2005, parish officials said they didn't want
Chalmette Medical to return. Hospital officials at the meeting defended
their actions and said they saved many lives and evacuated after the storm
when it was possible. 

Now parish officials are questioning why it would take so long for a big
business to clean its property. 

"I'm disappointed that it took them 14 months to address the building,"
Councilman Craig Taffaro said. "That underscores their lack of commitment to
return to the community." 

Hayes said the hospital was one of about 3,651 buildings the parish
condemned recently because either they were not gutted or not secured.
Condemned properties were stickered with notices that they were up for
involuntary demolition. 

Chalmette Medical was licensed for 265 beds and had been in service for 25
years under different owners. It was founded in 1981 as De La Ronde
Hospital. 

Since Katrina destroyed that campus, health care in St. Bernard Parish has
been provided through a patchwork of efforts, including some assistance from
the federal government and a group of local doctors that successfully
lobbied two nonprofit health systems to take over the clinic next to the
government complex in Chalmette. 

. . . . . . . 

Karen Turni Bazile can be reached at kturni at timespicayune.com or (504)
352-2539.