[StBernard] Hosp in N.O. East (Methodist)

[Westley Annis]

Reopening eastern N.O. hospital could cost $170M


NEW ORLEANS, La. -- A new report says it could cost $170 million to reopen a
New Orleans hospital that has been closed since Hurricane Katrina. 



The city's health director, Kevin Stephens, says it's needed because it
takes at least 30 minutes to get from eastern New Orleans to the nearest
hospital. 





Methodist Hospital had 300 beds in August 2005. The plan prepared for the
nonprofit Methodist Health System Foundation by the PricewaterhouseCoopers
consulting firm calls for reopening it with 80 beds. 





Foundation president Fred Young says it would offer basic services -- an
emergency room, labor and delivery, cardiology and general surgery, but not
high-level procedures such as neurosurgery.