[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish's hospital just weeks to completion

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish's hospital just weeks to completion

Updated: Jul 09, 2012 12:13 AM CDT
Written by: Evan Anderson - email

 

Chalmette, LA - Residents are now counting down days to the opening of the
first hospital since Katrina. The 40-bed hospital and medical office
building under construction in the parish, is just weeks to completion.
Sunday, FOX 8 took a tour of this state of the art medical center.

"It's really designed to actually meet the needs of the patient as they
present themselves to this facility. What we tried to do with the lobby as
well as what you'll see in the patient rooms, is give it a more open, more
of a hotel effect, as opposed to an institution effect, because you're
treating the visitors, as well as you're treating the patients," said Wayne
Landry, Chairman of the Hospital Service Dist., and Hospital Foundation.

It's being called one of the last major components to Katrina recovery in
St. Bernard parish. The massive economic development project has been over
three years in the works.

"There was a lot of steps involved and a lot of people that helped us pull
this mission off," said Landry.

Landry, says the new facility will be one of the most medically advanced,
state of the art hospitals in the region.

"The entire facility here, is electronically controlled through electronic
medical records, all your diagnostics, your ct, your radiology, all of that
will be electronic, so even in the operating room, they can pull up all of
your electronic chart," said Landry.

Landry says up to 140 people will staff the facility once it's officially
opened. The old Chalmette medical center flooded after Katrina, and never
re-opened. Five years later in November of 2010, residents supported a
10-year millage, which helped fund a new hospital in the parish.

"Without that, this facility could have never been built, so first of all,
the people of St. Bernard, came to the line, and made this project
possible," said Landry.

Hospital construction reflects lessons learned from Katrina. Landry says
more than $10-million dollars in operating systems were built into the
second floor, 25 feet off the ground. The new hospital can also take high
winds, and it's even built to withstand seismic activity.

"So this probably right now is the strongest building in St. Bernard
parish," said Landry.

The $90-million facility is financed through grants, tax credits and state
capital outlay dollars.

Landry also says, there's a lot of room for expansion, they can add at least
60 beds without adding a fourth floor.

The construction completion date is set for August 1st. The hospital will be
run by the Franciscan Order.