[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Hospital moving along in licensure process

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish Hospital moving along in licensure process

Published: Wednesday, August 08, 2012, 2:39 PM     Updated: Wednesday,
August 08, 2012, 3:01 PM

 By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune 

The chairman of the St. Bernard Parish Hospital Service District said today
that the hospital likely will not start seeing patients until early to mid
September. The hospital service district's vice chairman, Councilman George
Cavignac, had said on Tuesday that it would open by the end of the this
month.

The about $70 million, 113,000-square-foot public Chalmette hospital has
passed the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals inspections and
survey with no deficiencies and is now moving toward the final phase of its
licensure process, according to Wayne J. Landry, St. Bernard Parish Hospital
Service District chairman. That final phase includes passing an
accreditation survey overseen by the Joint Commission of Accreditation for
Hospitals, an independent body that handles certifications for hospitals.

Landry said the accreditation process is expected to begin on Sept. 5, and
can take anywhere between two days to one week. Upon successful completion,
he says the hospital will be fully functional and ready to see patients and
participate as a provider in Medicare, Medicaid and HMO programs.

"It's a major hurdle that we have accomplished," Landry said. "We are fully
confident in the quality of the facility and its technology, as well as the
quality of its employees."

Construction of an adjacent about $13 million, 60,000-square-foot medical
office building is expected to wrap up this fall. Both facilities sit
between West Judge Perez Drive and St. Bernard Highway.

Since the privately owned, 196-bed Chalmette Medical Center was demolished
in February 2007, the parish has had a health clinic run out of trailers by
the nonprofit Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, but no
emergency room or full-service hospital.

The new hospital has 40 patient beds: eight intensive care, four long-term
care and 28 general inpatient. There also are four operating suites, two
endoscopy suites and 10 beds in the emergency room.

The St. Bernard Parish Hospital Service District has appointed Medical
Executive Committee members to oversee the medical staff's functions,
duties, activities and policies, and represent the medical staff and act on
its behalf.

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