[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Hospital begins seeing patients and billing to insurance

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish Hospital begins seeing patients and billing to insurance

Published: Tuesday, September 18, 2012, 11:42 AM     Updated: Tuesday,
September 18, 2012, 11:58 AM

 By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune 

While the past few weeks St. Bernard Parish Hospital could see patients who
paid out of pocket, the new $70 million, 113,000-square-foot public
Chalmette hospital this week can begin seeing patients and billing through
insurance plans. The hospital on Friday passed the final phase of its
certification process, an accreditation survey overseen by the Joint
Commission of Accreditation for Hospitals, an independent body that handles
certifications for hospitals.

Now the hospital is negotiating contract agreements with Medicare, Medicaid,
Blue Cross, and about six other hospital care providers. Wayne J. Landry,
St. Bernard Parish Hospital Service District chairman, said some of the
contracts are nearing completion but that he expects all nine of them to be
signed within two to three weeks.

"While we are in these negotiations, we will be able to call them on a
case-by-case basis until we get a contract in place," Landry said.

Landry said that about 35 to 40 doctors already have received accreditation
to work at the hospital and that he expects at least 60 doctors over the
course of next year.

Construction of an adjacent about $13 million, 60,000-square-foot medical
office building is expected to wrap by the end of November. Both facilities
sit between West Judge Perez Drive and St. Bernard Highway. The hospital's
address is 8000 West Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette, LA 70043 and its general
phone number is 504.826.9500.

Landry pressed St. Bernard residents and others to support the new facility.

"We need people to support the hospital as it needs a lot of business in
short term especially to break even," Landry urged. "We need to make sure
everyone in st. Bernard patronizes the new hospital, not only st. Bernard,
but on the east bank of Plaquemines in New Orleans East as well."



TED JACKSON / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

The fleur-de-lis logo graces the facade of the new public St. Bernard Parish
Hospital.

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, which has been under planning and construction for the
more than three years, has 40 patient beds: eight intensive-care, four
long-term care and 28 general inpatient. There also are four operating
suites, two endoscopy suites, a cardiac catheter lab, and 10 beds in the
emergency room. The hospital also provides medical imaging, laboratory,
in-house pharmacy and dietary and nutritional services.

When completed, the medical office building will include a clinic -- the St.
Bernard Community Health Center -- that can serve lower-income patients and
others through a sliding fee scale. It also housing administrative offices
and several physicians' offices.

Taking into account the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, the hospital
has been designed to withstand extreme weather and water conditions.
Generators, diesel fuel tanks and operating systems are located on the
second floor, more than 25 feet above ground.

During Hurricane Isaac, Landry says the hospital sustained no significant
damage

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