[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Hospital tweaks leadership amid financial investigation

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish Hospital tweaks leadership amid financial investigation
By: CityBusiness staff reports September 29, 2016 

St. Bernard Parish Hospital is shaking up its leadership amid the
resignation of several hospital officials and an investigation into its
finances.

The hospital board said Thursday that it has entered into a cooperative
endeavor agreement with Ochsner Health System to complete a 90-day
organizational assessment. Ochsner is lending senior leadership to the
hospital during that time, according to a news release.

Kim Keene, assistant vice president of clinical operations for Ochsner
Medical Center-North Shore, will be interim CEO for St. Bernard Parish
Hospital. Anthony Bonnecarre, controller at OMC-North Shore, will provide
financial expertise to the assessment.

After the 90-day period, Ochsner will make recommendations on how the
hospital should move forward.

“The stability of our hospital is the number one priority of our board and
as a result, we have been proactive in engaging Ochsner in these
discussions,” said Mary Hand, St. Bernard Parish Hospital board chairman. 
“Through this assessment, we also look forward to engaging our physicians to
work with the board on this process through the formation of a physician
advisory committee.”

Media outlets have reported that a grand jury has been investigating the
publicly-owned hospital over its finances. Former administrator Wayne Landry
told WVUE-TV he used hospital money to recruit doctors.