Lafayette General Medical Center has announced a partnership with LSU to eventually take over University Medical Center.
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| LGMC President and CEO David Callecod |
LGMC President and CEO David Callecod, during a press conference held inside the hospital’s lobby, said the deal will include three “milestone” payments of $2.6 million to LSU, which will allow UMC to avoid severe cuts to the public hospital’s staff and services. Original plans included cutting up to 173 jobs and reducing the public hospital’s 353 inpatient beds down to 10.
“Through these milestone payments, we’ll be able to stave off layoffs and allow UMC to continue offering the same level of services,” Callecod told the crowd of about 100, which included LGMC staff, the Acadiana legislative delegation and dozens of medical residents from UMC.
The three payments will be spread out in installments through June 30. On July 1, LGMC is set to enter a cooperative endeavor agreement with LSU to take over management of the UMC campus. The particulars of that deal are not finalized, but are expected to be worked out between now and the June 30 deadline, Callecod added.
"This begins the next chapter in the LGMC Health System," said Callecod.
Also on hand during the press conference were state Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce Greenstein and LSU Health Services Division Executive Vice President Dr. Frank Opelka, who earlier in the day made similar announcements of public-private partnerships involving LSU hospitals in New Orleans and Houma.
Callecod said the deal will allow LGMC to further fashion Lafayette as a "medical hub," which will be achieved by the eventual expansion of the graduate medical education programs offered at UMC.
According to an LGMC news release handed out during the press conference, UMC on July 1 will begin operating with 55 inpatient beds. The release also states that a "significant amount of the current workforce" will remain employed through the transition, and that "[a]ny displaced UMC workers will have opportunities in the Lafayette healthcare market as LGMC has over 150 job positions currently posted on its website."
Monday's announcement comes after Congress announced in July that it would be severely reducing Louisiana’s Medicaid financing, which Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration responded to by pulling more than $300 million in state and federal funds from the LSU health system.
Lafayette will march Saturday in protest of Monsanto, our nation’s biggest dealer of genetically modified organisms, and demand GMO labeling on all food products.
The Louisiana attorney general's office says a special grand jury has been selected to look into possible criminal activity involving the award of a $200 million Medicaid contract by Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration.
The Louisiana attorney general's office says a special grand jury has been selected to look into possible criminal activity involving the award of a $200 million Medicaid contract by Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration.
SB 153, authored by Sen. Ed Murray, D-New Orleans, would have required all Louisiana employers to pay women the same as men.
SB 153, authored by Sen. Ed Murray, D-New Orleans, would have required all Louisiana employers to pay women the same as men.
With a state-of-the-art Sports Complex set for completion by the end of this year, the city of Youngsville has named Tim Robichaux director of its parks and recreation department.
With a state-of-the-art Sports Complex set for completion by the end of this year, the city of Youngsville has named Tim Robichaux director of its parks and recreation department.
Though we all knew it, now the nation does too, as the Hub City has topped Area Development magazine’s lists for Leading Locations, best mid-sized cities and best Southern cities. Not bad, Lafayette.
Though we all knew it, now the nation does too, as the Hub City has topped Area Development magazine’s lists for Leading Locations, best mid-sized cities and best Southern cities. Not bad, Lafayette.
Sen. Mary Landrieu filed legislation this week to delay flood insurance increases for many residents and businesses in southern Louisiana that officials fear could begin skyrocketing at the end of the year.
Sen. Mary Landrieu filed legislation this week to delay flood insurance increases for many residents and businesses in southern Louisiana that officials fear could begin skyrocketing at the end of the year.
A tea party-backed attempt to keep Louisiana from using a set of uniform national standards for public school testing will be considered by the state Senate.
A tea party-backed attempt to keep Louisiana from using a set of uniform national standards for public school testing will be considered by the state Senate.
A proposal to create the regulatory framework for surrogacy births in Louisiana edged to within one step of final legislative passage Wednesday, winning overwhelming support from the House.
A proposal to create the regulatory framework for surrogacy births in Louisiana edged to within one step of final legislative passage Wednesday, winning overwhelming support from the House.
Leather without the animal. Gotta see it (and feel it) to believe it.
Lafayette will march Saturday in protest of Monsanto, our nation’s biggest dealer of genetically modified organisms, and demand GMO labeling on all food products.
Gov. Bobby Jindal's top budget architect says the state will have enough money to cover the costs of privatizing the LSU-run hospitals.
The Louisiana attorney general's office says a special grand jury has been selected to look into possible criminal activity involving the award of a $200 million Medicaid contract by Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration.
The official opening night of Ruffino's on the River Monday followed a week of warm-up invitation-only trial runs that already had the buzz going up and down the bayou and across town.
SB 153, authored by Sen. Ed Murray, D-New Orleans, would have required all Louisiana employers to pay women the same as men.
With a state-of-the-art Sports Complex set for completion by the end of this year, the city of Youngsville has named Tim Robichaux director of its parks and recreation department.
An expansion is under way for Global Data Systems, a telecommunications company headquartered in Lafayette.
The annual songwriter showcase features some familiar names from the local music scene as well as some performers unveiling hidden talents.
Though we all knew it, now the nation does too, as the Hub City has topped Area Development magazine’s lists for Leading Locations, best mid-sized cities and best Southern cities. Not bad, Lafayette.
Design with soul arrives at Hemline for two trunk shows
Sen. Mary Landrieu filed legislation this week to delay flood insurance increases for many residents and businesses in southern Louisiana that officials fear could begin skyrocketing at the end of the year.
Louisiana's $3.5 billion sugarcane and sugar mill industries could breathe a sigh of relief after an effort to effectively end the federal sugar program was defeated on the Senate floor.
A tea party-backed attempt to keep Louisiana from using a set of uniform national standards for public school testing will be considered by the state Senate.
A proposal to create the regulatory framework for surrogacy births in Louisiana edged to within one step of final legislative passage Wednesday, winning overwhelming support from the House.
A week after rejecting a bill that would have prohibited employers from paying unequal wages for the same job based on gender, the Louisiana Senate reworked the proposal Wednesday to apply only to state employees.
Lawmakers have delayed the start date of Gov. Bobby Jindal's signature retirement achievement from last year, a law that would shift future rank-and-file state workers to a 401(k)-style retirement plan.
A proposal to ban employers and schools from demanding access to personal online accounts has been scrapped.
Attempts to raise tuition at Louisiana's public colleges appear dead for the session, despite concerns about repeated rounds of budget cuts to schools.
A state Education Department analysis of the latest standardized test results for public school students in grades three through eight shows the state continues to make incremental overall improvement with a long way to go.
Speaking after Wednesday's conclusion of conference meetings in Destin, Fla., Commissioner Karl Benson said Sun Belt members are comfortable with having 11 teams in 2014, and do not want to rush to add another school simply so the conference can hold a championship game for football.
Thrill-seekers and funnel cake-lovers rejoice — the fair is back in town.
Here's your daily look at late-breaking national and international news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Thursday, May 23, 2013:
After months of flirting, PASA and the AcA are finally getting hitched.
Chef Manny Augello of Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro and Chef Dustie Latiolais of Crawfish Town USA in Henderson will be among 10 chefs competing this weekend for the “King of Louisiana Seafood” title at the sixth annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans.
The City-Parish Council on Tuesday voted 7-2 in favor of granting motorists with outstanding SafeLight/SafeSpeed and parking tickets an amnesty period during which they can pony up for the cost of the citations without having to pay the late fee.
For the first time, the St. Martinville Okra Festival and Creole Zydeco Festival combine into one giant two day event with live music, a dance marathon and an okra cook off along Bayou Teche.
There’s no understanding the Louisiana Senate’s stance against SB 200 — a bill proposed by Sen. Fred Mills, R-Parks, calling for a delay of the plans by AGL Resources to expand its natural gas storage caverns beneath Lake Peigneur.
Lawmakers are looking for ways to create roadblocks for Planned Parenthood's construction of a new facility in New Orleans that would provide abortions in addition to other health care services for women.
Senators postponed a vote Tuesday on a controversial bill that would prohibit enforcement in Louisiana of any federal bans on assault weapons, after opponents called the measure unconstitutional.
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