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Michael J. Culotta

Patients will notice little change at the four Louisiana hospitals LifePoint Hospitals Inc. acquired in its $1.7 billion acquisition of Province Healthcare Co.

"As I tell people all the time, they still start IV's the same way they always have. They still put stitches in the same way. They still put on bandages the same way. There's not a whole lot of difference at the local level," said Sarah Branton, a spokeswoman for Doctors' Hospital in Opelousas.

The major change at Doctors' Hospital, as well as Eunice Community Medical Center, Teche Regional Medical Center in Morgan City and Minden Medical Center, is taking place behind the scenes. These former Province properties and 17 others are switching to HCA Inc. health and business management systems. LifePoint already owned River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace and Ville Platte Medical Center.

Michael J. Culotta, chief financial officer of LifePoint Hospitals, has said it will take two and a half to three years to convert the Province hospitals to the HCA system.

Just the clinical side takes 12,000 to 15,000 man-hours to convert to the Meditech software, Culotta said during presentations to investors and brokers. In addition, converting the accounting systems will consume about 3,000 man-hours.

"The clinical side is reaching every single person in the hospital. That means it's hitting every nerve. It's hitting materials management. It's hitting pharmacy. It's hitting the doctors," Culotta said.

The investment of time and money - the details of which were not available - is worth it to LifePoint, the company said. The new systems will reduce errors and improve care.

The Meditech software allows for electronic medication administration and physician order-entry systems. Among other things, the software automatically charts the time, drug and dose each patient receives.

The Institute of Medicine estimates that 98,000 Americans die each year from medical errors. The annual costs related to medical errors range from $8.5 billion to $14.5 billion.

HCA officials have said electronic medication administration records, known as eMAR, prevented more than 20,000 serious errors over an eight-month period in 2004. The software headed off more than one million mistakes in drugs, dose, route or recipient during that time period, which saw HCA nurses administer more than 51 million medications.

Branton said switching software is one of the main changes the hospital will see.

"We're finding out we're more alike than we are different," Branton said.

For example, Province has "Five Pillars" of service, Branton said. LifePoint has "High Fives" guiding principles.

The pillars consist of high quality care; attracting and retaining the best people; a focus on patient service; superior financial results; and selective growth. The high fives consist of expanding the scope and quality of care for patients; creating an outstanding work environment for employees; strengthening the hospital's central role within the community; managing financial performance responsibly for stakeholders; and supplying the necessary equipment and resources to doctors.

LifePoint and Province officials say the merger takes advantage of a shared culture and values. The merger will also increase the chain's buying power and finances.

At Doctors Hospital, the acquisition may also boost capital investment, Branton said, although she could not discuss the details of what new services or technology the facility may add.

Stephanie Stromer, marketing director for Ville Platte Medical Center, said the merger was just finalized in April so it's difficult to know what changes will take place.

One possibility is that the merger may allow some of the hospitals to share some staff, Stromer said.

"We're very familiar with Eunice Community Medical Center and Doctors' Hospital in Opelousas," Stromer said. "We've known them and worked with them for years."

And if the other Province hospitals' experiences are anything like Ville Platte's, they'll be glad to fall under the LifePoint umbrella.

Ville Platte Medical Center has prospered since LifePoint bought it in 2001. The cash-strapped hospital couldn't afford to invest in new equipment or to grow. Under LifePoint, Ville Platte is actually making a profit.

The hospital is in the midst of a $16 million expansion that will nearly double the facility's size, Stromer said. The two-phase project includes a new emergency department, intensive care unit, four surgery suites, respiratory therapy unit, medical records department, and clinical laboratory.

Ville Platte is also adding a rear parking area, and refurbishing its front parking area, she said.

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