The Advocate / Marsha Shuler

* By MARSHA SHULER
* Advocate Capitol News Bureau
* Published: Oct 16, 2009 - Page: 1B

A public-private partnership should be finalized by Dec. 15 that would make Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center home to LSU’s medical education and in-patient hospital care, LSU’s top health-care administrator said Thursday.

“We would really like to get this wrapped up by the end of the year,” LSU System Vice President Fred Cerise told a meeting of the Capital Region Legislative Delegation.

Our Lady of the Lake would need about two years to build enough capacity, Cerise said. At that point, the operation at the LSU Earl K. Long Medical Center would move from Airline Highway in north Baton Rouge to the Lake facility on Essen Lane, he said.

“We don’t want to start moving patients until we are ready,” Cerise said.

In December, LSU shelved plans to build a new public hospital in Baton Rouge to replace antiquated Earl K. Long and began negotiating with the Lake.

Officials cited the prohibitive costs of constructing a new $400 million hospital.

Under the proposal, EKL would eventually close. LSU physician training programs and patient care for the poor and uninsured would move to the Lake.

LSU and the Lake had hoped to reach accord by mid-to-late September, but negotiations involving funding for the project slowed progress, Cerise told lawmakers.

“The biggest part of the delay is the numbers, the finances so everybody gets to the point they are comfortable,” said Cerise.

The Jindal administration wants assurances that the deal won’t cost the state any more money than what is involved today, he said.

Cerise said the unit cost of delivering care is expected to be lower. But, he said, the overall cost should be about the same as it has been running because the hospital will offer more services.

“You are not looking at a lot more money?” asked House Ways and Means Committee chairman Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge.

Cerise said the funding should be about even, but he reminded them that the hospital operations are dependent in large part on Medicaid reimbursement for care given. There are federal plans to make Louisiana pay a larger share of costs of the government insurance program for the poor. That would impact the state’s total Medicaid program, he said.

Cerise said LSU officials will spend the day at the Lake today continuing financial negotiations.

“Are you looking for anything from us?” asked state Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge.

Cerise said LSU must bring the cooperative endeavor agreement to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget for approval. He said that should happen early next year.

The Lake would give LSU the capacity to train more physicians and other health-care professionals in Baton Rouge, Cerise said. He said LSU is eyeing a psychiatry program, radiation oncology and potentially orthopedics.

The Lake is starting a pediatric program, Cerise said.