Health Care

New Orleans is in the midst of a troubling public health crisis. Charity Hospital has historically served New Orleans' most vulnerable citizens and its continued closure further jeopardizes the city's uninsured population, stretches limited government services to the their breaking point, and puts unnecessary strain on the region's private hospitals and care providers. The current LSU/VA plan condemns the residents of New Orleans to years of inadequate medical resources while their proposed facility is built. Since Charity Hospital can be renovated at least four and a half years faster than the LSU/VA proposal for a new medical complex, the work of attracting top flight medical personnel to provide critical public health services can begin sooner by rebuilding Charity.

Below you will find a collection of articles pertaining to the preservation issue:

Fire Drill at the Louisiana Supreme Court

Today, the Louisiana Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the LeBlanc v. Thomas case that challenges the legality of the LSU Health Sciences Center decision to shutter Charity Hospital without approval of the legislature after guardsmen and doctors decontaminated the facility and readied it for business just weeks after the federal levee failure in fall 2005.

Attorneys for the defendants argued for a change in venue so that the eventual trial is held in East Baton Rouge, where LSU is located, instead of in New Orleans where the actions to close Charity took place.

Overcoming a false fire alarm that interrupted his argument, Leonard Aragon effectively articulated the plaintiff's position that "cause of action" was in New Orleans and compelled the justices to rule to keep the case in Orleans Parish. In other words, because the four essential elements of the case - that Charity was open in New Orleans, that the Chancellor of LSUHSC decided to close Charity in New Orleans, that the Chancellor sent agents to physically close the hospital in New Orleans, and that legislative approval was not sought in Baton Rouge - trump the opposite argument that the suit should move to East Baton Rouge Parish to accommodate state officials or agencies that may become involved in the suit at a later date. Since, at past hearings, defense lawyers decided against disputing those four elements, they are treated as fact for the purposes of the venue argument.

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Louisiana Supreme Court Tomorrow, May 5th @ 9:30 AM: Bring Your Own Cheetos

Tomorrow (May 5th) at 9:30 AM there is an important hearing in the LeBlanc et al v. Thomas et al court case. The LeBlanc case challenges the legality of the closure of Charity Hospital in late 2005 without the approval of the Louisiana State Legislature. The lawsuit was filed in January of 2008 on behalf of seven uninsured former patients of Charity Hospital. In May of 2008, Civil District Court Judge Ethel Sims Julien affirmed the lawsuit, nixing an attempt by the defendant, the LSU Health Sciences Center, to have it thrown out.

The case draws on the experiences of patients who have suffered without Charity's care and the testimony of the Doctors who worked to decontaminate the hospital after the floods in 2005 so that it could reopen for returning residents.

SaveCharityHospital.com recently obtained never-before-seen photographs depicting the condition of the hospital at that time that would seem to validate the arguments put forth by plaintiffs in the LeBlanc case.

The case also underpins the recently filed intervention into LSU's FEMA appeal in Washinton D.C.

Tomorrow, the State Supreme Court will hear LSUHSC's appeal for home court advantage, that the venue of the trial itself be moved out of New Orleans to Baton Rouge. The proceeding is open to the public and we think it would be interesting to witness it in person.

Come see us at the courthouse!

May 5th

9:30 AM Sharp

400 Royal St.

New Orleans

 

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What the NEPA lawsuit means for Charity and health care in New Orleans

This past Friday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit against FEMA and the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington D.C. court. The suit hinges over the interpretation of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) of 1969, which guides how environmental impact assessments are conducted for federal construction projects.

Though those that favor the proposed medical complex project may seek to describe this action as obstructionist, the facts of the matter support the National Trust's contention that the suit is designed to encourage the reevaluation of alternative plans that contend that modern hospitals could be brought online faster and for less money at different sites.

From the National Trust:

 

“Bulldozing a historic neighborhood in New Orleans in order to build these two medical centers is wrong, both legally and morally,” said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “There are other sites that would bring state-of-the-art medical care to the community faster and for less money, without destroying Mid-City.” 

“VA and FEMA have refused to recognize the magnitude of the community destruction these projects will wreak,” Moe said. “Instead, they have dismissed this massive demolition as ‘insignificant,’ and have chosen the most destructive alternatives, offering nothing more than token mitigation measures. We hope this lawsuit will lead VA and FEMA to go back and revisit the less destructive options.”

“A lot has changed since VA and FEMA announced their decisions,” said Moe. “The new administration in Washington has placed an emphasis on sound environmental reviews, and on transparency, accountability, and public input, all of which were short-changed in New Orleans. Also, it has become clear in recent months that the supposed ‘synergy’ between the LSU and VA hospitals is nothing more than a fiction, eliminating the need to co-locate the hospitals in Mid-City. Given these major changes, we expect the agencies can now find a better way to deliver much needed health care in New Orleans.”

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Henry Butler supports Charity Hospital!

Jazz legend Henry Butler speaks:

 

 

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Press release: NEPA lawsuit against VA and FEMA for environmental violations

Lawsuit by National Trust For Historic Preservation claims VA and FEMA failed to follow federal environmental requirements for New Orleans hospitals. Filed May 1st, 2009

Doctors for Charity

LSU has repeatedly asserted that only their proposed $1.2 billion medical complex can attract the next generation of dedicated doctors and students. Those that actually worked at Charity Hospital before LSU shut it down remain as committed to the Charity mission and their New Orleans community as ever.

A group of MDs have formed a new group called Doctors for Charity. Their website is now online.

 

Since Charity Hospital was closed by state officials in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, health concerns have ranked the highest for New Orleans citizens. Nearly half of New Orleans residents are reporting limited health care options and a reduced access to health care services.

 

The task before us as medical professionals is to support a plan of action that restores an even higher level of health care services than existed before the storm, and does so quickly and in a fiscally responsible way.

For those of us that trained and worked at Charity Hospital, we know that simply returning to the way things were before Hurricane Katrina is neither advisable, nor would it fully address the health care concerns facing our city today.

- Sincerely, Steering Committee of Doctors for Charity Hospital

 

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Residents, experts express concerns at LSU design meeting

Last night, the public was given opportunity to comment on LSU designs for their portion of a $2.2 billion proposed medical complex positioned adjacent to the proposed new VA Hospital. Turnout was robust though LSU didn't do nearly the same kind of publicity that the VA did for their meeting two weeks ago.

Comment from the public was overwhelmingly skeptical of a variety of issues including the suburban design scheme, the resident relocation issue, the funding shortfall, the refusal to adopt the seemingly superior RMJM alternative plan, and the overall site selection process.

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Dome Deal?

The big story in the New Orleans metro area today is that an apparent deal has been struck between the State of Louisiana and the New Orleans Saints in which the Saints extend their lease in New Orleans in exchange for tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer money for improvements to the Superdome.

This is remarkable on a number of levels.

First and foremost, it is quite mind-boggling that political leaders have come up with an $85 million giveaway to a wealthy professional sports franchise owner amidst an enormous financial crisis and a huge state budget crunch. Since the first of the year, state administrators in Baton Rouge have warned of unavoidable slashes to health care and higher education - programs and personnel - yet somehow $85 million appears out of thin air?

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Essential Public Meeting Tonight: LSU releases designs for unfunded medical complex boondoggle

It's more than possible that you haven't heard about this yet. Unlike the VA, which released its proposed hospital design well in advance of their meeting two weeks ago, LSU had not yet posted the designs the public is expected to provide input on as of 9:00 AM this morning. Unlike the VA hospital design, which was featured in a huge full page spread the day of the meeting in the Times-Picayune, the LSU design will only be available to those with internet access and knowledge of the obscure url to which they will be posted.

Whether the designs were held back due to mere incompetence or as a result of a concerted effort to minimize turnout at tonight's meeting remains unclear.

The designs were finally published just moments ago and can be examined here.

Come out tonight and tell LSU that New Orleans can't afford to wait any longer for  health care. Tell them to embrace less destructive and more sustainable alternatives that would deliver a hospital in less time and for less money.

TONIGHT!

6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Grace Episcopal Church

3700 Canal St.

There's more!

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BREAKING: Tucker's bill to strip LSU of control of new teaching hospital passes committee unanimously

Less than two weeks ago, SaveCharityHospital.com reported that a bill had been filed by House Speaker Jim Tucker (R, Algiers) that proposed removing LSU as sole overseer of the new Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans, which includes the proposed new facility threatening Lower Mid-City.

Moments ago, the bill sailed through the Health and Welfare Committee unanimously.

Next, it will go before the full Legislature. We'll keep you posted.

Lagniappe after the jump!

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