HLS 10RS-5115 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 133
BY REPRESENTATIVES ROY, CHANDLER, DIXON, AND HAZEL
HEALTH CARE/FACILITIES: Provides with respect to the Huey P. Long Medical Center
A RESOLUTION1
To express support for consolidation of inpatient and outpatient services at Huey P. Long2
Medical Center to create a sustainable and economically feasible model, and to urge3
and request the governor, the Louisiana State University (LSU) Board of Supervisors4
and the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals to take all actions5
necessary to streamline services and create a fiscally responsible, viable public6
medical center in central Louisiana capable of continuing its integral role in health7
workforce training and delivery of high quality direct patient care.8
WHEREAS, the Huey P. Long Medical Center provides important services vital to9
the health of many residents living in central Louisiana as well as serving as a referral10
facility; and11
WHEREAS, the Huey P. Long Medical Center has a long and distinguished history12
as an excellent training facility for many medical residents, nurses, and allied health13
professionals preparing them eventually to practice in the underserved rural parishes of14
central Louisiana; and15
WHEREAS, the Huey P. Long Medical Center includes a sixty bed acute care16
hospital that had two thousand three hundred thirteen adult and pediatric admissions, four17
hundred fifty-four psychiatric admissions, and thirty-six thousand five hundred sixty-four18
emergency department encounters as well as an extensive array of outpatient primary care19
and specialty clinics that delivered eighty-seven thousand one hundred sixty-one outpatient20
encounters in 2009; and21 HLS 10RS-5115 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 133
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WHEREAS, the Huey P. Long Medical Center in Pineville has an estimated1
economic impact of one hundred thirty-five million dollars annually and employs five2
hundred twenty-eight full-time equivalent positions; and3
WHEREAS, the Huey P. Long Medical Center in Pineville has continuously4
provided quality medical care to the indigent and uninsured populations of the nine parish5
region covering central Louisiana since 1939, when the original hospital structure was6
opened, and continues to serve vital patient care functions more than seventy years later; and7
WHEREAS, inpatient services for the Huey P. Long Medical Center are provided8
at the facility located at 352 Hospital Boulevard, Pineville while the vast majority of9
outpatient services are now provided at a separate facility located at England Airpark at 235110
Vandenburg Drive, Alexandria; and11
WHEREAS, the condition of the Huey P. Long Medical Center located at 35212
Hospital Boulevard, Pineville has been determined to be inadequate for long-term operation13
of hospital services; and14
WHEREAS, the facility that LSU leases located at 2351 Vandenburg Drive,15
Alexandria from the England Economic and Industrial Development District is a former16
military hospital and has been maintained in good physical condition; and17
WHEREAS, funding for construction of a replacement hospital for Huey P. Long18
Medical Center was first contemplated in the state's capital outlay construction bill in 200119
without subsequent progress toward construction; and 20
WHEREAS, current state debt limits, coupled with the state's multi-year economic21
outlook, restrict the ability of the state to fund the construction of a new hospital; and22
WHEREAS, the governor and public policy organizations encourage local solutions23
tailored to local health care challenges; and24
WHEREAS, the England Economic and Industrial Development District was25
statutorily created as a political subdivision of the state encompassing the territory of26
Rapides Parish, enabling it to accept title from the United States of America to the property27
included in the England Air Force Base and utilizing that and other property, and all28
assistance available from the federal government and all other sources, to replace and29 HLS 10RS-5115 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 133
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enhance the economic benefits generated by the former air base with diversified activities,1
including health care; and2
WHEREAS, the England Economic and Industrial Development District desires to3
renovate the building currently leased by LSU for clinic purposes as appropriate to create4
a full service in-patient hospital that will replace the outdated Huey P. Long Medical Center5
in Pineville as well as to renovate a building across the street from the hospital to serve LSU6
outpatient services needs; and7
WHEREAS, by consolidation into one location and renovation, the England Airpark8
hospital would allow LSU to offer patients private and semi-private rooms instead of three9
to five bed wards, thereby enhancing patient confidentiality and privacy and improving10
patient access to care with all services on one campus; and11
WHEREAS, eliminating duplicate departments resulting in staff reductions,12
improving bed utilization, reducing maintenance expenditures that continue to increase in13
an antiquated building, and eliminating cost of maintaining two campuses would provide the14
revenue stream necessary for LSU to make lease payments for the proposed facilities; and15
WHEREAS, LSU could improve efficiencies and patient safety by eliminating staff16
time lost in commuting between two campuses, improving patient flow within the facility,17
improving environmental controls, and improving security; and18
WHEREAS, consolidating services at the England Airpark would improve LSU's19
ability to recruit and retain needed physicians and other related staff in a medically20
underserved region and provide a modern facility to meet the stringent requirements for21
medical education; and22
WHEREAS, locating the Huey P. Long Hospital at the England Airpark would23
complement the state's emergency response capability by having a facility that can provide24
medical surge needs for statewide evacuees by locating near an airstrip capable of landing25
C-130 military transport planes and in close proximity to the new statewide Critical26
Transportation Need and Medical Special Needs Shelter.27
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the28
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby express support for consolidation of inpatient and29
outpatient services at Huey P. Long Medical Center to create a sustainable and economically30 HLS 10RS-5115 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 133
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feasible model, and to urge and request the governor, the Louisiana State University Board1
of Supervisors, and the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals to take all2
actions necessary to streamline services and create a fiscally responsible, viable public3
medical center in central Louisiana capable of continuing its integral role in health4
workforce training and delivery of high quality direct patient care.5
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the6
governor, the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals, and the chairman of the7
Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors.8
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Roy HR No. 133
Expresses support for the consolidation of inpatient and outpatient services at Huey P. Long
Medical Center.
Urges and requests the governor, the La. State University Board of Supervisors, and the
secretary of DHH to take all actions necessary to streamline services and create a fiscally
responsible, viable public medical center in central La.