ENROLLED
2018 Second Extraordinary Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 40
BY REPRESENTATIVES THOMAS, BILLIOT, BOUIE, GLOVER, HOFFMANN, AND
DUSTIN MILLER
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to develop a report of certain data
on the state's public-private partnership hospitals, and to submit the report to the
legislature on a quarterly basis.
WHEREAS, the legislature strives to ensure that Louisiana's government is
responsive to the needs of the people of this state and that the government of this state is
accountable, efficient, and effective; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana's system of public safety net hospitals was rapidly
transformed beginning in 2012 when the state commenced a large-scale privatization of
these hospitals' operations; and
WHEREAS, all but one of the state's safety net hospitals are now operated by private
partners, with the terms of the partnerships set forth in cooperative endeavor agreements
between the state and the individual partners; and
WHEREAS, these hospitals are now referred to collectively as "public-private
partnership hospitals"; and
WHEREAS, the public-private hospitals include all hospitals listed in R.S.
17:1519.2(B) which are now operated by a private partner, including closed hospitals that
have had their functions assumed by a private partner; and
WHEREAS, before, during, and after the privatization of the safety net hospital
system, the objects and purposes of the system have included the following:
(1) Providing access to high-quality medical care for all patients, including the
medically indigent and uninsured.
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(2) Developing the medical and clinical workforce of this state through accredited
residency and other health education programs.
(3) Operating efficiently and cost-effectively.
(4) Working cooperatively with other healthcare providers and agencies to improve
health outcomes; and
WHEREAS, reliable data reflecting operations and utilization rates of the public-
private partnership hospitals are essential in formulating sound fiscal and public health
policy in this state.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health
to develop and submit to the legislature a report comprising the following data on each
public-private partnership hospital listed in R.S. 17:1519.2(B):
(1)(a) The average monthly number and percentage of occupied beds for the three
months comprising the state fiscal year quarter preceding the date of the report, based on the
total number of beds at the hospital.
(b) The average monthly number and percentage of occupied beds for the three
months comprising the state fiscal year quarter preceding the date of the report, based on the
total number of staffed beds at the hospital.
(2)(a) The average monthly number and percentage of attempted patient transfers
from other hospitals that were accepted for the three months comprising the state fiscal year
quarter preceding the date of the report.
(b) The average wait time for each accepted referral or transfer to the hospital.
(3) The average monthly number of patients.
(4)(a) The average monthly number of emergency department visits for emergency
conditions.
(b) The average monthly number of emergency department visits for nonemergency
conditions.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall submit to the legislature
the first report of data called for in this Resolution on or before September 30, 2018, and that
this report shall reflect data from the fourth quarter of state fiscal year 2017-2018.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that after submission of the first report of data called
for in this Resolution, the department shall submit to the legislature the report of data called
for in this Resolution on a quarterly basis.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the reporting requirement established in this
Resolution shall terminate on October 1, 2020.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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