BEWARE: LSU New Orleans

[Coopers Drooper]

In essence, this post applies to all residency/fellowship/medical student applicants. But my perspective comes from the Pulmonary/Critical Care fellowship interview and application process.

I have always been cautious and the type of person that thoroughly researches any major move, especially when it comes to my career and training. For each pulmonary/critical care program I interviewed at, I did research on SDN, the internet, local news sources, etc. I took notes along the way to use in preparation for the interviews.

Out of good conscience for my colleagues, I want to share some information with all of you that I compiled about the Louisiana State University hospital system. To say that what I found was quite surprising is an understatement, especially since all of this was downplayed during the interview process in New Orleans. That is why I am sharing it with you here. This is an ongoing issue and some of this news occurred after my interview with them. How this affects your decision is a personal matter.

Below are my notes and a list (sorry it's so long... but it is very telling of the magnitude of the problem) of the top news stories from the local newspaper. Their hospital system sounds like a disaster due to an $859 million hole in the budget caused by an abrupt end of the favorable post-Katrina Medicaid match rate for Louisiana. I have heard indirectly that these recent budget cuts have caused them to reduce by half the number of Pulm/CC fellowship spots since June (two left?). This equates to fewer fellows covering the same number of hospitals, some of which are greater than a 30 minute drive apart. Furthermore, the number of residents is changing as well and there will be less help to run the unit, write-up consults, etc. I have a friend who is a senior E.R. resident there. He said that they have pulled all of the E.R. residents and most, if not all, the Tulane Univ. residents out of the I.C.U. and have essentially left a skeleton crew... all due to "budget cuts". That means the fellow will be doing less of a supervisory/teaching role and actually doing the lion's share of the work admitting patients, doing procedures, floor consults, running the unit...

As I said, the decision is a personal one, but my career and family stability are too important for me to leave to chance during their tumultuous transition. So I have removed LSU from my rank list altogether.

Good luck!

(P.S. I apologize to any of you that had your hopes up about LSU. I'm not trying to trash their program, but I think the facts speak for themselves)


========================================================

LSU New Orleans Notes
========================================================

FACTS (sources below):
-Reduced the LSU budget by 19 percent ($152 million cut)
-Elimination of 1,487 jobs out of 6,140 (-24%)
-Hospital beds eliminated: Charity (University) Hospital went from 1,500 => 550 => 201 => 150 beds.
-Specialty (pulmonary) clinics to cut back hours
-Next year 25% of residents will train in the LSU hospitals, compared to about 50% now
-Some clinics associated with the hospital will close
-Closing two operating rooms and reducing hours for non-emergency surgeries
-10-hospital system is scheduled to reduce outpatient visits by about 79,000 and provide about 12,400 fewer days of in-hospital care


Head of LSU public hospitals says federal health law will eventually affect system
October 17, 2012 at 7:04 AM
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2012/10/head_of_lsu_public_hospitals_s.html

LSU shouldn't withhold records on hospital cuts: James Gill
October 14, 2012 at 7:52 AM
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2012/10/lsu_shouldnt_withhold_records.html

LSU budget slashing could work in our favor, medical school officials tell students
October 09, 2012 at 11:38 PM
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2012/10/lsu_budget_slashing_could_work.html
"Dr. Larry Hollier, chancellor of the LSU Health Sciences Center, said the shrinking of the public hospitals in recent years has led to residents having too few hospitalized patients to treat under the supervision of attending physicians."

LSU's hospital changes will put lives on the line: John Maginnis
October 09, 2012 at 3:52 PM
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2012/10/lives_are_on_the_line_with_lsu.html

Louisiana public hospital cuts will affect uninsured patients
October 05, 2012 at 7:00 AM
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2012/10/deep_cuts_to_louisianas_public.html

Louisiana legislators discuss LSU hospital cuts: Live updates
October 04, 2012 at 1:07 PM
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/louisiana_legislators_discuss.html

Cuts to public hospital system approved by LSU Board of Supervisors
October 04, 2012 at 4:19 PM
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2012/10/lsu_cuts_to_public_hospital_sy.html

Louisiana voters opposed to further budget cuts, concerned about LSU public hospital system: Poll
October 03, 2012 at 6:23 AM
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/louisiana_voters_opposed_to_fu.html

Doctor training to move away from public hospitals, LSU official says
September 25, 2012 at 7:42 AM
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2012/09/doctor_training_to_move_away_f.html

LSU healthcare shake-up continues with new interim head of public hospitals
September 05, 2012 at 6:29 PM
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/09/lsu_healthcare_shake-up_contin.html

LSU to seek partnerships to run public hospitals
September 07, 2012 at 9:15 PM
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2012/09/lsu_to_seek_public-private_par.html

Response to Medicaid cuts divided LSU, Bobby Jindal administration
August 02, 2012 at 9:16 PM
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/08/response_to_medicaid_cuts_divi.html

LSU public hospitals cuts the beginning of its end: John Maginnis
August 01, 2012, 8:45 AM

LSU announces cuts to hospital system; Lake Charles and Independence centers hit hardest
July 27, 2012 at 5:19 PM
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/07/lsu_announces_cuts_to_hospital.html

No plan in place for dealing with cuts to LSU hospital system
July 19, 2012, 11:45 PM
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2012/07/no_plan_in_place_for_dealing_w.html

Jindal administration announces steep Medicaid cuts; LSU hospitals hit hard
July 13, 2012, 3:51 PM
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/07/jindal_administration_announce.html

Gov. Bobby Jindal vs. LSU hospital administrators: James Gill
February 12, 2012, 6:02 AM
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2012/02/gov_bobby_jindal_vs_lsu_hospit.html

LSU making $15 million in cuts to Interim LSU Public Hospital
February 03, 2012, 10:21 PM
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/02/lsu_making_15_million_in_cuts.html

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[loveoforganic2]

.

 

[bonesmd]

New News
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ss...g_hospital_partners.html#incart_river_default