NEW ORLEANS – Today, the St. Bernard Parish Hospital Board (SBPH Board) announced it have approved a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Ochsner Health System (Ochsner) to complete a 90-day Organizational Assessment. Ochsner will lend senior leadership resources to St. Bernard Parish Hospital to complete the assessment over the agreed upon the term.
“I look forward to what we can learn through this process, “said Parish President, Guy McInnis. “Having care available locally and preserving local jobs are critical to our citizens in St. Bernard Parish.”
Kim Keene, current AVP, Clinical Operations for OMC-North Shore will assume the role of interim CEO for St. Bernard Parish Hospital and Anthony “Tony” Bonnecarre, current controller at OMC-North Shore will lend financial expertise to the assessment.
Following the Operational Assessment, Ochsner will make recommendations to the SBPH Board on how to best position the organization to continue to meet the needs of patients in the community. Throughout this process, St. Bernard Parish Hospital will follow standard operating procedures.
“The stability of our hospital is the number one priority of our board and as a result, we have been proactive in engaging Ochsner in these discussions,” said Mary Hand, St. Bernard Parish Board Chairman. “Through this assessment, we also look forward engaging our physicians to work with the Board on this process through the formation of a physician advisory committee.”
“The challenges we currently face as healthcare providers are unprecedented,” said Warner Thomas, President and CEO, Ochsner Health System. “As a leading healthcare organization, we take seriously our responsibility to help others improve the delivery of healthcare and to make our communities healthier.”
