David Callecod, President and CEO of Lafayette General Medical Center visited 'Mornings With Ken and Bernie' today to discuss changes that will occur when University Medical Center comes under control of LGMC(Lafayette Medical Center).

According to Callecod,

The state obviously had some budget issues due to the way federal dollars were brought in and they needed to find partners in each community.  In Lafayette we are the largest community owned, not for profit hospital, full service and we have nine other partner hospitals and it just made perfect sense for us to be that partner.

Callecod said it was an easy decision,

I and the Board, we felt a moral obligation once we heard that UMC was going to be closed or dramatically cut.  We felt a moral obligation to step in and figure out a way to insure that the safety-net population could get care.

When asked what patients of UMC could expect in the future Callecod replied,

Patients can expect to be able to have the exact same charity care policy and procedures that have existed at UMC at the new University Hospital and Clinics....The clinics, not only do we expect them to be open but having the ability to see more patients than we did in the past.  Procedurally we're keeping everything pretty much the same and will do so until January of 2014 when we implement our new computerized EMR, emergency medical records and new business system we'll put in place.

Callecod invited listeners to attend community forums that will be held later this month to get more information on UMC.  Those forums will be held at Wednesday June 19th at 6:00pm at the Clifton Chenier Center at 220 W. Willow and Friday June 21st at 4:00 and 6:00pm at the UMC Voorhies Auditorium at 2390 W. Congress.

Listen to the interview to hear more about employee transition and hiring and new residency programs that will improve health care in Lafayette.

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