Civil Service Panel OKs LSU Hospital Privatization

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration has won approval from the Civil Service Commission for the privatization of the LSU hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe.

The 4-1 commission vote Wednesday was the final step needed for the Oct. 1 start date of the outsourcing contract and allows LSU to lay off nearly 3,300 hospital workers.

Those employees can reapply with the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana, the nonprofit that will take over management of the hospitals.

John Dailey, vice chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport, says more than 90 percent of employees who sought to remain in their jobs after the privatization are being rehired by BRF.

Dailey says turning over the hospital management to BRF will preserve medical training programs and safety net services for the uninsured, while also cutting costs.