Program Authorization: R.S. 36:251-259; 1-15 and Act 3 of 1997

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The mission of Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans and University Hospital is to provide quality patient-centered care in a teaching setting to all people and maintain a special concern for the medically under served and indigent of the State of Louisiana. Medical Center of Louisiana and University Hospital, which are separate charity hospital facilities, are both located in New Orleans.

The goal of Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans (MCLNO) and University Hospital is to ensure that quality health care is provided to the community in the most effective and efficient manner possible.

Medical Center of Louisiana is New Orleans’ major health care system, serving the Greater New Orleans Area, including Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles-East Bank, St. John the Baptist, and St. Tammany parishes with quality health programs at its two campuses. University Hospital was added to the system when it was purchased by the State in 1992. Charity Hospital is one of the most historic of the nation’s hospitals. It was established in 1736 with the bequest from a French seaman and merchant, and has been in continuous operation ever since. The hospital is the forerunner of today’s system of safety net public hospitals stretching across Louisiana.

The Charity campus of the Medical Center of Louisiana has, as a major center of excellence, the finest trauma center in the State of Louisiana, designated by the Orleans Parish health Department as the official trauma center for the parish. In addition, Charity Hospital is the home of the Gulf Coast Research Center, staffed by physician from the renowned Louisiana State University and Tulane Medical Schools, where state-of-the-art medicine is practiced under ideal staffing and physical circumstances with total access to research studies and systems from both institutions. The facilities provide acute general medical and specialty services and critical care to the indigent, uninsured, Medicare, and Medicaid patients of the hospital’s service area.

The hospital provides additional support functions such as pharmacy; blood bank; respiratory therapy; anesthesiology; and various diagnostic services and other support functions of a non-medical nature, such as administration; maintenance; housekeeping; mail service; purchasing; accounting; and admissions and registration. The facility also maintains a stipend program for medical residents and contracts for physician and anatomical services and works cooperatively with medical schools and other health education institutions to broaden the opportunity for clinical training in the hospital.

The facilities deliver a comprehensive range of quality health care to any Louisiana resident, especially to the medically indigent or anyone needing emergency care. The Medical Center provides services without regard to race, creed, color, national origin or ability to pay, and serves as the tertiary referral center for the charity hospital system and as a resource to other hospitals and medical care providers. The primary service area includes Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemine, St. Bernard, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes. The Charity Hospital and Medical Center of Louisiana serves as an educational center of the LSU Medical School and the Tulane University School of Medicine that fosters excellence in training, education and research, and maintains an environment where patients and staff are treated with dignity, compassion and respect. The hospitals are currently staffed for 693 beds.

OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Unless otherwise indicated, all objectives are to be accomplished during or by the end of FY 1999-2000. Performance indicators are made up of two parts: name and value. The indicator name describes what is being measured. The indicator value is the numeric value or level achieved within a given measurement period. For budgeting purposes, performance indicator values are shown for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, and alternative funding scenarios (continuation budget level and Executive Budget recommendation level) for the ensuing fiscal year (the fiscal year of the budget document).

RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR THE PROGRAM

SOURCE OF FUNDING

This program is funded with Interagency Transfers, Self-generated Revenue and Federal Funds. The Interagency Transfers represent Title XIX reimbursement from the Medicaid program for services provided to Medicaid eligible and "free care" patients. The Self-generated Revenue represents insurance and self pay revenues for services provided to patients who are not eligible for "free care". The Federal Funds are derived from Title XVIII, Medicare payments for services provided to Medicare eligible patients.

ANALYSIS OF RECOMMENDATION

The total means of financing for this program is recommended at 99.8% of the existing operating budget. It represents 87.4% of the total request ($443,838,151) for this program. The overall net decrease is a result of the transfer of funds to E.A. Conway Medical Center for additional primary care services, nonrecurring funding for the New Orleans Health Corporation, and a reduction of 30 vacant positions. These reductions are offset by a significant increase in Risk Management premiums and an increase in the transfer of Ryan White Federal Funds from the Office of Public Health for HIV medications. These changes are not anticipated to significantly impact the delivery of services.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

OTHER CHARGES

ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS

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