St. Francis Still Willing To Continue Talks on EA Conway Takeover
By: Alanna Quillen
Updated: March 13, 2013
MONROE -- The future of the only hospital for uninsured patients in Northeast Louisiana is still unknown.
KTVE/KARD has learned talks between EA Conway and St. Francis Medical Center have come to a halt.
St. Francis Medical Center says they're still hoping to work out a deal to take over operations at EA Conway, but for now those talks are on hold.
"We did not want to see Conway go away. We belive that Conway does need to remain open," said Louis Bremer, President and CEO of St. Francis Medical Center.
Funding for the hospital could come to an end in the next several months. In governor Bobby Jindal's proposed budget, EA Conway is only funded for the first three months of the upcoming fiscal year.
"It was a very bold move to only fund EA Conway for three or four months and you don't yet have an agreement," said State Representative Katrina Jackson.
Despite the talks coming to a halt, Bremer said he wouldn't classify it as being broken down.
"Apparently there's been another option that's developed that they wanted to look at. So what's been decided at this point is they will evaluate that option, determine whether or not it's feasible and depending on how they view that option, we may or may not get back together for some additional talks."
The governor's office is hoping for a private hospital system to take over operations at EA Conway, similar to other formerly state run hospitals.
The background behind the issue is the federal government reducing Medicaid reimbursement, resulting in a significant financial impact on the LSU Health System.
Bremer said it's not necessarily a goal for St. Francis to take over operations of EA Conway.
"We were approached in December wanting to know if we were interested to discuss the future of Conway," he said.
Bremer said he wants to see EA Conway stay open because it serves a valuable purpose in the community.
"It serves as access to care not only for people within the Monroe West Monroe area, but throughout Northeast Louisiana," he said. "It also provides to help train doctors through their graduate medical education program."
He says St. Francis is willing to help and is willing to continue negotiations.
"It does need to be a win-win scenario, it can't be a scenario that would put St. Francis in jeopardy by taking over the operation of it," he said.
Senator Mike Walsworth said in the meantime, the hospital will continue to give the same health services.
"Conway is not gonna shut down, no matter what happens with the contracts and negotiations going on," said State Senator Mike Walsworth.
Louisiana department of health and hospitals issued this statement:
"DHH continues to work with LSU as it pursues a successful a partnership for E.A. Conway. Several parties are interested, and LSU is working to ensure it selects the best partner to fit the community's needs, as well as preserve patient services and graduate medical education.
DHH is confident that a partnership will be finalized within the designated timeline."
DHH is confident that a partnership will be finalized within the designated timeline."
But what will happen after the three months of funding is up?
"This is the question that no one can answer. We don't know, there's not an agreement," said Jackson. "You don't have a contract on paper, nothing for the citizens to review, for legislature to review. You don't know the impact because you don't know what the agreement would entail."
St. Francis officials say they are ready to discuss anytime the officials at LSU Shreve decide what they will do.
"We would like to see Conway stay open, whether that's in a partnership with us or someone else," said Bremer.
It's unknown at this time who else LSU Shreve is conducting negotiations with.
In the end, Senator Mike Walsworth says patients at EA Conway will continue to see the same health care, no matter the outcome of the talks.
"This is a management team only contract so I think everyone will continue to see the same doctors they've always seen, same nurses at Conway," he said.
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