Louisiana hospital system to focus on neighborhood clinics

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco (D) on Wednesday said that a new Louisiana State University-operated medical clinic in Baton Rouge will serve as a model for the future of health care delivery in the state, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports.

The $12.5 million clinic will focus on internal medicine and women's health and will operate a 24-hour urgent care clinic.

Blanco said the model will be duplicated as a way to keep costs down and increase health care accessibility for low-income and uninsured residents. Blanco "defended the care LSU provides and criticized those calling for the dismantling" of the Charity Hospital system, the Advocate reports.

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and state Republican lawmakers are pushing a plan to eliminate the state's charity care system for low-income, uninsured residents.

Blanco said that lawmakers who propose replacing the "safety net" with an unfunded private insurance plan are "misguided and irresponsible."

LSU System President William Jenkins said that the new clinic meets LSU's goal of moving hospital-based services into neighborhoods, adding that LSU is working to open neighborhood clinics in New Orleans (Shuler, Baton Rouge Advocate, 3/8).