The public might be allowed to observe presentations during Thursday's special Jefferson Parish Council meeting from three hospital management firms vying to lease West Jefferson Medical Center and East Jefferson General Hospital. Council Chairman Chris Roberts asked his colleagues in an email Wednesday afternoon for their thoughts on public presentations from Ochsner Health System, Louisiana Children's Medical Center and...
The public might be allowed to observe presentations during Thursday's special Jefferson Parish Council meeting from three hospital management firms vying to lease West Jefferson Medical Center and East Jefferson General Hospital. Council Chairman Chris Roberts asked his colleagues in an email Wednesday afternoon for their thoughts on public presentations from Ochsner Health System, Louisiana Children's Medical Center and the HCA conglomerate.
His solicitation could make for a major break in a lengthy hospitals courtship that until now has played out in private meetings and documents that officials have not made public. Officials have been relying on confidentiality agreements with the three private-sector entities and a 1984 state law that lets Louisiana hospital service districts conduct much of their business in secret, for competitive purposes.
Earlier Wednesday, an Ochsner executive, William Oliver, told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune that Ochsner would agree to presenting in public. Oliver tried to make a statement before Wednesday's regular council meeting but retreated after Roberts said discussion on hospital lease-related matters would occur Thursday.
Later in the day, council members Elton Lagasse, Cynthia Lee-Sheng and Ricky Templet said they have no problem with hearing presentations in public. But Lee-Sheng said she wants to ensure all the suitors are comfortable presenting in public: "The question is, do the suitors believe they can make their best case to the council in public?"