The St. Mary Hospital District No. 2 board meets its first scholarship recipient at Wednesday's meeting. She's Landyn LaCoste, fourth from left. Shown from left are district board members Clarence Robinson and Dr. Bill Cefalu Jr.; the recipient's mother, Jacqueline LaCoste; Landyn LaCoste; Jason LaCoste, the recipient's father; and board members Thane Aucoin, Bill McCarty and Barry Dufrene.
The Review/Bill Decker
Hospital board meets scholarship recipient
Hospital Service District No. 2 voters approved a 9-mill property tax in 2024 for three main purposes: physical improvements to the building that houses Ochsner St. Mary, recruitment for new services and scholarships for local students pursuing health care careers.
All three were part of the district board’s meeting agenda Wednesday at the Emergency Operations Center.
Board members met the first scholarship recipient: Landyn LaCoste of Bayou Vista. A Berwick High graduate, LaCoste plans to study radiology at Fletcher Technical Community College.
She was accompanied at Wednesday’s meeting by her parents, Jacqueline and Jason LaCoste.
Also Wednesday, the board was updated on two efforts to add services at Ochsner St. Mary, which the district owns and is operated under lease by Ochsner Health.
The board is considering agreements that would bring orthopedic services to local hospitals. On the table are an intergovernmental agreement with Hospital Service District No. 1, which operates Bayou Bend in Franklin, and cooperative endeavor agreements with OrthoLA and Ochsner St. Mary.
Board members heard that two recruits have already been identified.
Another intergovernmental agreement, this one with Terrebonne Parish Hospital Service District No. 1, would bring urological services to area hospitals.
A cooperative endeavor agreement with Ochsner St. Mary would be part of that effort.
The board also hopes to add a second general surgeon to the Ochsner St. Mary staff.
Dr. Katrina Castile is currently on the hospital staff as a general surgeon.
The district is currently working its way down a long list of improvements to the Ochsner St. Mary building.
The list includes a $658,000 project to install a dedicated outdoor air system, which is nearing completion.
The system will help the hospital maintain positive pressure inside the hospital, which is good for patient safety and the integrity of water-proofing.
The list also includes a $1.4 million generator replacement; air conditioning improvements; renovations for the kitchen, the cafeteria, and the Emergency Department entrance; new furniture for the first floor; and replacement of the staff elevator.
The board on Wednesday also awarded a contract for first- and second-floor roofing to Roof Technologies LLC of Harvey for $1.077 million.
That’s substantially lower than the $2.4 million estimated pre-bid cost.