Hospital board seeks partners for more services

By BILL DECKER
bdecker
daily-review.com
Ochsner St. Mary, which this week added gastroenterology treatment services to its offerings, may soon be able to offer additional urological, orthopedic and pediatric behavioral health services in cooperation with other hospitals and local providers.
St. Mary Hospital Service District No. 2, which owns the hospital operated under lease by Ochsner Health, is in discussion to become partners with other area hospitals to provide those services. The discussions appeared on the agenda for Wednesday’s district board meeting.
Also Wednesday, the board accepted the resignation of one board member, elected two officers and set its property tax rate for 2026.
The board heard Wednesday about plans for an intergovernmental agreement and a cooperative endeavor agreement with Hospital Service District No. 1, which governs Bayou Bend Health System in Franklin. They would collaborate on orthopedic services.
Similar discussions are underway with Terrebonne Hospital Service District No. 1 for possible collaboration on urological services.
And, district counsel William Bourgeois said, there have been talks with local providers concerning pediatric behavioral health services.
The board took no action on those services.
Also Wednesday:
•The board accepted the resignation of board member Angelena Brocato.
Brocato had served as vice chair of the board. Members voted to move Secretary-Treasurer Jackie Cheramie into the vice chair role and to name Barry Dufrene to be the new secretary-treasurer.
The St. Mary Parish Council will appoint a new member to the board.
•The board passed a resolution setting its property tax rate at 9 mills for 2026. The rate is the same as in 2025.
District voters approved the 9-mill tax in December 2024 to fund physical improvements at Ochsner St. Mary, add additional services and pay for scholarships for local students entering health-related fields. The tax raises about $3.4 million a year.
A mill is 1/10th cent of tax applied to each dollar of a property’s assessed valuation. Residential property is assessed on 10% of its market value.
Louisiana's homestead exemption applies to the hospital district tax.