Shreveport hospital cut from 'optimal care' list

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- An organization of medical professionals has removed the trauma center at LSU's hospital in Shreveport from its list of facilities with resources needed to provide "optimal care of the injured patient."

The American College of Surgeons decision came after a team of professionals surveyed the facility last fall.

The Advocate of Baton Rouge reports that the organization said in an Oct. 24 letter that the team found "deficiencies and weaknesses" in the trauma center's operations. The letter was sent to Joseph Miciotto, the chief executive officer for LSU Health Shreveport

The letter did not spell out the problems. But LSU spokeswoman Sally Croom said Tuesday that the College of Surgeons wants LSU to invest more resources into the trauma center, including getting a permanent trauma chief on board.

LSU Health Sciences Center Chancellor Bob Barish, Miciotto and other health care executives from the hospital sent a message out to faculty on Tuesday. "We wanted to reassure you that the situation will not affect our ability to provide care and expertise to severely injured patients," the message said.

The message advised that recruitment of a new director of trauma had begun and financial resources had been identified to make the changes called for by the College of Surgeons.

"We are pleased to announce that through the strong support of donors and our foundation we have recently secured the additional resources to meet this challenge," the message stated.

Dr. Chris Cribari, chairman of the College of Surgeons Trauma Committee, wrote that before a recertification could be issued the hospital will have to undergo a full on-site visit "to establish that all deficiencies and weaknesses have been addressed.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)