Shreveport Senator Greg Tarver made some strong accusations against BRF during the Joint Legislative Budget Committee meeting. Tarver says minorities get second class treatment at the Shreveport hospital.

Tarver adds:

We have a problem at University Health in Shreveport. Minorities get second-class treatment in Shreveport. Those people (University Health) is turning away are black, and I'm tired of it.

University Health Board Chairman Steve Skrivanos says Tarver's accusations are "completely untrue."

Administration Commissioner Jay Dardenne says there is particular language in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding University Health. BRF has signed off on a measure to "spend $250,000 dollars to pay a consultant to do a review of the quality of care that is being provided at the Shreveport Hospital."  Dardenne adds: "The state has an obligation to provide good health care to people who present to the partner hospitals that work with us."

"And obviously quality health care is a big component in the revisions you will see in these MOU's", said Dardenne. He says the state does have an obligation regarding quality of care and improving quality of care.

BRF has a contract with the state to operate safety net hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe.

Tarver says he was a big supporter of BRF when we first started this public private partnership. I want to be sure the people get the care they deserve.

The senator added:

I am a patient at University Health The reason I go to there is that they have the best care. The doctors are number 1. The biggest problem I have is the administration. Right now, we don't have a permanent administrator at that hospital. We have consultants. They are spending a lot of money on consultants. What that is doing is taking away from the safety net.

Tarver continued:

We have problems at University Hospital in Shreveport. The people getting service come from my area. 75% of the people getting service are minorities and they get 2nd class treatment. Why are the people not getting the services they deserve?  We pay all of this money and we don't monitor these people. The people are not getting the services. The state does have a responsibility.

CLICK HERE to view the full committee hearing.

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