Ochsner St. Mary Hospital Chief Nursing Officer and Administrator Jennifer Wise released the following statement to KQKI News on Thursday morning regarding the hospital operations after the facility sustained damage from Hurricane Francine.
“We are working closely with our community partners, local officials and state elected leaders to ensure the facility returns to full operation better than before the storm. Ochsner mobilized a tremendous number of resources immediately following the storm, and we currently have moisture mitigation equipment running in the parking lot. This equipment is piped into every floor of the hospital to circulate air, remove moisture and help dry out the building, as water intrusion in the building’s exterior envelope caused most of the damage. We are also currently in the process of moisture mapping to determine which areas of the hospital are dry and safe for patients and which may need additional construction to mitigate the damage. We anticipate Ochsner St. Mary will return to full operation in the coming weeks, and our top priority remains getting our employees back to work and keeping care local for our patients.”