Pubdate: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 Source: Daily Advertiser, The (LA) Contact: 2002 South Louisiana Publishing Website: http://www.theadvertiser.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1670 Author: Trevis R. Badeaux, Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) UMC DETOX UNIT CLOSED; PATIENTS REFERRED TO NEW ORLEANS LAFAYETTE - University Medical Center closed its First Step Detoxification Unit on Monday, leaving 20 beds in New Orleans to service the entire state. There are about 650 patients on a statewide waiting list for one of the 20 beds at the Medical Center of Louisiana Charity Campus detoxification unit in New Orleans, said Michael Duffy with the Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Addictive Disorders. He addressed concerns of Acadiana substance abuse counselors, physicians and treatment program administrators Monday during a public hearing at Vermilion Hospital on North University Avenue. "The patients assigned to those units are in a life-threatening situation," Duffy said. "We need every available bed. We're doing all we can." UMC administrators closed the First Step Detoxification Unit to help offset a $4 million shortfall in the hospital's annual budget. The unit was operated as a joint venture of the LSU Health Care Services Division and the Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Addictive Disorders Region IV. It treated drug addicts and alcoholics with severe health care needs, such as pregnant women and diabetics. The UMC emergency room staff will continue to serve individuals who sought treatment at the First Step Detoxification Unit, said LSU Health Care Services Division spokesman Don Buchanan. "If it's a medical problem, they will be treated as any other patient that walks into the emergency room," Buchanan said. "If they need to be admitted, they'll be admitted." LSU does not have plans to reopen the unit, which was reduced from 13 beds to seven in January, he said. "It was a social service we were happy to render when we had the money," Buchanan said. "Closing the unit is not going to solve the hospital's budget problems. It's just one step." More UMC programs will come under scrutiny before the close of the hospital's fiscal year on June 30, Buchanan said. Hospital administrator Larry Dorsey forwarded to the home office in Baton Rouge a list of recommended programs to be cut, he said. "The detoxification unit is the only one that has been approved so far," Buchanan said. "I can assure you other cuts are coming. We're not going to identify them at this time." - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager