St. Charles Parish Hospital Board Meeting - February 26, 2026

The meeting was called to order at 4:45 PM on February 26, 2026, with board members Karen Raymond, Timothy Vall, and Pamela Smith present. A public hearing was held but no members of the public addressed the board. The meeting included special recognition of the Employee of the Month, an executive session, approval of prior minutes, medical staff credentialing, quality and financial reports, and a CEO update. Key decisions included unanimous approval of minutes and credentialing recommendations, and the next meeting was scheduled for March 25, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public addressed the board during the public hearing.

Special Recognition

• Gordon, a nurse on the med/surg step-down unit, was recognized as Employee of the Month. He was commended for his expertise, team support, and patient care. Gordon also serves as a nursing professor at Chamberlain University.

Discussion Items

• Medical Staff Credentialing: Dr. Morales presented the Medical Executive Committee (MEC) report from February 10, 2026. The MEC recommended approval of 10 physicians, 1 advanced practice provider, 3 resignations, 2 provisional reviews, 1 change of category, 1 additional provision, 1 additional privileges, and 25 reappointments. The board approved the credentialing package unanimously.
• Quality and Patient Experience Report: The report highlighted 375 days since the last hospital-acquired event. Net Promoter Scores (NPS) showed improvement: HCAP scores reached 65 (up from 50), med practices scored 93 (just below top decile), outpatient and ED scores were in the top decile (93 and 77 respectively), and ambulatory surgery scores also top decile. Clinic quality metrics were mostly green, with a few red items attributed to small January sample sizes.
• Financial Report: January 2026 results showed 764 infusion treatments (12% above budget, 25% above prior year) and therapy volumes 1.5% above budget, 10% above prior year. Total operating revenues exceeded budget by 6.6%, resulting in income from operations $610,000 above budget.
• CEO Report:
  • A moment of quality was shared: staff arranged transportation for a patient whose car battery died on a cold morning, allowing her to complete her scheduled procedure without rescheduling prep.
  • The med/surg department won the Rising Star award for largest NPS growth across all AUC hospital facilities.
  • New hires: Dr. Catherine Dyer (hospitalist) accepted position starting July 27, 2026; Dr. Jacqueline Atala (rheumatologist) and her sister Dr. Natalie Atala will start July 27, 2026; Dr. Bartholomew (primary care) will start April 2026 at the Luling practice.
  • Dr. McGee, a new general surgeon, has ramped up and is performing many surgeries.
  • The lab passed a CAP survey with only three minor findings.
  • Radiology services (mammography, CT, MRI) experienced significant growth; MRI availability nearly doubled by hiring multimodality techs for cross-training.
  • The hospital celebrated 375 days without a hospital-acquired event.
  • An upcoming auxiliary fundraiser aims to support scholarships; last year four scholarships were awarded (up from two).

Key Outcomes

• Approval of Minutes: Motion to approve the January 28, 2026 board minutes passed unanimously.
• Approval of Credentialing: Motion to approve medical staff credentialing as presented passed unanimously.
• Next Meeting: Scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 2:00 PM.
• Adjournment: Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.