LSU is Site of Largest Acute-Care Field Hospital in U.S. History

Statistics and information provided below

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2005

BATON ROUGE – LSU's Pete Maravich Assembly Center is serving as a field hospital for thousands of evacuees from New Orleans and other areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The medical operation has been characterized by incredible teamwork, heroism and cooperation, allowing the patients to receive the highest quality of emergency care in as timely a manner as possible. The medical team and facility are highly flexible and can adjust the patient-care focus in as little as one hour, depending on patient needs.

Currently, the PMAC medical operations are transitioning from providing trauma care and stabilization to addressing more acute illnesses. The number of intensive care beds is decreasing. The facility is now restructuring operations to treat new types of illnesses, and includes an isolation unit to treat conditions such as skin infections and dysentery.

"I am so proud of LSU, and its employees and students," said LSU Chancellor Sean O'Keefe. "The campus and the LSU community are helping to save lives and provide comfort to those who have been through terrible trauma. Everyone at LSU has risen to this challenge and has been working around the clock to help in any way they can. The student volunteers, the Facility Services staff and the LSU Police are keeping the shelters running, the admissions officers and residential life staff are admitting students from affected universities and finding them places to live, staff members from across campus are manning the emergency hotline number – it's amazing. And I cannot say enough about the medical professionals from all over the country who have volunteered to be here. This willingness to help in the face of adversity is a tribute to the human spirit."

One of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's primary goals is immunization, and the CDC is in the process of providing immunizations for health care workers and evacuees.

Volunteers are accepting and organizing donated clothing at tables outside the PMAC facility. Medical volunteers – doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and technicians – are also registering at tables on the exterior of the facility. Other tables contain laptop computers equipped with wireless access, which are available to hurricane victims so that they can send e-mail messages to loved ones. Food and water are also available to evacuees.

The outside perimeter of the PMAC has a large central supply zone, where food and medical supplies are delivered and then distributed to the appropriate zones.

The following are important facts related to the medical evacuation effort.

Medical Evacuation Facts as of 3 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 6

The medical evacuation effort in LSU's Pete Maravich Assembly Center began Tuesday, Aug. 30. Initial agencies involved included, but are not limited to, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals; Federal Emergency Management Agency; U.S. Public Health Service; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Illinois and New Mexico Medical Emergency Response Teams; LSU Health Sciences Center; Strategic National Stockpile; LSU Athletic Department medical personnel; U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, National Guard, Navy, Marines and other military organizations; and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams.

The medical evacuation effort for Hurricane Katrina represents the largest deployment of public health officials in U.S. history.

According to medical director Chris Trevino, M.D., the 800-bed medical facility at LSU is the largest acute-care field hospital ever created in U.S. history and is currently the largest acute-care hospital in Louisiana.

Approximately 6,000 patients affected by Hurricane Katrina have been cared for in LSU's Pete Maravich Assembly Center (PMAC).

There are 70 patients now being treated inside both the PMAC and the Maddox Fieldhouse.

Approximately 5,700 patients have been discharged since the hospital began operations.

Some 1,400 prescriptions have been filled for evacuees.

More than 1,700 volunteer medical personnel have come from Louisiana; Washington, D.C.; Georgia; Arkansas; Mississippi; Florida; Texas; Utah; Arizona; Illinois; and Washington.

More than 2,000 faculty, students and staff on the LSU campus have volunteered in assisting evacuees, by donating time and providing accommodations for evacuees and emergency workers. LSU Student Government is connecting volunteers to tasks.

LSU has sheltered 365 emergency relief/public safety personnel, providing them meals and a place to stay.

As of Tuesday, Sept. 6, the LSU Hurricane Information Center hotline has taken almost 6,000 calls since its inception Wednesday, Aug. 31.

There have been 857,135 page views of the LSU Hurricane Information Web site on the lsu.edu homepage as of Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Media organizations from around the world, including the Washington Post, New York Times, NBC News, Good Morning America, and international media from Europe and Asia have visited the campus to learn about the medical evacuation efforts and report on the status of the medical operation.

As of close of business Monday, Sept. 5, LSU had registered an additional 1,454 students from the hurricane-affected areas. Four hundred more students have been admitted, but have not yet registered for classes. Some 700 faculty members from universities and colleges in the affected areas have responded to requests from LSU to help with instructional support for the fall semester.