Dive Brief:
- LSU has filed a breach of contract notice against Biomedical Research Foundation (BRF), the company that operates two of its hospitals.
- The 10-page notice includes three major claims against BRF, including failure to work collaboratively with LSU, failure to support and promote LSU Health Science Center-Shreveport's academic mission and reputation and failure to establish a sustainable and competitive business model.
- BRF Chairman, Steve Skrivanos, said LSU can expect a formal response to its claims within one week.
Dive Insight:
"We don't agree to the validity of any of the issues, but we're committed to resolving any differences and would welcome third-party mediation," Skrivanos told The Shreveport Times. "We're taking this week to digest the claims before we issue a formal response."
The fact that LSU operates its medical school at University Health in Shreveport has caused some concern over the split. "I think it's uncalled for," State Sen. Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, told The News Star. "I'm concerned that it might have a dire impact on healthcare in northern Louisiana, especially if the hospitals are divided and the medical education system is disrupted."
BRF has been under contract to run the Louisiana hospitals since 2013, and the two sides will likely be battling it out for years.