Business
Hospitals damaged by Katrina
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 19, 2005
Tenet Healthcare Corp. is among the health systems bracing for a significant financial impact from the Hurricane Katrina disaster in the Southeast.
Preliminary reports showed that at least five of its hospitals in the New Orleans area and one hospital near the Mississippi Gulf Coast had considerable wind and water damage from the storm, according to the company. At least three were forced to evacuate patients and staff.
In an Aug. 30 announcement, Tenet said it was too early to estimate the total damages. But the Dallas-based company said it expected that "the cost will be significant even after taking into account its existing insurance coverage for property damage and business interruption."
Tenet's six hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi as well as an imaging subsidiary with five New Orleans locations made up nearly 6% of its operating revenue in the first half of 2005.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/09/19/bibf0919.htm.
