KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana |Medical shortage declared in some areas

Medical shortage declared in some areas

November 21, 2005
Reported by the Associated Press

The federal government has recognized more health care shortage areas in Louisiana as a result of the relocation of people because of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The designation affects parishes included in federally declared hurricane disaster zones and makes the areas eligible for federal programs aimed at recruiting and retaining primary care, dental and mental health professionals.

Some parishes already had shortages in some medical professions, but the storms aggravated the situation. Other parishes got new designations as health care professionals were uprooted.

Areas are evaluated in three main categories: primary care, dental and mental health.

Parishes with new shortage designations in all three categories include Plaquemines, Washington, Saint John, Saint James, Ascension, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana, Saint Mary, Iberia, Saint Martin and Allen.

Orleans, Saint Bernard, Jefferson, Terrebonne, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Saint Helena, Livingston, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Acadia, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis and Cameron parishes all previously had primary care professional shortages.

But all added either dental or mental health professionals or both to the shortage picture.

Saint Tammany has no designated health care shortages.