Elleanor “Ella” Claire Bergeron
April 6, 2023
Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Terrebonne Lip Sync Battle!
April 6, 2023
Following a trial on Terrebonne General’s request for a preliminary injunction, Judge Jason Dagate of the 32nd Judicial District Court for the Parish of Terrebonne, State of Louisiana, ruled against Lafourche Hospital Service District 3 and Thibodaux Regional Health System, prohibiting them from operating the urgent care center and multispecialty clinic located on St. Charles St. in Houma, Louisiana in violation of the Louisiana Hospital Service District Law. Judge Dagate stayed the effect of his ruling for 30 days to allow alternative arrangements to be made for the patients of those facilities.
“Terrebonne General is pleased that the Court agreed that Thibodaux Regional’s facilities in Terrebonne Parish were operating in violation of the Hospital Service District Law,” said Phyllis Peoples, Terrebonne General President, and CEO. “We believe the 30-day period is reasonable for an orderly cessation of operations at those locations found to have been operating in violation of state law.”
In November of 2022, to protect the public interest of ensuring viable and self-sustaining hospital service districts statewide and to support the healthcare of its community and the economic stability of the people and employees of Terrebonne Parish, Hospital Service District No. 1 of the Parish of Terrebonne (Terrebonne General) filed suit against Thibodaux Regional Health System and Lafourche Hospital Service District No. 3 (collectively, Thibodaux Regional) to require Thibodaux Regional to stop operating its facilities in Terrebonne Parish in violation of state law.
This court filing was the appropriate legal action in response to Thibodaux Regional’s violation of the state law that regulates hospital service districts. State law prohibits a hospital service district such as Thibodaux Regional from directly or indirectly operating medical facilities in another hospital service district’s territory without consent. Neither Terrebonne General nor the government of Terrebonne Parish consented to Thibodaux Regional’s infringement on Terrebonne General’s geographic territory.
The lawsuit filed by Terrebonne General sought to end Thibodaux Regional’s prohibited encroachment into Terrebonne Parish and to enjoin Thibodaux Regional from continuing to operate a clinic and an urgent care center that are currently operating in Terrebonne Parish in violation of state law.
“The Court’s ruling is a momentous step in the right direction to protect the integrity of Terrebonne General and hospital service districts statewide,” Peoples said. “Terrebonne General has been serving the healthcare needs of our community for over 65 years, and as the largest community-based health system in southeast Louisiana, we will continue to grow and expand to meet and exceed the needs of our community.”
Current investments underway at Terrebonne General include expanding clinics, expanding their Cancer Center, and creating a new state-of-the-art Healthy Lifestyles Center.
