This update has critical information for those of you who want to volunteer your medical services in Louisiana.
Also be sure to read 9-1-2005 update about coordination via your own state emergency services.

My goal during this disaster resulting from Hurricane Katrina is to be a source of credible information that will connect physicians with the
individuals in Louisiana who have the public responsibility to care for the public health during this horrendous crisis.  AMA, LSMS, and the
state and county societies of the affected states as well as all of Medicine in the USA and beyond will do their part and we all can be
proud we were in the arena and did our very best.  I hope the DJP
Updates help you stay informed.

Godspeed to your efforts and thank you.

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
cell 312-560-0180
Only working email at the moment:
Donald.Palmisano@ama-assn.org

I am in Baton Rouge and moving again tonight to temporary quarters sharing a cottage with another family that I was introduced to by my
dear friend Dr. Juan Watkins.  It is a small cottage and there is no land line so communication to me will have to be by cell (if you can get
through) or by email that gets sent to my BlackBerry.  The generosity of others moves the heart and the spirit. 

Will be on the move a lot but the BlackBerry will be with me.

(Intrepid Resources server www.intrepidresources.com and server for Intrepid email still out and may be destroyed in New Orleans)

Louisiana State Medical Society sent me a note about this critical emergency executive order by Louisiana Governor Blanco.  It deals with
licensure and liability.

LSMS offices will be open from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm throughout the holiday weekend.
 


Hurricane Katrina Medical Relief Efforts

UPDATES

September 2, 2005  4:39 pm

Governor Blanco Issues Executive Order Regarding
Out-of-State Volunteer Physicians  - Licensure and Liability Issues
In response to the enormous need for and generous reaction of out-of-state volunteer physicians, Governor Blanco has issued the
following Executive Order, which addresses the issues of licensure and liability for such physicians:

Go here to read pertinent parts of the Executive Order

http://www.lsms.org/News/Katrina%20Order%20pertintent%20sections.htm

Go here to read the entire order.

http://gov.louisiana.gov/2005%20Executive%20orders/PublicHealthEmergencyDeclaration.pdf


September 2, 2005  3:26 pm

Pertinent Sections of

EXECUTIVE ORDER KBB 05-26
Declaration of Public Health Emergency
To Suspend Out-of-State
Licensure for Medical Professionals and Personnel



SECTION 2 The Louisiana state licensure laws, rules, and regulations for medical professionals and personnel are hereby suspended for those
medical professionals and personnel from other states offering medical services in Louisiana to those needing medical services as a result of
this disaster provided that said out-of-state medical professionals and personnel possess current state medical licenses in good standing in
their respective states of licensure and that they practice in good faith and within the reasonable scope of his or her skills, training or
ability.

SECTION 3: All out-of-state medical professionals and personnel offering services to the state of Louisiana by authority of this Order
shall be covered by La. R.S. 40:1299.39, et seq ., and shall thus be considered agents of the state of Louisiana for tort liability purposes
contingent upon said out-of-state medical professional and personnel possessing current state medical licenses in good standing in their
respective states of licensure and that they practice in good faith and within the reasonable scope of his or her skills, training or ability.

SECTION 4: All out-of-state medical professionals and personnel offering services to the state of Louisiana by authority of this Order
shall submit to the state health officer, or his designee at the Office of Public Health within the Louisiana Department of Health and
Hospitals, a copy of their respective licenses and photo identification.

SECTION 5: The suspension of these rules, regulations, and laws shall extend through Sunday, September 25, 2005.