On the Frontlines at Memorial Medical Center

by Sheri Fink, ProPublica -- August 27, 2009 10:15 a.m. EDT | See Related Story.

The Hospital Staff and Coroner
Dr. Bill Armington Neuroradiologist	Kamel Boughrara LifeCare Nursing Director	Lori Budo I.C.U. Nurse	Dr. Ewing Cook Pulmonary Specialist	Dr. Richard Deichmann Medical-Department Chairman	L. Rene Goux Chief Executive	Andre Gremillion LifeCare Registered Nurse
Gina Isbell LifeCare Nursing Director	Kristy Johnson LifeCare's Director of Physical Medicine	Dr. Bryant King Internist	Cheri Landry I.C.U. Nurse	Therese Mendez LifeCare Nurse Executive	Susan Mulderick Nursing Director, “Emergency-Incident Commander” for Katrina	Dr. Anna Pou Head- and Neck- Cancer Surgeon
Diane Robichaux LifeCare Assistant Administrator and Incident Commander	Dr. John Thiele Pulmonologist	Dr. John Walsh Surgeon	Karen Wynn I.C.U. Nurse Manager

The Patients and Their Relatives
Jannie Burgess	A 79-year-old I.C.U. patient, Jannie was being treated for advanced uterine cancer and kidney failure. She died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005.	Vera LeBlanc	An 82-year-old LifeCare patient who was recovering from colon-cancer surgery and whose chart read “Do Not Resuscitate,” Vera was rescued by her son and daughter-in-law and evacuated from Memorial by boat.
Carrie Everett	The widow of Emmett Everett, Carrie searched for her husband for two weeks after Katrina before learning he was dead. She filed wrongful-death lawsuits against Tenet, LifeCare, Pou, Landry and Budo.	Angela McManus	The daughter of a LifeCare patient, Angela tried to rescind her mother’s D.N.R. after overhearing workers discussing the decision to defer evacuation for D.N.R. patients. She says she was told that there were no doctors available to rescind the order.
Emmett Everett	A 61-year-old, 380-pound LifeCare patient who was awaiting colostomy surgery, Emmett remained alert during the days after Katrina, even asking Thursday morning, “So are we ready to rock and roll?” He died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005.	Wilda McManus	A LifeCare patient, Wilda was being treated for a serious blood infection. She died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005.
Carrie Hall	A 78-year-old LifeCare patient whose family called her Ma-Dear, Carrie grabbed a passing nurse Wednesday night to indicate she needed her tracheostomy cleared. She died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005.	Rose Savoie	A 90-year-old LifeCare patient, Rose had acute bronchitis and a history of kidney problems. She died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005.
Alice Hutzler	A 90-year-old woman, Miss Alice, as she was called by nurse Isbell, had come to LifeCare for treatment of pneumonia. She died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005.	Rodney Scott	An obese I.C.U. patient who was recovering from heart problems and several operations, Rodney was the last living patient to be evacuated from Memorial.
Mark and Sandra LeBlanc	The son and daughter-in-law of Vera LeBlanc, a LifeCare patient, they organized two airboats to help evacuate Memorial. When they saw the conditions inside, they forced their way to the second floor and carried Vera down to one of the boats to rescue her.