Patients were transferred from the LSU System’s Earl K. Long Medical Center to several other hospitals around the state between Wednesday and Thursday because of power outages.Dr. Michael Butler, CEO of the University Health Care Services Division, said about 80 patients were successfully transfered to the 9 other System hospitals around the state.One patient died while being transferred to the Bogalusa Medical Center because of a pulmonary embolism. Butler said the patient was bed-ridden and the patient’s condition was not worsened by the move.Hurricane Gustav caused the hospital’s power loss Monday. Although power was regained Wednesday, Butler said moisture in the switching station made it impossible to receive power from Entergy.Although Earl K. Long has a generator, it does not support many information technology facilities or air conditioning in operating rooms.”It was prudent to get people out to get a full range of health services,” Butler said.Currently, the emergency room and oncology clinic are running smoothly by generator at Earl K. Long, but many of the operating rooms are not fully air conditioned. Butler said the lack of air conditioning is not only uncomfortable, but can also increase the possibility of patient infection.Earl K. Long acted as a transfer hospital for patients from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Butler said Gustav is the worst hurricane ever faced by Earl K. Long and LSU in general and could only be compared to Hurricane Betsy in 1965.—-Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]