While Galveston is moving forward with its recovery efforts, Jefferson County officials realize the hospital has a long way to go before the facility is fully-operational.

In the meantime, Jefferson County officials are looking for ways to take care of the county’s medically indigent — those individuals who cannot afford the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter and clothes — much less medical treatment.

“I think all of us at the Commissioners’ Court, Commissioner (Bo) Alfred and the County Health Department have been struggling for ways to find to health care for indigent patients as mandated by law,” Jeff Brannick, assistant to the county judge, said.

“Hospitals in Houston have been used sparingly, since Ike took out UTMB. One thing we’ve done is rates have been increased from the county that have been paid to local specialists, to get the specialists to accept some indigent patients in the area.”

The rates, Branick said, are paid through money allocated within the county budget. The rate change has been a way to get specialists who would not normally care for the indigent to agree to do so.

“We’re continuing to work on ways to see

Next Tuesday, county officials plan to meet with representatives from local hospitals to discuss ways to address the UTMB problem.

Koloen said there is no timeline for a full restoration of the hospital’s pre-Ike capacity. Currently, there are funding issues within the legislature that have to be worked out in order for the hospital to come up with a plan and be able to back it financially.

mtobias@panews.com