Baton Rouge General Opens Specialized Unit for Patients Fighting Mental Illness and COVID-19

BATON ROUGE, La. – Baton Rouge General is providing centralized care for patients fighting both COVID-19 and a mental illness, with a new 32-bed unit designed to keep all patients as safe as possible.

“Working on the frontlines of this pandemic, Baton Rouge General recognized a need and is uniquely qualified to provide the care needed for these patients with a complex medical situation.” said Dr. Venugopal Vatsavayi. “We know this is a stressful time for all our patients and their families, and we want to assure them that their loved one is safe and in great hands.”

Patients on the new unit are at least 18 years old with a confirmed positive COVID-19 test and with symptoms that are considered stable. Patients already in the hospital receiving care for COVID-19 who begin to exhibit psychiatric symptoms may be admitted, but medically complex patients may need to first be treated on an acute medical unit until stable enough to be transferred.

BRG’s existing behavioral health services include inpatient treatment for adults over 50 as well as outpatient treatment for ages 18 and older. BRG has provided behavioral health services since 1976, when it opened the state’s first chemical dependency unit.

BRG’s inpatient behavioral health units are located at the Mid City campus. For more information, call (225) 387-7904 or visit brgeneral.org.

About Baton Rouge General Medical Center
Baton Rouge General Medical Center is the area’s first community hospital with 588 licensed beds between two campuses. Baton Rouge General opened its doors in 1900, and has provided the Greater Baton Rouge community with high-quality healthcare for generations. An accredited teaching hospital since 1991, Baton Rouge General serves as an affiliate of Tulane University School of Medicine, and offers other medical education programs, including a School of Nursing, School of Radiologic Technology, Family Medicine Residency Program, Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. For more information, visit BRGeneral.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BatonRougeGeneral and follow us on Twitter at @BRGeneral.

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