More than 2,300 employees at LSU hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe can start applying for jobs with the hospitals' new operator starting Aug. 5.

Biomedical Research Foundation Hospital Holding Co. will take over management of the former public hospitals Oct. 1. That nonprofit, a subsidiary of Biomedical Research Foundation in Shreveport, will provide pay and benefits to hospital employees.

Gov. Bobby Jindal turned to LSU hospital privatization after Louisiana faced a drop in its federal Medicaid financing rate, which meant the state gets fewer federal matching dollars for every state dollar it puts up. The governor chose to levy most of the cut on the university-run hospitals, rather than on the private Medicaid providers.

Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols has said privatizing nine of the 10 public hospitals and their clinics will save the state an estimated $100 million in the 2013-14 budget.

The Shreveport Times reports job descriptions and salary information will be posted online at www.shreveporthealthtransition.org beginning Aug. 5. Online applications will be accepted via http://jobs.shreveporthealthtransition.org/application.aspx through Aug. 16.

Representatives with the holding company will be available 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in room CG-17 next to the Shreveport hospital's cafeteria beginning Aug. 5

Interviews will be conducted Aug. 13-23 and job offers will be made online and via email Aug. 15-28. Applicants must accept or reject offers within three days of receipt.

Aug. 30 is the last day to accept a job offer.

Biomedical Research Foundation Chairman Steve Skrivanos said the organization still intends to retain 90 percent of jobs at the hospitals.

Employees at both hospitals will receive layoff notices, a standard process required by Louisiana Civil Service rules.