As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, ASPEN recognizes the exceptional dedication of Dr. Albert Barrocas and his colleagues, whose service during the crisis exemplifies resilience and patient-centered care.
When the storm struck in 2005, Methodist Hospital in New Orleans was left without power, surrounded by floodwaters, and cut off from outside assistance. Inside, Dr. Barrocas and team cared for more than 170 patients, including several dependent on parenteral or enteral nutrition, under conditions few could have imagined.
With generators down and five feet of water on the first floor, the team’s preparation and ingenuity were tested. Supplies had been moved to higher floors in advance, and pharmacists were able to prepare enough parenteral nutrition to sustain patients for 72 hours. When resources began to run low, Dr. Barrocas and the care team improvised—using gravity-fed IV drips, careful hydration, and modified regimens to ensure that no patient went without nutrition support.
Reflecting on those days, he described “a balance of frustrations, and at the same time, more and more of the humanism coming out of everyone.”
Today, ASPEN honors Dr. Barrocas’s leadership, creativity, and unwavering commitment to patient care—even in the most extreme circumstances. His example continues to inspire all of us working to improve outcomes through clinical nutrition.
Watch a 2006 interview in which Dr. Barrocas shares how his team provided PN and EN during Hurricane Katrina.
See video footage Dr. Barrocas captured during the storm.
Read his NCP article on the challenges and lessons learned in delivering nutrition support during the crisis.