Yeah, I remember when a moratorium was placed on new hospital construction back then. If I recall, it targeted a massive planned development called Lafayette Centre, which included a hospital, and right about where the new Lourdes medical center is currently being built. There's some irony for you. Joseph Canizaro was the developer if memory serves.
Anyway, I think its remarkable how well Lafayette has done and continues to do when faced with the recent downturn in the oil industry. Even when it was thriving only a couple of years ago, it was surpassed locally by the medical industry in terms of direct employment numbers. I read somewhere that Lafayette's medical employment was nearly double that of Shreveport! Something to the tune of 17,000 here vs 8 or 9 grand up I-49.