Dean's Corner
Dear Colleagues,
This fall, UMCNO will institute a new system of Service Line Leaders and Medical Directors. The Service Line Directors will work with hospital administration and medical school departments on a more strategic level to prioritize initiatives for growth and the need for new hires. Medical Directors will work with hospital administration and clinical faculty on improving key metrics, including patient satisfaction, patient access, and quality of care.
On September 1, UMCNO named the new positions. I am excited to share that essentially all the Service Line Directors and most of the Medical Directors are full-time LSU faculty:
UMCNO Service Line Leaders:
David Janz, MD – Critical Care
Jeffrey Carter, MD – Emergency Services
Murtuza (Zee) Ali, MD – Heart and Vascular
Bob Zura, MD – Musculoskeletal
Frank Culicchia, MD – Neuroscience
Erich Conrad, MD – Behavioral Health
Stacey Holman, MD – Women’s Services
Cynthia Brown, MD, MSPH – Medical Specialties
Rajesh Mohandas, MD – Medical Specialties
Carlos Galvani, MD – Surgical Specialties
Matthew Eng, MD - Anesthesia Services
Mohammed Cheema, MD – Primary Care
Val Nfonsam, MD, MS – Cancer Services
Gordon Love, MD – Core Specialties
UMCNO Medical Directors:
Francois Ancelet, MD – Outpatient Emergency Services
Kelly Babineaux, MD – Outpatient Musculoskeletal
Berje Shammassian, MD – Inpatient Neuroscience
Brian Copeland, MD – Outpatient Neuroscience
Erin Capone, MD – Inpatient Behavioral Health
Jennifer Creedon, MD – Outpatient Behavioral Health
Catherine Hudson, MD – Inpatient Medical Specialties
Laura Paleaz, MD – Outpatient Surgical Services
Sagie Henig, MD – Outpatient Primary Care
Amie Jernigan, MD – Cancer Services (Inpatient and Outpatient)
Raman Danrad, MD – Inpatient Core Specialties
We are happy to collaborate with eight other Medical Directors from Tulane.
I am grateful to the faculty who stepped up to take on this leadership role. The work of these positions may be challenging at times. However, it is our hope that this new organizational structure will increase communication among the faculty, departments, and school leadership with the hospital administration. We share common goals of providing outstanding care for the patients we serve, and providing excellent training for our residents and students. We can only achieve those goals by working closely with the hospital administration and making our respective priorities clear.
When we began planning to build UMCNO many years ago, we envisioned a destination hospital that served the city and the state; we envisioned an academic medical center that was a hub for clinical research in the region; and we envisioned a training facility that would attract students and residents from all over the country. The leadership at LCMC and UMCNO have clearly signaled that LSU faculty will lead us toward that vision.
I thank each and every employee of the School of Medicine for all that you do for our patients, our trainees, and for the School.
Respectfully,
Richard DiCarlo, MD
Interim Dean