HJBR Nov/Dec 2025

48 NOV / DEC 2025  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Hospital Rounds site in Louisiana participating in a Phase I clini- cal trial evaluating allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy. Nakhle Saba, MD serves as the principal investiga- tor for this study involving cellular immunotherapy. Allogeneic CAR-T therapy utilizes donor-derived T cells that are genetically engineered to recognize and target cancer cells. This approach may lead to reduced treatment durations and enhanced patient outcomes. AndrewBishop, MD, Joins BRG Heart and Vascular Surgery Andrew Bishop, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon, has joined Baton Rouge General (BRG) Heart and Vascular Surgery. He specializes in heart valve and heart bypass surgery and treating coronary artery disease and thoracic cancer. Bishop received a medical degree from the Uni- versity of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, then completed an integrated cardio- thoracic surgery residency at the University of Ken- tucky Medical Center. Elizabeth Sagely Named Director of the Lane Foundation Elizabeth “Liz” Sagely is now the director of the Lane Foundation, which supports Lane Regional Medical Center. Sagely has been a member of the Lane fam- ily since 2020, most recently serving as the occu- pational medicine coordinator for Lane Physician Group. In her new role, she will oversee the plan- ning and execution of fundraising campaigns, cul- tivate relationships with donors, manage donor recognition efforts, and coordinate events that support the hospital’s mission and community impact. Sagely holds a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences with a concentration in nutri- tion, as well as a master’s degree in health and kinesiology, both from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. She is also a certified health education specialist. Our Lady of the Lake Cancer InstituteWelcomes Harry Sequeira, MD Harry Sequeira, MD, has joined Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute’s Heme-Malignancy and Cell Therapy Program. He is a board-certified internal FMOL Health Celebrates Progress in Diagnosing and Treating Sepsis in Hospital Emergency Departments A rapid diagnostic test and updated emer- gency department protocol are helping to save lives across the FMOL system. Since implement- ing the new protocol system-wide, FMOL Health has seen a 24% decrease in sepsis-related deaths. The development of the IntelliSep rapid diag- nostic test began in 2014 and was a collaborative effort between FMOL Health’s Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, biotech company Cytovale, and LSU. First implemented at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in 2023, it has since been adopted across the health system. Beyond implementing IntelliSep, FMOL Health has changed the protocol in how they test within their emergency department. Using a standard blood sample taken at triage, the IntelliSep test can be run while patients are still in the waiting room and within less than 10 minutes doctors can identify if a patient is likely to be septic. The value of IntelliSep and the emergency departments’ updated protocol extends beyond early diagnosis. It’s also helping hospital teams use resources more efficiently, as identifying a patient as non-septic means fewer unnecessary blood cultures and antibiotics, less strain on staff and patients, and quicker care. Woman’s Hospital Announces Sophia Soloman as Senior VP of Quality Sophia Solomon is the new senior vice president of quality at Woman’s Hospital. In her new role, Solomon will use her more than 30 years of expe- rience in healthcare leadership and clinical exper- tise to strategically lead regulatory compliance efforts and ensure high standards of patient care. Most recently, Solomon served as the vice pres- ident of quality, performance improvement, risk, and safety at the Research Medical Center in Kan- sas City, Missouri. Solomon has received several honors for her work, including being named Loui- siana Great 100 Nurse, receiving the Baton Rouge District Nurses Excellence Award, and being selected for the 2023 HCA Healthcare Sponsor- ship, McKinsey Academy Executive Leadership Program. Solomon earned a master’s degree in nursing from Southern University in Baton Rouge and bachelor’s in nursing fromGrambling State Univer- sity. She is a licensed registered nurse and ANCC board-certified nurse executive. Ochsner Announces President, COOTransition Mike Hulefeld, president and chief operating officer (COO) of Ochsner Health, will be stepping down from his role at the end of 2025. Timothy Riddell, MD, has been named the executive vice president and chief operating officer effective on Hulefeld’s departure. Hulefeld’s career with Ochsner spans 27 years, the last 13 years as COO. Prior to that, he was chief executive officer of Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans for four years. He joined Ochsner as an administrative fellow and served in many roles throughout the years. Hulefeld will remain involved with the organization after his transition, most notably serving as a mentor, coach, and edu- cator to develop Ochsner leaders. Since January 1, Riddell has served as the chief medical officer for Ochsner’s Northshore, Mis- sissippi Gulf Coast, Baton Rouge, Acadiana, and Rush (central Mississippi and east Alabama) regions. Previously, he was the regional chief exec- utive officer for Northshore and Mississippi Gulf Coast regions. Riddell is a family practice phy- sician and has been a member of the Ochsner group practice for 28 years. Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute Participates in CAR-TTherapy  Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute is the first Sophia Solomon