New CEO selected to run New Orleans East Hospital

Dr. Takeisha Davis has been selected to serve as the new Chief Executive Officer of the New Orleans East Hospital (NOEH), Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced last week.

According to the announcement made by Landrieu, Orleans Parish Hospital Service District A (HSD) and LCMC Health, Davis will begin on Jan. 11, 2016.

“I am truly looking forward to the opportunity to serve this community as we reclaim NOEH’s history as an integral part of the medical neighborhood in New Orleans East,” said Davis. “As a trusted and respected physician leader in New Orleans, my experience in healthcare administration, valued relationship with providers in New Orleans and proven success with community engagement is an ideal match for this position.”

Davis, a New Orleans native, earned a Doctorate of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard University. She has spent the last ten years at the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) where she currently serves as the Director of the Center for Community and Preventive Health, Medical Director and Assistant State Health Officer for the Office of Public Health (OPH).

Her responsibilities with DHH include overseeing nine regional offices, 68 parish health units, the OPH Laboratory, the OPH Pharmacy, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, and medical supervision of all of OPH’s programs statewide. She is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at Tulane Medical School and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

As CEO of NOEH, Davis will be directly employed by LCMC Health, the management partner for NOEH, and will report to the 13-member HSD Board, which is comprised of business and civic leaders, healthcare providers and operators, as well as New Orleans East residents.

“Dr. Takeisha Davis was hired as the CEO of New Orleans East Hospital following an extensive search for a seasoned healthcare professional with strong clinical and administrative experience, commitment to the community and proven leadership acumen,” said Greg Feirn, CEO of LCMC Health. “We are proud that New Orleans East Hospital is a member of LCMC Health and know that under Dr. Davis’s leadership, the hospital will continue to provide quality health care to the patients and families that depend on us.”

The $130 million, 80-bed hospital opened in July of 2014, providing healthcare services to residents of New Orleans East, Gentilly and the Lower Ninth Ward. Last July, former CEO Dr. Mario Garner, accepted a new position at Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital in Pearland, TX, leaving the hospital to be managed by Director of the New Orleans Health Department and Vice-Chairman of the HSD Charlotte Parent, serving as the interim CEO.

“Now in its second year, NOEH needs an exceptional leader who can articulate a compelling vision for its future and take it to the next level,” said Parent. “With certainty, we have found that person in Dr. Davis. With her leadership, NOEH will continue to contribute to the Health Department’s overall goal of improving the quality of life for all New Orleans residents.”
Mayor Landrieu also lauded Davis, saying her knowledge of the industry and connection to the city make her the right choice to lead the hospital in its next phase of life.

“Last year, we opened the New Orleans East Hospital to ensure that residents had access to quality and affordable healthcare services,” said Landrieu. “This year, we have been searching for a leader who can manage and nurture the culture of NOEH so that it becomes a catalyst for growth in New Orleans East. With exceptional knowledge of the healthcare industry and roots in New Orleans, Dr. Davis is uniquely positioned to serve in this role.”

The full-service hospital now offers emergency services, surgical services, cardiology, gastroenterology, radiology, and rehab services including cardiac, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. There are currently over 150 physicians on staff and affiliated with NOEH, and 200 additional staff, including nurses, therapists, case managers, technicians, and environmental and dietary service providers.

New Orleans East Hospital is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with 24-hour emergency care. Located at 5620 Read Boulevard, the hospital has already seen over 25,000 emergency room visits in 2015. In the case of an emergency, please call 911.

This article originally published in the December 28, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.