HJBR Sep/Oct 2020

36 SEP / OCT 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs are in Baton Rouge and Gonzales. Satellite ser- vices are also in Donaldsonville, St. Francisville, Plaquemine, Port Allen, and New Roads. Our Lady of the Lake Physician GroupWelcomes Dr. William Varnado to Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group wel- comes William Varnado, MD, to Louisiana Hema- tology Oncology Associates, which is part of Mary Bird Perkins-Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Cen- ter. Varnado will help diagnose and treat a wide range of cancers and blood disorders. A Denham Springs native, Varnado received a medical degree from Louisiana State Univer- sity Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. He completed a residency in internal medicine through LSU Health Baton Rouge, where he served as chief resident, and then went on to complete a fellowship in hematology and oncol- ogy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he served as chief fellow of the hematol- ogy and oncology program. Varnado is a mem- ber of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Soci- ety, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and American Society of Hematology. He has pub- lished articles in multiple ASCO publications and presented at the American Society of Hematol- ogy conference in San Diego. Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates’ physicians are committed to providing quality medical care, patient education, clinical research trials, and providing a comfortable and conve- nient setting in which to deliver care. Services provided include diagnosing and treating cancer using chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, and targeted ther- apy. They also provide supportive care and help coordinate treatment given by other specialists. The clinic is located at 4950 Essen Lane, Ste 500. Radiology Associates Hires NewCEORitchie J. Dupre Radiology Associates announced the hiring of their new CEO Ritchie J. Dupre, MBA, CRA, RT,(R)(CV)(QM), CMPE. Dupre brings more than 30 years of experience in healthcare leadership, ranging from medical imaging to medical prac- tice and hospital administration. “I am delighted to announce that Ritchie Dupre has joined Radiology Associates as our new chief executive officer,” says Scott B. Schuber, MD, Radiology Associates’ managing partner. “Ritchie brings with him a wealth of experience in Healthcare and medical imaging. His strategic vision and forward thinking make him an excel- lent fit for our practice. I look forward to working with him as he leads our practice into the future.” Dupre graduated with a radiologic technology diploma from the Academy of Health Sciences, U.S. Army, and a professional leadership devel- opment course from the U.S. Army. He has board certifications in radiologic technology, quality management, cardiovascular/interventional tech- nology, radiology administration (CRA), and certi- fied medical practice executive (ACMPE). After he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army as a sergeant (E5), Dupre earned both a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health and an Executive MBA from Nicholls State University. Dupre is a member of American Healthcare of Radiology Administrators, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, Louisiana Society of Radiologic Technologists, and the Radiology Business Management Association. “I am excited to join Radiology Associates and it is an honor to lead a respected practice with more than 70 years of dedicated service to the Baton Rouge Community,” said Dupre. “I am looking forward to applying my combined experience in growth, strategy, and healthcare leadership with my pas- sion for medical imaging. Working with such a diverse and sub-specialized group of radiologists is both fun and rewarding.” Dupre replaces retiring CEO Tim Barrett, CPA, after his decade-long tenure at Radiology Asso- ciates. Barrett was a driving force in growing the practice and broadening its scope of facilities. “I would like to sincerely thank Tim Barrett for his dedicated service as CEO of Radiology Asso- ciates during the last 10 years,” said Schuber. “Tim’s untiring work ethic and dedication to our mission have been essential components of our success. I wish him all the best in his retirement.” Baton Rouge General Physicians Announce New Vice President and COO Baton Rouge General Physicians (BRGP) announced changes to its executive leadership- -Sean Casteel, who has served as BRGP’s Admin- istrative Director since 2016, has been promoted to vice president and chief operating officer. Casteel, who has been with BRGP for more than six years, joined the organization as a practice administrator at Baton Rouge Family. While he began his career as a SWAT team police officer in Hammond, he moved into healthcare 15 years ago and worked in the Louisiana Department of Health before joining North Oaks Health System as the assistant vice president of surgery. “In his time at BRGP, Sean has overseen a tre- mendous amount of growth,” said president and CEO Edgardo Tenreiro. “He has been instrumen- tal in helping us expand as well as recruit new physicians for the hospital.”  Casteel graduated from Southeastern Univer- sity with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and is currently working towards a Master of Health Administration degree from LSU Shreveport. In 2018, he earned his Lean Six Sigma Green Belt William Varnado, MD CEO Ritchie J. Dupre, MBA, CRA, RT,(R)(CV)(QM), CMPE