Baton Rouge, La.-based Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System has appointed Catherine O'Neal, MD, as its inaugural chief academic officer.
In her new role, Dr. O'Neal will oversee the system's strategic academic vision and ensure alignment with academic partners.
She has more than two decades of experience as a practicing physician specializing in infectious diseases. In March 2020, Dr. O'Neal was named chief medical officer of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and played a key role in informing the state's COVID-19 response.
She has also served as a faculty member at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans since 2009, most recently as an associate professor of clinical medicine and infectious diseases, according to an Aug. 5 news release.