LSU healthcare shake-up continues with new interim head of public hospitals

Louisiana State University's chief medical officer will temporarily oversee the state's public hospital system. Dr. Michael Kaiser will serve as interim CEO of the LSU system's Health Care Services Division. He replaces Dr. Roxane Townsend, who also was removed from her leadership roles over public hospitals in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Townsend's demotion is the second time in two weeks that a major healthcare official within the system has been ousted. The nature of Townsend's exit from her roles in the hospital system was unclear Wednesday. While Townsend said she had been asked to relinquish her role as interim CEO of the LSU Health Care Services Division, Opelka said she chose to step aside on her own.