For almost 100 years, Willis-Knighton has been responding to the health care needs of the local community. But that commitment extends beyond health care. A commitment to its neighbors – especially underserved, minority neighborhoods – is evident.

Willis-Knighton Health System has announced that James K. Elrod, president and chief executive officer, plans to retire effective Sept. 30. The board of directors has unanimously elected Jerry A. Fielder II (Jaf) to succeed Elrod as president and CEO.

Willis-Knighton Cancer Center’s Department of Radiation Oncology became the first site in the world to introduce compact scanning beam imageguided proton therapy. Over subsequent years, renowned centers such as Mayo Clinic, St. Jude’s, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins Medical Center followed suit.

“It’s no secret that this region is one of the, if not the, fastest-growing areas in the state of Louisiana,” says Brian Crawford, executive senior vice president/chief administrative officer for Willis- Knighton.

During Heart Month, Willis-Knighton Health System is offering special pricing for coronary calcium scans. The 10-minute noninvasive procedure tells your doctor if you’re at increased risk for the most common form of heart disease – coronary artery disease.