North Oaks Physician Group Opens Primary Care Clinic in Hammond

North Oaks Physician Group has opened a Primary Care Clinic in Hammond. The new clinic specializes in comprehensive health care for families and is located within the North Oaks Clinic Building, Suite 201, 15813 Paul Vega, MD, Drive.

Family Medicine Physicians Becky Batiste, MD, Juan Carlos Martinez, MD, Ryan Rhodes, MD, and Farhan Siddiqui, MD, staff the clinic and are certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. Appointments are available for adults and children, age 2 and older. To schedule an appointment, call (985) 230-APPT [2778].

Batiste earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. She went on to complete an internship and residency through Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center’s rural family medicine residency program at Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa, where she developed a passion for preventative medicine, chronic disease management and women’s health.

“Helping my patients prevent diseases and illnesses and best manage chronic conditions that may develop drives me,” Batiste explains.

Professionally, Batiste belongs to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians (LAFP). She also holds a master’s degree in speech and hearing sciences/audiology through Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Martinez specializes in the management of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, as a means to improve his patients’ overall health. His medical experience spans more than two decades. He practiced general medicine for two years and ophthalmology for one year in his native Columbia before relocating to the U.S. to complete training to become a family practitioner. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

After earning his medical degree from Caldas University in Manizales, Colombia, he completed an internship through Federico Lleras University Hospital in Ibague, Colombia. He completed residencies in ophthalmology through the National University of Colombia in Bogota and in family medicine through Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Bogalusa.

“My approach to patient care is based on mutual respect and open communication,” Martinez explains. “In my experience, a patient who trusts his or her doctor is more open to suggestions for change. Teamwork and a strong patient-doctor relationship is key to improving overall health.”

Certified by the American Board of Family Practice in family medicine, Rhodes earned his medical degree and completed his internship through Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) in New Orleans. He completed a family medicine residency through LSUHSC at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. A sports medicine fellowship through University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Fayetteville followed. He is a U.S. Army captain and battalion surgeon for the Louisiana National Guard’s 3^rd Battalion, 156^th Infantry Regiment in Lake Charles. Professional affiliations include the AAFP, LAFP, American College of Sports Medicine and the Athletics and Fitness Association of America.

Rhodes, who holds a certificate of added qualification in sports medicine and will serve on North Oaks Health System’s official health care provider team for Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics, advocates for exercise as a key preventative health measure and treatment for many medical conditions.

“Regular exercise is the healthiest habit you can have,” asserts Rhodes.

Siddiqui graduated from St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. He completed an internship and residency through LSUHSC’s rural family medicine residency program at Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration with a health care management focus from Davenport University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Siddiqui’s primary goal is to help his patients improve their health. “To help my patients live their best life, I put a lot of emphasis on patient education,” affirms Siddiqui.

Professionally, he belongs to the AAFP and the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America.

Hours of operation at North Oaks Primary Care — Hammond are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

North Oaks Physician Group also operates primary care clinics in Denham Springs, Independence, Livingston, Ponchatoula and Walker.