C. Lee Parmley, M.D., J.D., professor of Anesthesiology and chief of the Critical Care Division of the Department of Anesthesiology, has been named chief of staff of Vanderbilt University Hospital. He assumed the position Feb. 17.
Parmley, who also directed the Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine Fellowship program at Vanderbilt from 2004-2007, will report to David Posch, CEO of Vanderbilt University Hospital and Clinics, and Allen B. Kaiser, M.D., chief of staff for the Vanderbilt Health System.
“I am delighted Lee will be joining our management team as Chief of Staff for VUH,” Posch said. “Lee is well prepared for this role both academically and by experience. We are driven to continuously improve the value of our care processes to set new higher standards of care for our patients. Lee brings not only the experience but also an essential leadership skill to this work which I have no doubt will propel us to higher performance.”
As chief of staff, Parmley’s responsibilities will include oversight for inpatient discharges and inpatient surgical and intensive care volume goals and collaborating with hospital and VUMC leadership to enhance health system operating performance. He will serve as a physician lead for developing bundled care offerings.
He will also lead work on the Acute Episode Management Care Model, including the inpatient operating model.
Within the hospital, Parmley will assist in developing and implementing clinical operating policies and procedures, practice and productivity standards, and day-to-day operations of the medical practice in Vanderbilt University Medical Center, including quality of care and cost-effectiveness initiatives.
“From 2009 to present Lee served as deputy chair, chair, and immediate past chair of the Medical Center Medical Board and he has chaired the VUH ICU Medical Director’s Forum since 2008,” Kaiser said. “In these roles his collegial spirit, thoughtful leadership and attention to detail have been impressive. He is ideally positioned to lead VUH into this next generation of health care and its associated complexities.”
“I want to welcome Dr. Parmley into this new role. We appreciate the many contributions he has made to the quality and safety of the care we provide our patients since joining Vanderbilt,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, M.D., deputy vice chancellor for Health Affairs and CEO of the Vanderbilt Health System.
“He comes to this role having led or been an important part of key initiatives within the Department of Anesthesiology and elsewhere across the Medical Center. He will be a collaborative and accessible leader.”
Parmley received his medical degree in 1976 from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, Calif., and trained in Anesthesiology at USAF Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, where he was chief resident.
He received a law degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston in 1989 and a Master of Management in Health Care (MMHC) degree from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management in 2011.
He came to Vanderbilt in 2004 from the University of Texas Health Science Center, where he was chair of the Department of Critical Care in the Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care.
