by Christina Echegaray
After serving as interim president of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Meg Rush, MD, MMHC, has been named to permanently fill the role of president.
Succeeding Rush in the role as hospital’s chief of staff is John Thomas, MD, associate professor of Pediatric Urology. Thomas previously served as an associate chief of staff. He will continue to support perioperative services for the immediate future and continue his work as a pediatric urologic surgeon.
“Dr. Rush is the right individual to fulfill this integral position on our senior leadership team. Meg’s longstanding and deep commitment to the hospital’s success, along with the breadth of leadership responsibilities she has already held, will serve us well as we continue to expand the size and scope of pediatric services to meet the needs of our growing community,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Health System Officer for Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Rush was named chief of staff in 2007, subsequently adding the responsibilities of executive medical director of Children’s Hospital in 2012. As president, Rush will lead Children’s Hospital through its strategic growth initiatives as clinical programs continue to advance.
Currently, Children’s Hospital’s geographic footprint extends to 20 locations across Tennessee, which includes the recently opened pediatric surgery and clinics facility in Murfreesboro. The hospital is also poised to open its second new inpatient unit of a four-floor, $150 million expansion — the 11th floor — this spring.
Rush earned her undergraduate degree from DePauw University in Indiana, and then her medical degree from Cincinnati. Following her residency and neonatology fellowship with Vanderbilt’s Department of Pediatrics, she joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 1990. She earned a Master of Management in Health Care in 2013 from the Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management.
Among several notable honors, Rush has been named a “Woman to Watch in Medicine” by Nashville Medical News as well as a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Living and Giving Honoree. In 2019 she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine.
“I am truly honored to be named President of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. I have been part of the children’s enterprise for more than thirty-five years as trainee, researcher, educator, clinician and physician executive,” Rush said. “Each chapter has been a rich experience, preparing me for the next opportunity. I am humbled and grateful for the trust placed in me to lead the people I have worked with for so many years.”
“I look forward to working with the outstanding faculty and staff of Children’s Hospital as we carry out our mission of caring for children and their families, creating and implementing outstanding programs based on discovery, and ensuring the education and development of the future pediatric caregivers.”
In his new role as chief of staff, Thomas’ duties include developing, implementing and overseeing the clinical operating policies and procedures, practice standards and day-to-day operations of the medical practice at Children’s Hospital. He will coordinate with other leaders to optimize quality of care and cost-effective initiatives within the hospital environment.
Additionally, he is charged with providing administrative guidance for the medical staff governance, including oversight of medical staff bylaws and practice standards, and is responsible for oversight of Children’s Hospital’s medical directors.
Thomas is a leader at Children’s Hospital in laparoscopic surgery, particularly non-invasive robotic surgery. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Thomas received his medical degree from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. After his Cleveland Clinic residency, he came to Children’s Hospital for a pediatric urology fellowship in 2004, and he has been on faculty since.
“I am so thrilled to accept this new role as I continue my career at this amazing hospital. I owe a great debt of gratitude to our nursing leadership and unit nurses who have educated me on patient-related issues and reminded me about the importance of advocating for our children and their families,” Thomas said.
