Legner to direct new Primary Patient Care Center

by Jill Clendening

Victor Legner, MD, has been named the founding executive medical director of the newly formed Primary Care Patient Care Center (PCC) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, effective Sept. 1.

Legner, an associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine, previously served as the executive medical director of the Medicine PCC at VUMC. The Medicine PCC previously provided oversight of the Medical Center’s primary care clinical services.

“We’ve been continually expanding our primary care clinics and increasing the number of people we care for, and it’s important that we care for our patients in the best manner possible,” said Legner. “This addition to our organizational structure will ensure that we are providing both excellent preventative medicine and proactive medicine for our patients, including treating their complex illnesses and caring for them appropriately as they transition through their lives.”

Legner practices at Vanderbilt Primary Care at Village at Vanderbilt and serves on the Shade Tree Clinic Board of Directors.

As executive medical director of the Primary Care PCC, Legner will work inclusively with the component departments and divisions across VUMC to improve alignment of services and enhance growth. He will also work to reduce barriers to care for both patients and providers through ease of access and improved efficiencies.

There are currently 17 clinics offering adult primary care at VUMC, as well as 10 walk-in-clinics (a Belcourt walk-in clinic is opening in early October) and 14 Walgreens clinics to meet the immediate care needs of patients in addition to traditional primary care services.

Increasingly, these care structures are integrated due to the variable needs of a mobile and busy patient population. Due to population growth in Middle Tennessee, VUMC has seen continued growth in demand for primary care services. The impetus behind separating this as an independent PCC is to provide the infrastructure to rapidly meet the needs of the regional population, to provide innovative structures for care in an increasingly connected and tech-savvy community, and to be proactive in providing highest quality primary care in the ever-changing health care environment.

“The Primary Care PCC led by Dr. Legner will create a model enabling patients to make a personal connection with VUMC, and will facilitate easier access, both traditional and digital,” said Shubhada Jagasia, MD, MMHC, chief of staff, Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital and Clinics. “It will use a team-based approach to provide higher quality care that will focus on wellness, while supporting patients at all key transitions between health and illness.”

PCCs were formed at VUMC in 1997 to support greater coordination between corresponding care teams and to embed patient-centered care in the structure and day-to-day operation of the Medical Center’s clinical enterprise.

VUMC’s adult PCCs are specifically charged with establishing evidence-based care pathways across related disciplines and environments; bringing greater standardization and measurement to bear on clinical processes; identifying and improving clinical quality outcomes; and identifying and undertaking disease-specific cost improvement initiatives that will improve value to patients.

“Our goal ultimately is to facilitate improved health to the citizens of Middle Tennessee and to meet the health needs of individuals in our community where they live and with the right mix of services.” said Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, Cornelius Abernathy Craig Professor and chair of the Department of Medicine at VUMC.

“Dr. Legner has demonstrated the creativity, commitment to excellence, and dedication to putting the patient experience front and center to achieve that goal. The future of adult primary care is truly at an exciting crossroads, and Dr. Legner and this whole new Primary Care PCC, together with collaborations across VUMC, will have a hand in transforming health care models.”

There are now 16 adult patient care centers at VUMC: