by Tom Wilemon
Nancy Davis, MD, has been promoted to Vice President for Cancer Care Network and Strategy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a new position responsible for developing provider relationships with other health care systems and expanding access to oncology care throughout Tennessee and other states. The promotion became effective July 1.
Davis has served as senior medical director for Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center’s (VICC) Cancer Care Network and Strategy since August 2020, supervising existing VICC clinics outside of Davidson County and overseeing the establishment of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center at Wilson County. In addition, she worked with Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga last year to launch a professional service agreement that established a long-term collaboration for comprehensive cancer care.
“In addition to the breadth and depth of the clinical expertise of our oncologists, nurses and staff, many of the offerings of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center are unique to this region. Our mission is to make these services more accessible for our patients, wherever they may live,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, Deputy CEO and Chief Health System Officer for VUMC. “I want to congratulate Dr. Davis on this new role. She has done an outstanding job so far extending VICC’s reach into new communities and I look forward to future results.”
Davis was recruited to VICC in 2018 from Advocate Aurora Health in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where she was also a clinical adjunct assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She has helped lead several initiatives at VICC, serving on the Clinical Trial Scientific Review Oversight Committee, the Clinical Trials Billing/Finance Navigation Committee, the Medical Oncology Fellowship Program Evaluation Committee and the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee.
“Dr. Davis has done an outstanding job leading the VICC Cancer Care Network and recruiting and working with providers who share our commitment to the highest-quality patient care and access to the latest advancements in cancer treatment. She is highly engaged with the community throughout our catchment area with her innovative and effective approach. I congratulate her on this very deserved promotion,” said Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, B.F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology, director of VICC, Executive Vice President for Research at VUMC and holder of the Brock Family Directorship in Career Development.
Davis, working with Erlanger Health System medical and administrative leaders over the past year, has laid the foundation for a mutually beneficial provider service relationship that offers people in the greater Chattanooga area close-to-home access to the advanced cancer care expertise of a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center at their local hospital. VICC provides Vanderbilt-employed advanced practice providers and board-certified hematologists and oncologists. As a result, patients have access to expert coordinated care with cases presented at multidisciplinary tumor boards and benefit from comprehensive and coordinated treatment planning with Erlanger surgeons, radiation oncologists, pathologists and other specialists. Additionally, Erlanger patients have improved access to the second opinion program from VICC subspecialists in specific types of cancer by telehealth, representation at molecular and subspecialty tumor boards, clinical trial access and other specialty care.
“I’ve enjoyed working with Erlanger and look forward to other opportunities for collaborations in cancer care. Our goal is to work with health care systems, so their patients have access to the same advancements in cancer care available at Vanderbilt without having to travel far from home. We are committed to staffing the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Care Network with providers who will engage both professionally and personally in the communities where they work,” Davis said.