Emily Brown, MD, assistant professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health in the Department of Medicine, has been named the medical director of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Discharge Care Center. Her new role was effective July 1.
The Discharge Care Center is an around-the-clock call center comprised of a multidisciplinary team that serves as a centralized resource to aid adult patients navigating the health care system after discharge. The team includes clinical nurses, social workers, care coordinators, case managers and pharmacy support working together to ensure all patients experience a smooth transition from inpatient to outpatient care.
The addition of a medical director to the Discharge Care Center team is expected to improve coordination with clinicians from discharging teams and adult ambulatory clinics.
“Dr. Brown’s appointment as the medical director of the Discharge Care Center marks an advancement in our commitment to collaborative patient care,” said Patty Wright, MD, chief medical officer for the Adult Ambulatory Clinics. “Her background in internal medicine, combined with her military discipline and expertise in process improvement, uniquely qualifies her to serve as the center’s medical director.
“We are confident that Dr. Brown’s leadership will enhance the center’s operations and contribute to the overall well-being of our patients as they transition from the inpatient to the outpatient setting.”
The Discharge Care Center uses several methods of targeted outreach for high-risk discharged patients and an automated communication system to provide clinical oversight for 30 days post-discharge for all in-scope patients. The center’s scope includes Vanderbilt University Hospital (VUH) inpatient and observation patients discharged to home, excluding ventricular assist device, transplant, medicine research and Women’s Health obstetric patients.
Brown joined VUMC in August 2020, and she serves as a primary care physician with a clinical interest in diabetes and obesity management through a whole health approach. Another of her clinical interests is continuous process improvement, and she has a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
Brown was named medical director of VUMC’s Health Plus in January 2022. Health Plus, a program of Vanderbilt Health and Wellness, advances healthy lifestyle practices of VUMC faculty and staff by assisting individuals in recognizing their health risks and providing education and programming to reduce those risks.
In July, Brown was named co-director of the Department of Medicine’s Women in Medicine initiative, along with Ana Nobis, MD, MPH. This effort supports women through community, leadership development, allyship, education and research.
Brown earned her medical degree at the University of Alabama School of Medicine on a Health Professions Scholarship with the United States Navy. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Following residency, Brown was stationed as an internist at Naval Hospital Pensacola. While there, she served as the associate director for Medical Services, department head of Internal Medicine and Specialty Clinics, and senior medical officer for Internal Medicine. She separated from active military duty at Naval Hospital Pensacola in 2020 after achieving the rank of lieutenant commander.
“I look forward to providing leadership for our Discharge Care Center team, rooted in patient-centered care, to bridge the transition from inpatient to outpatient care,” Brown said. “Our goals at the center are to improve health outcomes, improve timely access to outpatient hospital follow-up care and reduce readmissions by building partnerships throughout the enterprise by leveraging systems-based improvements.”
The Discharge Care Center began as a small, manual phone call outreach pilot serving an average of 720 patients per month in August 2019 to supporting an in-scope, discharge volume of 3,390 individuals per month by October 2021. The Discharge Care Center has helped the Medical Center achieve a 5% reduction in hospital readmissions, with 92% of patients served reporting they would use the program again if admitted in the future.
