Tyler W. Barrett, MD, MSCI, has been appointed the first Associate Chief Medical Officer (ACMO) for Compliance at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
The ACMO-Compliance will further develop the Office of Compliance and Corporate Integrity (OCCI) program elements relating to coding and clinical documentation, clinician education, medically necessary care, and collaborative solutions consistent with the VUMC Credo and patient care of the highest quality. Barrett will also assume physician leadership over VUMC’s oversight processes for clinical standing orders and clinician-initiated care protocols. Barrett, who began his role on July 1, will partner with Patty Wright, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Adult Ambulatory Clinics, and Bob Mangeot, VUMC Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer, to successfully achieve VUMC’s compliance program objectives.
“Compliance programs play an important role in educating on best practices,” Mangeot said. “Doing that successfully requires continuous partnership with our clinicians and clinical staff. Tyler has the ideal energy, experience, and track record to help VUMC drive this education and oversight to the next level.”
Barrett, a Vanderbilt School of Medicine graduate (MD ’01 and MSCI ’10), completed emergency medicine residency at UCLA/Olive View-UCLA and joined the VUMC faculty in 2005. He is a professor of Emergency Medicine and previously served as the Executive Medical Director and Director of the Clinical Operations Division for the Department of Emergency Medicine.
Barrett co-authored the health system’s first consultation policy and implemented several interdisciplinary programs, including the rapid-post emergency department follow-up program. This program, which Barrett co-led with Associate CMO for the Adult Ambulatory Clinics, Chetan Aher, MD, has safely averted hundreds of hospital admissions and while providing expert care in in the ambulatory setting.
He co-chairs the VUMC Controlled Substances Oversight Committee with Jenny Slayton, DNP, RN, Senior Vice President for Quality, Safety and Risk Prevention, and is actively involved in promoting education about the dangers of opioids among adolescents and young adults. He authored the USA Hockey Player Safety Program “Opioid” and “E-cigarette/Vaping” educational materials and recently developed two opioid continuing education programs for teachers, coaches, and school leaders.
“At the end of the day, strong compliance fosters outstanding quality,” Wright said. “It’s essential that our documentation and ordering practices support our mission of personalized, quality medical care. Tyler is the right leader to strengthen and grow the relationships between our OCCI colleagues and our clinicians.”
Barrett chairs the American College of Emergency Medicine Reimbursement Committee, is a Senior Associate Editor for Annals of Emergency Medicine, and serves as Chair-Elect of the Vanderbilt University Faculty Senate.
“I am excited to work with Patty, Bob, the OCCI, and the operational leadership teams,” he said. “My first Emergency Medicine administration role was working with our coders in 2015 to improve clinical documentation and professional reimbursement. My career has come full circle, and I look forward to this new leadership opportunity.”
