Teamwork drives new VUH chief operating officer Edgeworth
Mitch Edgeworth is ready to hit the ground running as chief operating officer for Vanderbilt University Hospital.
He began his new role June 1 and comes to Vanderbilt from Quorum Health Resources, where he served as regional vice president and was responsible for the operational performance and strategic objectives of 12 hospitals in Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico since 2009.
Mitch Edgeworth
Edgeworth brings a strong background in performance improvement initiatives and is looking forward to working with an organization that is entrenched in a mindset of innovation, customer service and teamwork.
“I learned a lot about Vanderbilt through the interview and orientation process,” said Edgeworth. “As a community member and industry executive I had some general knowledge about the hospital, but it was during the time I spent with VUMC faculty and staff that I witnessed the collaborative culture that is second to none.
“At Vanderbilt, the reputation for being the best is well deserved,” he said. “Some of the brightest minds in our industry work here, but the incredible difference is how our colleagues work together to solve complex problems and better serve our community.”
Edgeworth, who describes himself as a team player, jumped at the opportunity to work in an environment that feeds off the value of improvement through collaboration.
“Something else that really grabbed me was the credo at Vanderbilt, specifically one of the performance objectives – ‘I make those I serve my highest priority.’ My style is servant-based leadership. I try to lead by example and I really view my job, and those in hospital administration, as serving others in the organization by giving them the right tools, resources and training necessary to help them be successful in their roles.”
David Posch, CEO of Vanderbilt Hospital and Clinics, is thrilled Edgeworth chose Vanderbilt.
“In an era of health reform, coupled with the rapid advance of science and the need for innovation, our hospital faces many challenges and opportunities,” said Posch. “Mitch's background and skills are a perfect match to our needs and I look forward to his leadership."
Edgeworth’s road to health care did not follow the most common path, he said.
Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree from Lipscomb University and a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from Georgia Tech, he began his career as an industrial engineer with Saturn Corp. After two years, he discovered that his passion did not lie with the automotive industry – rather health care topped his list of interests.
He worked for the Duke University Health System as a management engineer and manager of performance services from 1998-2002. While at Duke, he received his MBA. From 2002-2009 Edgeworth worked at Tenet Health System, serving in various leadership roles including CEO of Doctors Hospital in Dallas.
Edgeworth and his wife, Kimberly, have four daughters.