Brent Lemonds has been named administrative director of Emergency Services. (photo by Dana Johnson)
Lemonds named administrative director of emergency services
Brent Lemonds, MS, RN, EMT-P, has been named administrative director of Emergency Services. He replaces Patricia Chenger, who was recently named administrative director for Nursing and Clinical Support Services for Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
Lemonds previously served as manager of the adult emergency department, and left that position to spend two years as director of Emergency, Flight and Trauma services for Johnson City Medical Center, Mountain States Health Alliance.
There Lemonds honed his management skills overseeing an emergency department with 55,000 annual patient visits, as well as the hospital’s aero medical program, and trauma service. He supervised more than 100 FTEs.
Lemonds new job at Vanderbilt will consist of administratively overseeing the adult Emergency Department, as well as planning for future growth of the department. He directly reports to Marilyn Dubree, director of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer.
“There are a million tiny processes that happen each time a patient enters the Emergency Department,” he explained. “We’ll be looking to streamline and coordinate those processes, as well as interfaces to the inpatient environment, to ensure each patient receives the best care possible.”
Dubree praised Lemonds’ leadership ability and was pleased that he would return to Vanderbilt.
“Brent brings with him a unique understanding of emergency services plus the ability to quickly identify problems and offer solutions,” she said. “I am pleased that he’s returned to Vanderbilt.”
Dubree had received a call for references from the Johns Hopkins Health System on Lemonds and immediately called him to see if he was interested in interviewing for the opening at Vanderbilt.
“Doors have just opened up for me to return to Vanderbilt,” Lemonds said. “It really has been amazing.”
Dr. Corey M. Slovis, professor and chair of Emergency Medicine, said Lemonds has the perfect background for the position.
“Brent is an experienced ED Nurse, has worked as a paramedic in the streets, has led an EMS Service and has served as two other hospital’s trauma and emergency services’ administrator,” Slovis said.
“He is a smart, fair, kind and an experienced leader — we are very lucky to have recruited him away from joining the Johns Hopkins Hospital System.”