Vanderbilt’s new vice chancellor Balser announces additional administrative changes
In addition to the senior leadership announcements made last week, Vanderbilt’s new Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, Jeff Balser, M.D. Ph.D., has made two additional appointments to his senior leadership team.
• David Raiford, M.D., assistant vice chancellor for Health Affairs and senior associate dean for Faculty Affairs at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, has been named associate vice chancellor for Health Affairs and Chief Compliance Officer for Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
David Raiford, M.D.
• Bonnie Miller, M.D., was named senior associate dean for Health Sciences Education at VUMC, continuing to lead medical student education as well as expanded efforts to ensure that all of Vanderbilt's clinical education programs are directed toward the ultimate goal of improving the health and well-being of patients and populations.
Bonnie Miller, M.D.
In his expanded role, Raiford will oversee an integrated structure for management of issues relating to conflicts of interest, compliance and standards of professionalism.
“I’m very grateful to David for his tremendous leadership and service to the institution,” said Balser. “As Vanderbilt continues to develop its reputation as one of the most forward-thinking academic institutions in the nation, he will serve as an excellent guide for our medical staff, faculty and students during this time of change.”
Raiford’s leadership skillfully directed the design and implementation of a new conflict of interest policy at VUMC that is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching in the nation. Raiford says the change of paradigm is challenging, but it is one that Vanderbilt has embraced as the new administration moves forward.
“I feel fortunate to be designated to lead the Medical Center’s efforts to enhance Vanderbilt’s growing reputation as a national leader in these areas,” Raiford said. “The evolving landscape in the areas of conflicts of interest and compliance has created opportunities for us to partner with colleagues and thought leaders across Vanderbilt’s campus and nationally to innovate and lead.”
Raiford will continue to serve as Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, with ongoing responsibility for academic appointments and promotions, faculty professional development, and other matters involving or affecting faculty members in the School of Medicine.
Balser, who is also dean of the School of Medicine, said that Miller’s role is integral to the continuing success of Vanderbilt’s medical school.
“Bonnie oversaw the transition to our new curriculum and has been a major force behind innovative and effective efforts to improve medical education at Vanderbilt,” Balser said.
“Under her guidance, the School of Medicine will take further transformative steps toward creating a new vision for medical education that ensures the best possible patient outcomes nationwide.”
“This position will provide an excellent opportunity for us to understand and measure the competencies and capacities that learners across the continuum need in order to practice safe, effective, evidence-based medicine in the 21st century,” Miller said.
Miller says she will be looking for the “holy grail” of educational outcomes research: evidence linking a particular educational program with improved patient outcomes. She said with Vanderbilt's informatics capabilities and medical education expertise, the school is uniquely positioned to meet this challenge.
“I'm very excited to have this incredible opportunity. It's great to be part of an institution that embraces innovation, challenges assumptions and encourages us to always search for better ways of doing the very important work that we do,” Miller said.