Geoffrey H. Smallwood, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Baptist Hospital, part of the Saint Thomas Health system, has been appointed by Capella Healthcare and Saint Thomas Health to the Capella-Upper Cumberland Healthcare Initiatives (UCHI) Board. The UCHI Board is the governing body for the joint venture between Capella Healthcare and UCHI (an organization of physicians) that includes DeKalb Community Hospital in Smithville, Highlands Medical Center in Sparta, and Stones River Hospital in Woodbury. These hospitals, along with River Park Hospital in McMinnville, are part of the Capella-Saint Thomas Health Services partnership.
The Capella-UCHI Board provides guidance for the hospital CEOs who work in conjunction with their respective Boards of Trustees and medical staff leadership. Capella representatives on the board are Erik Swensson, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Capella; Mark Medley, President of Hospital Operations for Capella; Michael Wiechart, SVP and Chief Operating Officer for Capella; Bill Little, CEO of Highlands Medical Center and Dr. Smallwood. UCHI representatives on the board are Hugh Don Cripps, MD (Smithville), Alan Drake, MD (Sparta), Doug Hooper, MD (Smithville), James Spurlock, MD (Woodbury) and Ty Webb, MD (Sparta).
“We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Smallwood to the Board,” said Mark Medley, speaking on behalf of the Capella-UCHI Board. “His visionary leadership and collaborative approach will support our continued progress towards enhancing care for the communities we serve. He has a commitment to this partnership and to our mission of providing the highest quality of care as we expand services and access for this region.”
As the chief medical officer for Baptist Hospital, Dr. Smallwood facilitates and aligns the interests of the hospital’s leadership and medical staff in an increasingly challenging health care environment. Since 1991, prior to assuming his new position in May, Dr. Smallwood had been a practicing OB/GYN and member of the Baptist Hospital medical staff. As the chief OB/GYN at Baptist Hospital from 2009-2011, Dr. Smallwood helped improve the departmental process for better communication and decision-making among medical staff and, as part of a team, developed various patient safety initiatives for mothers and infants that align with the Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care.
After attending medical school at the Tulane University School of Medicine, Dr. Smallwood completed his internship in obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA Medical Center and his residency, also in obstetrics and gynecology, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He began his career in private practice at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, Calif., before coming to Nashville.
