Driving Innovation at Nashville General Hospital

Bright Spots in Healthcare

Nashville General Hospital CEO Joseph Webb, D.Sc., MSHA, FACHE, joins Eric to discuss how the hospital is using innovation to fulfill its mission and vision to improve the health and wellness of Nashville – one neighbor at a time.

During the conversation, Dr. Webb shares details on two innovative initiatives Nashville General implemented to address health equity and transform care delivery.

Food Pharmacy: In 2018, Nashville General launched the Food Pharmacy to provide access to food for individuals living with food insecurity and to educate those individuals about which foods best fit within the care plan based on their chronic conditions.

Congregational Health and Education Network (CHEN): Launched in 2017, CHEN is a 501(c)(3) faith-based initiative with local churches and educational institutions, with a primary focus on reducing health disparities for communities of color through education attainment, access to healthcare, and health literacy. Currently, CHEN includes 100 faith-based organizations of all denominations throughout Nashville. In addition, Dr. Webb provides a blueprint to help other health organizations implement similar, innovative programs to promote healthy communities and reduce health disparities.

In addition, Dr. Webb provides a blueprint to help other health organizations implement similar, innovative programs to promote healthy communities and reduce health disparities.

About Dr. Webb

Since joining Nashville General in 2015, Dr. Webb has successfully led efforts to improve patient outcomes, enhance the patient experience and grow revenues.

Before joining Nashville General Hospital, Dr. Webb served as chief operating officer for Common Table Health Alliance in Memphis, Tennessee. As a former chief executive operating officer for Methodist Le Bonheur South Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, he held additional chief executive roles for Healthcare Services of America at Coastal Carolina Hospital and Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Webb is board certified in Healthcare Management and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Nationally, he serves as a board member of America’s Essential Hospitals and as chairman of the Governance Committee. He serves on the board of the Nashville chapter of the American Heart Association and as a board member of NashvilleHealth. Dr. Webb is a member of Omega Psi Phi, Incorporated.

Dr. Webb earned a Doctorate of Science in Health Services Administration and a Master of Science in Hospital and Health Services Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Health and Physical Education from Tennessee State University.

About Nashville General Hospital

A leading safety net hospital with 150 beds and more than 22 clinics. Nashville General Hospital serves as the index teaching hospital for the historic Meharry Medical College.

Nashville General has earned multiple accreditations for its evidence-based measures and practices that provide quality healthcare. These include The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval accreditation, NCQA PatientCentered Medical Home accreditation, the NCQA Diabetes Recognition Program, accreditation by the Commission on Cancer for Nashville General’s Robert E. Hardy Cancer Center, and Level 3 TNCPE Performance Excellence Award.

The hospital also has increased its revenue sources through expanded healthcare services and launched initiatives to attract new commercially insured patients. These efforts ensure that every patient receives high-quality care at Nashville General Hospital regardless of their ability to pay.