Leading candidate Reginald Coopwood, MD, will assume the position of CEO of the Regional Medical Center at Memphis (The MED) on March 1, during a pivotal time in the facility’s development. The MED made headlines last fall when the Board voted to close the Emergency Department if $32 million could not be raised to sustain the regional safety net hospital for residents within a 150-mile radius.

 

“Without a doubt, Dr. Coopwood, as both a senior healthcare administrator and a physician, is the right leader for The MED,” said Gene Holcomb, chair of The MED Board of Directors. “He has significant and distinctive experience in working with safety net hospitals. His prior leadership positions have equipped him with a unique understanding of issues confronting hospitals like The MED.”

 

A board-certified surgeon, Coopwood served most recently as associate clinical professor of surgery at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and associate professor of surgery at Meharry Medical College, both located in the Nashville metro area.

 

“The position as CEO of The MED brings great challenges and opportunities,” said Coopwood of the oldest hospital in Tennessee. “I’m excited about the opportunity to lead this organization and look forward to working closely with employees, physicians and the community as we ensure that the tradition of providing quality healthcare to the citizens of the Mid-South continues.”

 

A board member of the National Public Health and Hospital Institute (NPHHI), Nashville Health Care Council and Tennessee Court Appointed Special Advocate Association, Coopwood previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees for Meharry Medical College and Comprehensive Care Center.

 

A 2005 graduate of Leadership Nashville, Coopwood was named a fellow to the Health Care Solutions Group, co-founded by Vanderbilt University and the Nashville Health Care Council. As a member of the Nashville Downtown Rotary Club, he has chaired the Organ Donation Committee.

 

A member of the American College of Health Care Executives, American College of Physician Executives, R.F. Boyd Medical Society and National Medical Association, and a fellow in the American College of Surgeons, Coopwood received his pre-med education from Oakwood College, focusing on biology, chemistry—and business administration, before earning a medical degree from Meharry Medical College.

 

In 2000, Coopwood was the first appointed Chief Medical Officer for Nashville General Hospital at Meharry, and assumed the CEO role in 2005. That same year, Coopwood received the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center's coveted Dr. Archie Powell Excellence in Health Award.

 

Before his official start date, Coopwood will work with FTI Cambio, the management consulting firm for The MED for the last 18 months, for interim management and transformation services to ensure a seamless leadership transition for the 350-bed regional healthcare facility. With five Centers of Excellence, and more than 38 areas of medical specialty, The MED also serves as an acute-care teaching hospital for the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, where most doctors in Tennessee trained.