CHI Memorial announces Rhonda Adams Scott, RN, PhD, as its new market chief operating officer and president of CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga. As COO, Ms. Scott will lead efforts to optimize quality, safety and the patient experience in partnership with physicians, and maximize clinical operations to deliver value to the community. She will serve alongside the CHI Memorial executive leadership team as a partner and advocate, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability, and successfully navigating the organizational evolution to achieve operating, financial and service excellence outcomes, thereby strengthening CHI Memorial’s brand as the regional adult acute care provider of choice, officials said.
Ms. Scott has more than 22 years of administrative leadership experience in large complex health systems. Most recently, she served as the COO and executive vice-president of Grady Health Systems in Atlanta, a Level 1 trauma center with 953 licensed beds, employing more than 7,200 people, with more than $1 billion in total revenue. Under her leadership, Grady Health Systems received national recognition for clinical care and patient satisfaction, which resulted in Grady receiving the prestigious Press-Ganey Success Story Award.
Officials said, "She has a strong background in all aspects of acute care hospitals, as well as senior leadership experience in finance, facility planning, growth and operations of ambulatory clinics, primary care and neighborhood health centers. She also excels in operations, strategy, construction and physician relations where she worked with medical staffs from Emory University School of Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine."
“The majority of her experience aligns perfectly with CHI Memorial’s current journey,” says Janelle Reilly, market chief executive officer, CHI Memorial. “She has a strong reputation of mentoring leaders who have progressed to advanced positions within healthcare, and fosters a collective purpose to fulfill our vision and extend the healing ministry of the Church.”
"Active on state and national boards and in local communities where she is called to serve, Ms. Scott has a strong reputation for advocacy and fundraising while serving as president of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Heart and Stroke Association," officials said. "She has received numerous awards of distinction from Modern Healthcare, Atlanta Business Chronicle and Healthcare Businesswomen Association, to name a few."
Ms. Scott earned a doctor of philosophy in nursing degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta, a master of science in nursing from Rush University in Chicago, and a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
She was born at Memorial Hospital and raised in Chattanooga. She is married to Thomas N. Scott, who was also born at CHI Memorial. They recently celebrated 35 years of marriage. They are excited to return to Chattanooga and become active in the community. They are the proud parents of two adult sons, Thomas Lee Scott, II, and David J. Scott, who reside in Houston, Tx. and Birmingham, respectively.