Saint Thomas Health, Ascension’s Tennessee ministry, has announced that Dr. Gregory James, a Hartselle native, will be joining the nine-hospital system as chief clinical officer. James, who comes to Saint Thomas Health from Birmingham Alabama’s St. Vincent’s Health System, also an Ascension ministry, will begin his new role in mid-February. “The Chief Clinical Officer role is vital to the progress of our health system as we implement the Ascension model of dyadic leadership in which the Chief Clinical officer works closely with the Chief Operating Officer,” said Karen Springer, Saint Thomas Health President and CEO. James and our COO, Bernie Sherry, will align our clinical services and medical staff relations with the strategy and operation of our system. This alignment of operations and clinical services is key in the establishment f our clinically integrates system of care.”

“Across Ascension we are developing clinically integrated systems of care that involve partnerships and collaborations with other in our local communities, in order to support our delivery of compassionate, personalized care to all, especially those living in poverty and struggling the most, said Dr. Ziad Haydar, Chief Clinical Officer of Ascension Health. “Our model of dyadic leadership in all Ascension ministry markets supports our goal to provide improved health outcomes and an enhanced experience for both patients and providers at a lower overall cost of care.

James is a graduate of Hartselle High School, Birmingham Southern College and then University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed his internship in Internal Medicine t the University of Tennessee Hospitals. He completed his residence in neurology, serving as chief resident, at the University of Alabama Hospital. He holds an MBA from Auburn University and is currently part of the Ascension Leadership Academy. James has been on the medical staff of St. Vincent’s Health System since 1995, serving on the Medical Executive, Ethics, Education Clinical Care, Service excellence, Planning and Utilization Review Committees. He chaired the Peer review Committee and served as medical staff secretary/treasurer prior to assuming the role of chief medical officer in 2010. He maintained a private neurology practice from 1993 to 2010 with Newton and James neurology Associates in Birmingham.

James served as an advisory board member and pre-med mentor at Birmingham-Southern College and is a member of the American Academy of neurology and the American College of Physician executives. He is board certified in psychology and neurology,

James is the son of Euel and Ramona James of Hartselle.