TENNESSEE HEALTH CARE HALL OF FAME NOMINEE JOSEPH WEBB

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

He is the CEO of Nashville General Hospital, a leading safety net hospital where he has created and implemented a successful community strategy to address health literacy as one of the major drivers of health disparities. Since joining the hospital in 2015, he has successfully led efforts to improve patient outcomes, enhance patient experiences and grow revenues. Dr. Webb’s approach follows the Webb Health Equity Model (WHEM), a “hub and spoke” health care delivery process that Dr. Webb designed. WHEM leverages the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and Chronic Care Management model to bring holistic, proactive health care and well-care to the individual where they live—in the community. At Nashville General Hospital, the WHEM model addresses health literacy, creates referrals to care through community organizations and ensures continuity of care.

During his tenure, Nashville General has earned multiple accreditations from its evidence-based measures and practices that provide quality healthcare. These include The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval accreditation, NCQA Patient-Centered 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 Nashville General Hospital patient, regardless of ability to pay, receives high-quality care.

To fulfill the hospital’s mission of improving the health and wellness of Nashville, one neighbor at a time, Nashville General launched the Food Pharmacy in 2018. The Food Pharmacy serves two audiences, providing “food as medicine” for patients with food insecurities based on diagnosis and healthy food totes for other select individuals with food insecurities. Another community initiative, Congregational Health and Education Network (CHEN), launched in 2017. CHEN is a 501(c)(3) faith-based initiative that reduces health disparities for communities of color through education attainment, access to health care and health literacy.

Dr. Webb continually works to engage the community and the local, state and federal government representatives. He attended President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union Address with Congressman Mark Green as well as attended the 2023 THA Legislative Day on the Hill. Here he met with all of the area legislators one on one to discuss the need for a new hospital, the importance of Nashville’s safety net hospital and health equity for our community. He tirelessly works with bipartisan leadership to bring to the light the opportunities and challenges surrounding healthcare for not only Nashville but for our state of Tennessee.

Dr. Webb’s prior roles include chief operating officer for Common Table Health Alliance in Memphis, chief executive operating officer for Methodist Le Bonheur South Hospital in Memphis and additional chief executive roles for Healthcare Services of America at Coastal Carolina Hospital and Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center.