When Dr. Shubhada Jagasia enrolled in the MMHC program, she was already moving beyond traditional health care silos. As associate director for clinical affairs in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, she led the creation of a multidisciplinary clinic focused on caring for patients with diabetes. The innovative clinic went on to receive three separate recognitions from the American Diabetes Association for improved quality outcomes.

And Dr. Jagasia went on to roles with even greater leadership responsibility after completing her degree. As vice-chair for clinical affairs in the Department of Medicine at VUMC, she oversaw the clinical activity of approximately 800 faculty across three separate patient care centers. She helped create the Vanderbilt Familiar Faces program, a patient-centered medical home aimed at improving quality while reducing health care utilization and costs for populations whose medical conditions are complicated by social and behavioral factors. With her expertise in population health, she was asked to lead the first accountable care organization (ACO) at VUMC in 2018.

A few months later, Dr. Jagasia was named chief of staff for Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital and Clinics. Then, in 2021, she was named CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital, whose Midtown and West campuses are two of the largest hospitals in Middle Tennessee. Combined, the two facilities have 879 beds and generate more than $4.1 billion in revenue.

Her new responsibilities drew on the business skills Dr. Jagasia cultivated through the MMHC, as she took oversight of a master plan renovation at Saint Thomas Midtown involving the construction of a surgery and critical care tower, a state-of-the-art cancer center, and a modern new medical office building.

“One of the big draws to me was the mission of Saint Thomas,” Dr. Jagasia told the Nashville Business Journal. “It’s focused on serving all patients but has a special focus on the poor and vulnerable patient populations. That kind of spiritual and holistic approach to health care, combined with their focus on modernization, creativity, and innovation…excited me about the role.”

[The] spiritual and holistic approach to health care, combined with their focus on modernization, creativity, and innovation…excited me about the role.