Neal Patel, MD, MPH

As the CIO for HealthIT, Dr. Patel provides leadership for translating VUMC healthcare delivery, quality, and patient safety goals into informatics strategies to optimize the delivery of patient care. He collaborates with operational and clinical leadership to foster systemic adoption and effective use of clinical applications to promote patient safety and high-quality care across the continuum and reduce the costs of care, in support of the VUMC mission.

Dr. Patel has extensive experience in the use of healthcare information technology to improve clinical and quality processes, with more than 20 years of experience in implementing and advancing the use of computer order entry systems and electronic health records. He has worked with industry as well as other healthcare organizations to think strategically and proactively about the use of clinical informatics tools to transform the delivery of clinical care.  Using the combination of his clinical expertise, knowledge of healthcare information technology and focus on workflow and logistics, Dr. Patel has developed key insights into the intersection of clinical space, workflow and team function. 

Dr. Patel has been with VUMC since 1997, when he joined VUMC as a faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics (Division of Pediatric Critical Care and Anesthesia) after completing his residency and fellowship at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. He spearheaded the introduction of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). 

In addition to his CIO role, Dr. Patel is also Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, and has adjacent faculty appointments in Anesthesiology and Biomedical Informatics. Dr. Patel received his M.D. from the University of Southern California. He also has a master's degree in Public Health from Vanderbilt University, which he completed as a full-time physician.