Stacy L. Palmer, MBA, will join Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University on June 6 as the new vice president of clinical administration and strategy.
Stacy L. Palmer, MBA, will join Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University on June 6 as the new vice president of clinical administration and strategy. In this role, she will be responsible for coordinating Winship's clinical strategy and supporting standardization of cancer care across Emory Healthcare's clinical sites and partners.
Palmer comes to Winship from Duke University Medical School, where she was associate dean for strategic planning and chief of staff for the past five years. Her previous roles over more than a decade at Duke University Health System include serving as director of planning for Duke Cancer Institute.
In addition to her more than 25 years of experience in health care delivery systems, academic medicine, life sciences and consulting, Palmer holds an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and a BA in government from The College of William and Mary.
Palmer says she sees great opportunity for Winship. "In Georgia, obviously, Emory and Winship are the premier cancer provider," she says. "But regionally and nationally, I think there's a lot of opportunity for Winship to continue to grow because it's a relatively new NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center."
She adds, "I could also sense the energy, commitment and investment in cancer from across Emory when I interviewed."
Palmer's objective is to understand Winship—how it works, what are its strengths, where are its opportunities, how to help leverage its expertise and position itself with consideration for all missions in the marketplace of cancer care and research institutions. "I will start with a fact finding tour to understand what programs are here," she says, "what the market needs and opportunities are, and how to draw upon what we already have to expand our reach and meet patient needs."
She is clear that there is no one-size-fits all that can transfer from one institution to another.
"The strengths and opportunities may be very different from what I knew at Duke, given unique internal and market dynamics," says Palmer, "but the process for identifying them is similar. That's the experience I will be drawing on." She adds, "Cancer is so interdisciplinary—collaboration with and input from stakeholders at all levels of Winship, the School of Medicine and Emory Healthcare will be critical."
Palmer will join a team comprising Winship's chief medical officer, chief quality officer and chief nursing officer to help lead the Winship clinical enterprise under the direction of Winship's executive director and Emory Healthcare's Physician Group president and Hospital Group president.
"Stacy brings several years of leadership experience in strategic planning and administration at a major academic medical center," says Suresh S. Ramalingam, MD, Winship's executive director. "She will be a major asset to continue to guide Winship's growth as a premier cancer center in the country."
Ramalingam adds, "Stacy will play a pivotal role in developing strategies and overseeing the implementation of high-quality care with integration of research in every location where Winship provides care."
Also highlighting Palmer's strategic skill and vision, Ira R. Horowitz, MD, Physician Group president, co-chief of clinical operations at Emory Healthcare and executive associate dean of faculty and clinical affairs in Emory University School of Medicine, says, "Stacy will assist in strategizing Winship's commitment to the tripartite mission of cancer research, patient care and education and training. This will be achieved through strengthening the ties between the School of Medicine, Emory Healthcare and Winship." He adds, "I look forward to working with Stacy and Winship's leadership team to achieve these goals."
Bryce Gartland, MD, Hospital Group president and co-chief of clinical operations for Emory Healthcare, says, "We are excited to have Stacy joining our team at Winship and Emory Healthcare. Stacy has a tremendous depth of experience and demonstrated track record in developing and deploying strategic initiatives."
Gartland adds, "We look forward to Stacy's leadership in advancing our oncology strategy and programs at Emory as we improve the lives and provide hope to the communities we’re privileged to serve."