Dr. Lily Henson’s goal as the new chief medical officer at Piedmont Henry Hospital is to make healthcare better, one step at a time. Dr. Henson, who also serves as the chief of neurology for Piedmont Healthcare, is relatively new to Georgia but her long and established career in medicine makes her a perfect fit for the hospital and its staff.
“The role of a chief medical officer is to help our entire healthcare team provide the best quality care to our patients.†Dr. Henson said. “My job is to help in removing any barriers to that goal.â€
Dr. Henson practiced neurology in Seattle, Washington with Swedish Health Services for 25 years. She was previously the vice president of medical affairs of one of Swedish’s community hospitals after serving as chief of staff of another site.
Among Dr. Henson’s goals for Piedmont Henry, her first is to reinforce a culture of safety at the hospital and to help create an infrastructure that provides the best possible care for patients.
“It is important for every person who works here to feel comfortable speaking up for safety,†Dr. Henson said. “The people in the trenches taking care of patients have to speak up when they encounter a problem and provide the solutions since they have the knowledge and expertise. My role is to support them in this.â€
In addition to her role at Piedmont Henry, Dr. Henson continues to see a limited number of neurology patients. She is also on the board of directors for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and is the chair for the American Academy of Neurology’s BrainPAC, a political action committee that advocates for neurologists and their patients.
“There are amazing, caring people here at Henry,†Dr. Henson said. “They provide excellent care to our patients and they are here to make a difference. I am really proud to be able to work with such dedicated folks.â€
