Vice President, System Pathology and Laboratories

UofL Health•Louisville, KY

About The Position

UofL Health is a fully integrated regional academic health system with five hospitals, four medical centers, nearly 200 physician practice locations, more than 700 providers, the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute and Brown Cancer Center. With more than 12,000 team members—physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists and other highly skilled health care professionals—UofL Health is focused on one mission: delivering patient-centered care to each and every patient each and every day. The System Vice President of Laboratory Services is the senior-most operational leader for all laboratory services across UofL Health, spanning acute care hospitals, ambulatory clinics, outreach programs, research support labs, and academic departments. This executive ensures safe, reliable, high-quality, and cost-effective laboratory operations aligned to the health system’s clinical, academic, and research missions. The role oversees strategic planning, system integration, quality and regulatory compliance (CLIA, CAP, The Joint Commission, AABB, OSHA), financial stewardship, technology and automation strategy, LIS governance, and the development of a high-performing, inclusive culture. The leader partners closely with Pathology Chairs and Medical Directors, Research leadership, Chief Medical & Nursing Officers, Population Health, IT, Supply Chain, and Finance to deliver value, drive innovation, support clinical trials, and advance teaching.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Clinical Laboratory Science, Healthcare Administration, Business, Public Health) required; Doctorate preferred (e.g., PhD, DrPH, DBA).
10+ years progressive leadership in complex laboratory operations; 5+ years at enterprise/system scope in an academic medical center or multi-hospital system.
One is required—MT/MLS(ASCP) or equivalent, HTL(ASCP), SBB(ASCP), M(ASCP), MB(ASCP).
Proven success integrating labs across multiple hospitals/clinics with standardized platforms and LIS.
Experience supporting clinical trials, biobanking, and academic partnerships.
Demonstrated P&L accountability and ability to deliver sustainable cost, quality, and service improvements.
Connects lab strategy to enterprise clinical and academic priorities.
Expert in throughput, automation, capacity management, and turnaround times.
QMS design, continuous readiness, and human factors mindset.
Collaborates effectively with Pathology leadership, Research, Nursing, and Service Lines.
Drives adoption of standardized workflows across diverse sites and disciplines.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a multi-year laboratory strategy that consolidates platforms, harmonizes test menus, and optimizes the system core lab and rapid response labs for clinical excellence and academic advancement.
Lead LIS (e.g., Epic Beaker, Sunquest, Cerner/Orchard) governance, interoperability, and utilization analytics in collaboration with IT, ensuring system standard work, data integrity, and downtime resilience.
Champion standardization of processes, instrumentation, reagents, and policies across sites; drive enterprise purchasing leverage in partnership with Supply Chain.
Align laboratory services to clinical service line strategy (e.g., oncology, cardiology, transplant), research priorities, and clinical trials activation timelines.
Ensure full compliance with CLIA high-complexity requirements and accreditation by CAP, The Joint Commission, AABB (as applicable), and OSHA/biosafety standards; lead mock surveys and continuous readiness.
Implement a robust Laboratory Quality Management System (QMS) with standardized indicators for accuracy, timeliness, specimen integrity, proficiency testing performance, competency assessment, and event review.
Oversee POCT governance across inpatient and ambulatory settings (privileging, training, connectivity, and quality oversight).
Advance test utilization stewardship, ensuring alignment with evidence-based practice, value-based care, and equity in access.
Optimize end-to-end lab operations (pre-analytic, analytic, post-analytic), including specimen collection, courier logistics, automation/track systems, throughput, and STAT/critical result workflows.
Lead technology roadmap and capital planning for instrumentation, digital pathology, molecular and next-gen sequencing, mass spectrometry, and automation—ensuring cyber safety and lifecycle management.
Build scalable capabilities for genomics, precision medicine, and advanced diagnostics in alignment with academic and research objectives.
Build an inclusive, values-based culture rooted in safety, respect, continuous improvement, and leadership accountability.
Support workforce planning, certification/competency tracking, and retention strategies.
Role-model the system’s leadership commitments and core behaviors.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Partner with Department of Pathology and other academic units to support teaching of residents/fellows, faculty practice plans, investigator-initiated studies, and sponsored trials.
Establish efficient biobanking, data-sharing protocols, and compliant IRB workflows; ensure appropriate consent, governance, and data privacy.
Support grant strategy where lab infrastructure intersects with research competitiveness.
Manage an enterprise lab P&L including operating budget, revenues, cost containment, and productivity standards; employ activity-based costing and benchmarking.
Grow outreach and reference lab services (market analysis, client onboarding, service-level agreements, pricing), ensuring superior client service and logistics.
Lead contracting with manufacturers, reference labs, and service providers to secure best total cost and performance guarantees.