Keith Churchwell, MD, named YNHH executive vice president and chief operating officer

Keith Churchwell, MD, has been named Yale New Haven Hospital executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective Jan. 1. Dr. Churchwell was most recently senior vice president of Operations and executive director of Heart and Vascular and Transplantation services.

In his new role, he leads the hospital’s day-to-day operations and will extend key service lines across Yale New Haven Health System, including Heart and Vascular and solid organ Transplantation, and clinical services such as Medicine and the Center for Genomic Health. Dr. Churchwell will also work closely with Yale Medicine to build service line plans and integrate clinical activities across network hospitals, Trinity Health of New England and their community physician groups.

In addition to his previous service line responsibilities, Dr. Churchwell oversees Musculoskeletal and Neurosciences service lines, along with YNHH patient care services, including nursing and clinical support services.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Churchwell to his new role,” said Richard D’Aquila, president, YNHH and YNHHS. “He is uniquely suited for this position, having both a solid understanding of clinical care delivery and over 20 years in senior hospital leadership positions.”

Since joining Yale New Haven Hospital in 2014, Dr. Churchwell has been instrumental in growing Heart and Vascular, Transplantation and specialty medical services at YNHH and across the health system. He also led development of a genomics strategy for the health system that includes participation in the Generations project, one of the largest DNA sequencing efforts of its kind in the United States.

“Dr. Churchwell has advanced and expanded key service lines throughout Yale New Haven Health System,” said Marna Borgstrom, CEO, YNHH and YNHHS. “He is highly regarded as a leader within our system and throughout the region.”

Dr. Churchwell earned his medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine and completed his postgraduate training in cardiovascular disease and nuclear cardiology at Emory School of Medicine. Before joining Yale New Haven, he spent 15 years at Vanderbilt University Medical Center leading a number of multidisciplinary clinical programs, including serving as executive director and chief medical officer of the Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute.