Lily Henson, M.D. has returned to Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge, GA to serve as the hospital’s CEO. In this position she oversees the hospital’s 1,750 employees and 700 physicians. Dr. Henson joined Piedmont Healthcare in 2015 as the Chief of Neurology and joined Piedmont Henry in 2016 as the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer. Her focus as CMO was to reinforce the hospital’s culture of safety and to create an infrastructure that provided the best care for patients.
“Dr. Henson will be a fantastic leader for Piedmont Henry,” said Kevin Brown, President and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. “She has a proven record of success in championing the high-quality, patient-centered care that lies at the heart of our mission and she also will inspire change and lead Piedmont Henry towards our system’s goals regarding Quality, Safety and Service.”
With 236 beds, Piedmont Henry is the fifth-largest of the system’s 11 hospitals. However, with more than 90,000 emergency visits annually, it has the busiest Emergency Department in the system after Piedmont Columbus-Midtown, which is a Level II Trauma Center.
During her time at Piedmont Henry, Dr. Henson made significant contributions to improving Piedmont Henry’s quality metrics—reducing serious safety events by 83 percent and helping to cut hospital acquired infections in half. She is eager to continue that work, while also leading Piedmont Henry’s growth, and sustaining its success.
Dr. Henson received her medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She practiced neurology in Seattle 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 Swedish Medical Center’s Issaquah campus.
Dr. Henson is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, was formerly on the board of directors for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and is the former chair for the American Academy of Neurology’s BrainPAC, a political action committee that advocates for neurologists and their patients. She also is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and was the regent-at-large for the Southeastern United States for the ACHE from 2018 to 2019. She also served on the board of directors for Henry County’s Hands of Hope Clinic.