Baptist Heart Institute at Baptist Memphis has named Tom Wills chief administrative officer and promoted Renee Hatcher to administrative director of transplant services for the Advanced Heart Failure Program.
Tom oversees the development of a comprehensive cardiovascular strategy and will focus on growth opportunities, enriching physician relationships and enhancing patient accessibility and experience. Renee will be responsible for the overall growth and quality of the heart transplant program.
“We are excited to have Tom and Renee leading our advanced heart programs,” said Brad Parsons, VP and CEO of Baptist Memphis. “We offer the only certified adult heart transplant and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) programs in the Mid-South. Under Tom and Renee’s leadership, we will continue to meet a critical need for patients while advancing heart care in the region.”
Tom has more than 28 years of health care experience, previously serving in various leadership roles with Tenet Healthcare, HCA Healthcare, the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Community Health Systems, among others. He retired from the U.S. Army after spending 25 years in the infantry and the U.S. Army Nurse Corp. Wills earned a diploma in nursing from the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Lubbock, Texas; a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin; and a Master of Arts in Public and Private Management from Birmingham-Southern College.
Renee began her nursing career at the Baptist Medical Center in 1988 in the cardiovascular intensive care unit and was later promoted to nurse manager. She has been an integral part of the transplant program since its inception and was critical in the development of the Baptist ventricular assist device and ECMO programs. She received a diploma in nursing from the Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Union University and a Master of Science in Nursing — Health Care Management from Loyola University New Orleans.
The Baptist Heart Institute offers comprehensive heart services in one location and includes Baptist’s heart transplant program. The Advanced Heart Failure Program is located within the Baptist Heart Institute and provides comprehensive cardiac care for patients diagnosed with advanced heart failure but who no longer respond to medication and require frequent hospitalizations.
