Dr. Jason Smith named new CEO of UofL Health

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Dr. Jason Smith has been named the new permanent CEO for UofL Health.

Smith has been serving as interim CEO for the past few months. Before that, he served as the chief medical officer.

"Dr. Smith is ideally suited for this next evolution for UofL Health," Gerry Bradley, University of Louisville president and UofL Health board chair, said in a news release Thursday. "He is a trusted leader within the organization, among colleagues and throughout the community. That, along with his clinical and administrative expertise, provides a unique skillset to lead our system and the team to deliver the best care to those we serve."

Smith said he is "humbled and honored" to lead UofL's team.

"Over the past decade, I have witnessed firsthand the extraordinary dedication of our physicians, nurses, staff, and academic partners," he said in the release. "Together, we have faced some of the most complex challenges in modern health care, yet through our shared mission, we have continued to expand access, improve outcomes, and strengthen our system for the patients and families who depend on us."

Smith has been part of the faculty at the UofL School of Medicine since 2008, after he completed medical school and residency at Ohio State University. He earned his Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics from the University of Louisville and received a Master of Business Administration from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

He is also board-certified in general surgery and critical care.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith volunteered to become the first Kentuckian to receive the newly-developed vaccine on Dec. 14, 2020.

Smith recently received the Paragon Award from the Greater Louisville Medical Society for outstanding contributions to health care leadership, advocacy for gun violence victims and his commitment to the education of future physicians, according to the release.

As UofL Health's new CEO, Smith will lead a regional academic health system comprised of nine hospitals, four medical centers, Brown Cancer Center and Eye Institute. UofL Health has 250 locations in Kentucky and southern Indiana, with more than 1,200 providers.

His appointment makes UofL Health the only physician-led health system in the region, according to the release.

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