Ramsey named Chief Medical Officer at River Park

Ascension Saint Thomas has named Dr. Joshua Ramsey as the chief medical officer of River Park Hospital in McMinnville, effective Jan. 5, 2026. In this role, Dr. Ramsey will oversee clinical leadership, physician engagement, patient safety, and quality initiatives at the hospital and its affiliated medical staff.

Ramsey most recently served as the lead hospitalist for River Park, in addition to Ascension Saint Thomas West in Nashville, DeKalb in Smithville, Highlands in Sparta and Stones River in Woodbury. Alongside his role at River Park, Ramsey will serve as chief medical officer for DeKalb, Highlands and Stones River hospitals. Over the past two years, he has played a critical role in advancing clinical quality, expanding inpatient capacity and supporting program growth.

Ramsey provided oversight for hospitalist programs representing more than 50 physicians, advanced practice providers and nurses. His work led to measurable improvements in operational efficiency, care quality and patient safety metrics across the Ascension Saint Thomas network. He also led development of a combined cardiology-hospitalist night service, a tele-hospitalist program, an emergency department follow-up clinic and a transitional care clinic referral process.

“Dr. Ramsey has already demonstrated exceptional leadership across our Upper Cumberland hospitals,” said Neal Kelley, regional hospital president for Ascension Saint Thomas. “His leadership will support our ongoing efforts to expand access, improve outcomes and strengthen physician engagement.”

Ramsey is board-certified in internal medicine and completed his residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Concord University. He is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with expected completion in 2026.

Saint Thomas River Park is a 125-bed hospital and the largest of Saint Thomas’ regional facilities. With nearly 400 associates and a medical staff representing 26 specialties, the hospital continues to expand its services and infrastructure to meet growing community needs. Recent enhancements include telemedicine stroke services, the return of acute dialysis to McMinnville, new robotic-assisted surgical technology and a renovated 12-bed ICU. Construction is also underway to expand the emergency department.

Ascension Saint Thomas remains steadfast in its mission to provide high-quality, community-centered healthcare across Middle Tennessee. By continuing to invest in local facilities such as Saint Thomas River Park, the system strengthens its promise to deliver compassionate care close to home.

Ascension Saint Thomas is a faith-based, nonprofit health system with a 125-year history of delivering personalized care, with special attention to those most vulnerable. The system includes 18 hospitals and 320 sites of care across 45 counties in Tennessee, including affiliated joint ventures, medical practices, clinics, and specialty facilities. With more than 13,000 associates, Ascension Saint Thomas serves millions of patients annually. It is part of Ascension, one of the largest Catholic health systems in the U.S., with approximately 99,000 associates, 23,000 aligned providers, and 121 hospitals. In FY2024, Ascension provided $2.1 billion in care for those living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Visit www.ascension.org.