Hendersonville, Tenn. — TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center, part of HCA Healthcare, has named John Summers, Ed.D, RN, NEA-BC, as chief operating officer. Summers joins the hospital with more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience across operations, quality, patient safety and clinical care.
“John is a proven leader who brings extensive experience in hospital operations and a clear commitment to clinical excellence,” said Justin Coury, chief executive officer of TriStar Hendersonville. “He understands the importance of supporting colleagues, building strong teams and delivering high-quality care for our patients and community. I look forward to the impact he will make at TriStar Hendersonville.”
Most recently, Summers served as HCA Healthcare TriStar Division vice president of quality and patient safety, where he provided executive oversight for quality, patient safety, infection prevention, regulatory compliance and risk management across 17 hospitals in Tennessee and Kentucky. In this role, he helped lead division wide quality improvement strategies that advanced clinical performance and patient safety outcomes.
Prior to joining HCA Healthcare TriStar Division, Summers served as chief nursing officer at Texas Health Presbyterian Allen in Allen, Texas. During his tenure, he helped lead operational growth initiatives, expansion projects and patient experience improvements while overseeing inpatient nursing and clinical services. He also held leadership roles within HCA Healthcare facilities in Texas, including assistant chief nursing officer and vice president of quality and risk management at Medical City McKinney.
Summers began his healthcare career as a registered nurse and previously served as a medic in the United States Air Force. He earned a Doctor of Education in organizational leadership and a master’s degree in conflict resolution from Abilene Christian University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Wilmington University.