Providence names Michelle L. Edwards as chief experience officer

Providence, one of the largest health systems in the country, today announced that Michelle L. Edwards, DNP, FACHE, FAANP will serve as the organization’s new chief experience officer (CXO), effective January 11, 2021. This role is a new position at Providence and will support its commitment to being a patient-first organization.

In her new role, Edwards will be responsible for ensuring a seamless, modernized and differentiated patient experience with a focus on patient digital access and navigation. This includes designing an enhanced experience for patients while simultaneously simplifying care for caregivers. She will collaborate with multiple departments across Providence including its Digital Innovation Group, Information Services, Telehealth, Clinical Council and other teams.

“The Providence promise is to know me, care for me, ease my way. Michelle will help bring this promise to life in her new role,” said executive vice president and chief clinical officer, Amy Compton-Phillips, M.D., to whom Edwards will report. “Ensuring our patients have access to the easiest and most appropriate path of care is a top priority at Providence and we are excited to see what she will accomplish.”

As a family and acute care nurse practitioner by background, Edwards was appointed the first Advanced Practice executive leader for Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) in 2013, now part of CommonSpirit Health. This was an inaugural role for CHI and a first for the U.S. health care sector. It has since led to the elevation of the Advanced Practice profession through the creation of similar roles at several large U.S. health care systems. Edwards joins Providence from CommonSpirit Health, where she currently serves as the system senior vice president for Advanced Practice.

“I’m passionate about ensuring a frictionless consumer and caregiver experience where quality care and easy health access for patients across the nation is the norm; this is personal for me,” said Edwards. “Providence has a vision of health for a better world and I’m honored to be playing a role in their innovative and lifesaving work.” 

In 2019, she was recognized as a distinguished Thomas C. Dolan Executive Diversity Scholar by the American College of Healthcare Executives, and in 2018 was named a “Nurse Leader to Watch” by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership.

Edwards received a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Texas Health Science Center. She also received her Master of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.