Dr. Tracela “Traci” Vaden, MD CPE FACP CPHQ
Physician Consultant
Dr. Tracela “Traci” Vaden, MD CPE FACP CPHQ is a healthcare consultant with extensive experience in clinical practice, regulatory compliance, patient safety, and performance improvement. She brings a strong background in accreditation and survey readiness, supporting healthcare organizations in improving quality outcomes and aligning clinical operations with regulatory requirements.
Dr. Vaden most recently served as a Physician Consultant with Joint Commission Resources and prior to that as a Physician Surveyor for The Joint Commission Hospital Program. In these roles she has evaluated healthcare organizations across the country, providing insight into accreditation standards, survey processes, and opportunities to strengthen compliance and optimize patient safety.
In addition to her regulatory experience, Dr. Vaden has held multiple clinical and leadership roles within large health systems, including Atrium Health where she served as Vice Chair of Quality and Safety for the Enterprise. Additionally, she served as Medical Director and Chair of Patient Safety and held leadership roles supporting quality, safety, and patient experience initiatives across ambulatory and acute care settings. Her work included oversight of safety programs, peer review processes, emergency preparedness, and opioid response initiatives.
Dr. Vaden is known for her ability to connect clinical practice with regulatory expectations and to support healthcare organizations in developing practical, sustainable approaches to quality and safety leading to improved patient outcomes. Her areas of expertise include accreditation readiness, patient safety, physician engagement, and performance improvement.
She holds a Doctor of Medicine from Mercer University School of Medicine and is board certified in Internal Medicine. She is a Certified Physician Executive (CPE), Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP), and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ).