Michele “Missy” Arwood, DNP-EL, MSN, APRN, CNS-BC, NE-BC, CPPS, CPHQ
Nurse Consultant
Michele “Missy” Arwood, DNP-EL, MSN, APRN, CNS-BC, NE-BC, CPPS, CPHQ is a healthcare consultant with more than 30 years of experience in quality, patient safety, accreditation, regulatory compliance, and healthcare operations. She partners with healthcare organizations to strengthen quality systems, improve regulatory readiness, and develop sustainable strategies that enhance patient safety, operational performance, and organizational excellence.
Dr. Arwood has served in executive system leadership roles overseeing quality, accreditation, and patient safety across large multi-hospital health systems. Her experience includes leading quality and accreditation strategies for 18 hospitals and multiple critical access hospitals, directing patient safety initiatives, developing system-wide quality improvement programs, and guiding organizations through Joint Commission, CMS, and DNV accreditation requirements. She is recognized for helping organizations integrate regulatory compliance with practical operational improvement and a culture of continuous readiness.
Currently serving as System Patient Safety Director for Community Health Systems, Dr. Arwood leads patient safety initiatives across a multi-state health system, supporting safety event review, high reliability programs, root cause analysis, and organizational learning. Her previous leadership experience includes System Director of Quality, Accreditation & Patient Safety and Regulatory Readiness Program Manager, where she partnered with executive leadership to advance performance improvement, patient safety, quality outcomes, and regulatory compliance.
In addition to her operational leadership, Dr. Arwood serves as an adjunct faculty member in Doctor of Nursing Practice programs and is a contributing author and editor for Porth’s Pathophysiology, bringing a passion for education, professional development, and evidence-based practice to her consulting work. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and practical approach to helping healthcare organizations strengthen quality programs, improve patient safety, and achieve lasting regulatory success.
Dr. Arwood earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from Union University, a Master of Science in Nursing from Liberty University, and bachelor’s degrees in Nursing and Business Management. She is a board-certified Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Executive, a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS), and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ).