It is our pleasure to announce that John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA, the Robert H. and Gloria Wilkins Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery, will assume the role of President of the Private Diagnostic Clinic, PLLC (PDC) effective immediately. The PDC is the physician practice of Duke Health, with 1,850 physicians and additional provider members practicing in Duke University hospitals and more than 140 primary and specialty clinics across North Carolina.
The PDC Board of Managers selected Dr. Sampson to serve as interim PDC President in 2018, and officially elected him for the role in March 2019. He has served in an interim capacity since then while also serving as Chair of the Duke Department of Neurosurgery. He announced today that he has decided to step down from his position as Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery to become President of the PDC in a full time capacity. He will, however, maintain a portion of his research, education, and clinical practice.
Dr. Sampson was the inaugural chair of the Duke University Department of Neurosurgery. He has served in that role since 2015, when the department was elevated from a division to department status under his leadership.
During his tenure as chair, he worked beside a talented team of faculty, trainees, and staff who all contributed to the successes of the Department, including growing by 25 faculty; jumping 23-points in the US News & World Report rankings; increasing philanthropy four-fold to $11.5M this year; more than doubling NIH research support to over $13M annually; dramatically improving the residency program reputation; and elevating patient survival rates to become one of the top five neurosurgery centers in the US.
The Board is excited that Dr. Sampson will bring to the PDC the same strong leadership style and visionary approach that he did to the Duke University Department of Neurosurgery.
As PDC President, Dr. Sampson provides leadership for PDC physicians, providers and staff in strategic growth and development, and financial management. The PDC is one of the first and the largest academic multi-specialty physician practices in the United States, with nearly two million patient visits annually and $1 billion in total revenue.
For nearly 90 years, the PDC has served the needs of physicians and clinical providers across Duke Health, including ambulatory clinic management, finances, quality and safety, managed care contracting, and more. He also works collaboratively with leadership of the Duke University Health System and School of Medicine, and represents the interests of the PDC’s physicians, clinics, and patients.
In addition to patient care, most PDC members conduct cutting-edge research and train the future health care workforce as faculty in the Duke University School of Medicine. The PDC collaborates with other entities within the Duke University Health System to expand opportunities and advance the Duke Health clinical, research, and academic missions.
The role of PDC President was previously held by Dr. Mark Newman who is now the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare.
