Laura Polson

I've been in healthcare since 1980, starting my career as a staff nurse in critical care after switching from being a classical guitar major in college. I worked my way up from staff nurse to charge nurse in the CCU area, then worked two jobs caring for some of the first artificial heart patients in the country. I moved into the cath lab and eventually became director of cardiovascular services, then opened cath labs at two sister hospitals and was given the OR to run. I transitioned into my first value analysis role as product utilization director for the state of Kentucky with HCA, coordinating standard formulary across all hospitals. HCA then brought me back as clinical director of cardiovascular services for all 396 hospitals, traveling the country on major projects. After being laid off, I was given a year's salary to go back to school at Middle Tennessee State for my graduate degree. I then designed, built, and started the Open Heart Wing at Baptist Healthcare in Louisville. I later ran Norton Healthcare's value analysis program until my husband passed away, took a couple years away from healthcare to deal with the loss and care for my kids, then returned as Value Analysis Director at Floyd Memorial. University of Louisville saw me speaking at an IDN summit and made me an offer I couldn't refuse, telling me I didn't have to have any employees, so I've been at UofL ever since. Throughout my career, I've achieved significant accomplishments including an open heart quality project where we reduced mortality rates from 5.1% to 3.2% across 96 open-heart programs, helping countless grandmas, grandpas, moms, and dads survive. I eventually became president of AHVAP, the healthcare value analysis professional organization.