Baptist Hospital has named Bill Thompson to serve as its new chief medical officer.

Thompson has spent a number of years with the hospital, related facilities and its parent companies. Most recently he served as the physician director of clinical transformation for Ascension Health, which owns Baptist’s parent, St. Thomas Health Services.

Prior to that he served as CEO and partner with Nashville Inpatient Management Services, where he helped develop one of the first hospitalist programs in Nashville. Additionally he was also previously a consultant for Baptist.

He succeeds Robert Hardin who has announced his intention to retire at the end of 2007. Hardin, who has held the position since 1997 will remain with the hospital in an advisory role through the end of the year.