Kate Kellogg Named Ascension Patient Safety VP

The veteran emergency physician has joined the St. Louis-based health system following a 13-year tenure at MedStar Health.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Nursing Jobs

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a geometric healthcare building wing, navy and cream with red accents, symbolizing institutional safety leadership. — Ascension has appointed veteran emergency physician Kate Kellogg as its new vice president of patient safety, moving from MedStar Health. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Ascension has appointed Kate Kellogg as its new vice president of patient safety. Kellogg makes the transition to the St. Louis-based organization after serving at MedStar Health for nearly 13 years.

Why it matters

This executive move integrates leadership experience from MedStar Health into Ascension, one of the nation's largest non-profit health systems. The appointment places Kellogg at the center of safety strategy for a network that spans dozens of states.

Ascension operates 91 wholly owned or consolidated hospitals across the country along with 300 ambulatory surgery centers. By comparison, MedStar Health operates 10 hospitals and over 300 care locations.

The players

Kate Kellogg

She is an attending emergency physician who has transitioned from a senior leadership role at MedStar Health to become the vice president of patient safety at Ascension.

Ascension

Headquartered in St. Louis, this health system manages 91 wholly owned or consolidated hospitals and more than 300 ambulatory surgery centers across the country.

MedStar Health

Based in Columbia, Maryland, this organization operates 10 hospitals and over 300 care locations throughout the region.

The details

Kellogg previously spent nearly four years as vice president of patient safety and infection prevention at MedStar Health. She also served as an attending emergency physician at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, a role she held since 2014.

2014: Kellogg completed her emergency medicine residency and joined MedStar.
2017: Kellogg became the associate medical director of the center.
2019: Kellogg became the assistant vice president of quality and safety.
September 29, 2026: Kellogg announced her move to Ascension via a LinkedIn post.

Market Landscape

This appointment highlights the ongoing trend of large health systems recruiting specialized clinical leadership to navigate complex regulatory environments. It strengthens Ascension's administrative capacity as it manages one of the largest hospital networks in the country.

The leadership change affects internal patient safety protocols, which may influence the clinical experience for patients visiting Ascension facilities. Changes to these standards typically filter down to front-line care delivery and daily nurse-patient interactions.

The takeaway

Healthcare systems often recruit veteran emergency physicians to oversee safety portfolios due to their experience with high-pressure clinical environments. Professionals in the field can monitor similar executive shifts as an indicator of how large hospital networks prioritize their safety and quality departments.