With nearly four-and-a-half decades in the health care industry, Lynne Class has built a distinguished career in health care and administration. Since 2022, she has served as vice president of clinical operations at UAB Medicine, overseeing perioperative services, the heart and vascular center, the trauma burn program, and inpatient wound care, managing a workforce of approximately 1,500 employees. Her responsibilities include coordination, collaboration, addressing quality and safety issues, staffing, recruitment, and supply chain management. Additionally, she contributes as a member of UAB Medicine’s product technology committee.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Class was associate vice president of perioperative services at UAB Medicine from 2015 to 2022. During this time, she worked to develop partnerships with area universities and community colleges to address increasing workforce needs. She played a pivotal role in navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by coordinating with supply chain and infection prevention on PPE conservation and N95 mask reprocessing. Other initiatives included the expansion of the robotic program, the decant of outpatient surgical procedures to another affiliate facility in order to increase inpatient capacity, as well as department leadership reorganization.
From 2013 to 2015, Ms. Class was director of surgical services at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital. Prior to that, she was the administrative director of the St. Vincent’s Outpatient Surgery Center from 2010-2013. Earlier in her career, she worked as the director of operations and education at Integrated Medical Systems Inc. from 2008 to 2010 and as a consultant with Navigant Consulting Inc. from 2007 to 2008.
Ms. Class’ academic achievements include a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Alabama in 1980 and a master’s degree in health care administration from the University of Phoenix in 2007. She also holds a certified nurse operating room credential. To stay abreast of advancements in the field, she is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, the Alabama Nurses Association, and the American Nurses Association.
Reflecting on her path, Ms. Class has been instrumental in advancing surgical programs, increasing surgical volumes, and addressing critical workforce challenges. Her advocacy for expanding educational opportunities, including financial support for technical training, has resulted in the successful graduation of surgical technicians and sterile processing technician cohorts from area programs. In light of her impressive undertakings, she received the Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award in 2020 and the Excellence in Leadership Award in 2014. She attributes her success to maintaining close connections with frontline leadership and staff, understanding their challenges, advocating for staff, and streamlining processes to address obstacles effectively.
Looking ahead, Ms. Class plans to offer consultancy and mentorship services following her retirement from UAB Medicine. In her personal life, she is a devoted mother to two birth children and six adopted children. She enjoys reading, cooking, spending time with friends and grandchildren, and traveling. Active in her community, she volunteers through her church, serving nursing homes and food pantries, and teaching parenting, fostering, and adoption classes.