Robert F. Elder, MD, President, UPA

UPA is proud to recognize Robert F. Elder, MD within our 25-year anniversary. Dr. Elder is specialized in gynecologic urology and his practice location is at UT Urogynecology. He is certified in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Apart from his busy practice, Dr. Elder is widely recognized for his extended leadership roles where he represents both patients and physicians in service with major health organizations at The University of Tennessee Medical Center, University Health System, Inc., The Graduate School of Medicine and alongside University Physicians’ Association, Inc. (UPA).

Upon completion of his education, internship and residency, he began his career at The University of Tennessee Medical Center in 1988. While building his professional career, Dr. Elder quickly advanced into the hospital’s committees and activities. In the early 90s, before UPA was established, he was actively involved in the development of UPA. When UPA became established in 1995, Dr. Elder was elected to represent the specialty of OB/GYN on the UPA Board of Directors and additionally named Chair of the UPA Membership Committee in 1997. Two years following, Dr. Elder was elected in 1999 as Secretary to UPA. He held those leadership roles until 2005 and was, then, elected by shareholders as UPA President. He has faithfully served as UPA President since then.

Dr. Elder continues to serve in multiple local and regional capacities for both UPA and the hospital. His dedication extends beyond a written description. However, we include two submissions from UPA’s own Leadership Team:

• “Dr. Elder is a driving force, committed to UPA’s mission and values. Over the past twenty-five years, his leadership, along with the rest of our Board, has driven UPA to succeed.” -Betzaida Shands, MBA, CHC, CHCO; Vice President, Regulatory Affairs & Chief Compliance Officer

• “When Dr. Elder became our President, he continued the commitment to growth and business diversity started by those who came before him. Under his tenure as president, UPA became more widely known as the organization of which providers wanted to be a part. UPA is unique in that it allows its members to maintain autonomy while becoming associated with a larger and stronger organization. Providers wanted UPA’s strategy for managed care contracting, they wanted to practice medicine and not worry about employees, billing and all the other distractions that now interfere in a medical practice. Providers wanted the backbone of UPA behind them and that backbone was made stronger by Dr. Elder and his leadership.” -Teresa Matherly, Vice President Information Systems & Chief Information Officer