Joe E. Ness has been a senior vice president and the chief operating officer of OHSU Health since 2018.

Ness received his Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from the University of Washington in 1990. He completed his master’s degree in health administration and pharmacy administrative residency at the University of Washington in 1992.

From July to December 2024, Ness served as an interim executive vice president and as interim chief executive officer.

He joined OHSU Healthcare as the vice president of professional and support services in February 2013. He was responsible for the administrative operations of ancillary clinical services including Pharmacy, Imaging, Laboratory/Pathology, Rehabilitation Services, Transplant and Organ Procurement, Respiratory Therapy, Neurosciences and Dialysis. He also oversaw all health care related food and nutrition, environmental services, facility and engineering operations.

Before joining OHSU, Ness was senior vice president of operations at PeaceHealth, a nonprofit health care organization that operates 10 hospitals in the Western United States.

He is actively involved in the community, and was named a Health System Pharmacist of the Year by the Washington State Pharmacy Association.