Associate Chief Quality Officer, Warner Robins & Perry

Overview

Emory Healthcare (EHC) is seeking a board‑certified physician leader to serve as Associate Chief Quality Officer (ACQO) at Emory Hospital Warner Robins (EHWR). This physician executive will lead quality and patient safety initiatives while maintaining a small clinical practice. The position will be structured with a ~0.8 Leadership / ~0.2 Clinical FTE split.

As ACQO, you will provide leadership for quality management, regulatory compliance, and performance improvement initiatives across EHWR, which comprises two hospitals with 282 staffed beds. You will work closely with the EHC Chief Quality Officer and the EHWR Chief Medical Officer to improve clinical outcomes, patient safety, infection prevention, and publicly reported quality metrics.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead hospital-based quality improvement and patient safety programs
• Implement Emory Healthcare’s Quality and Patient Safety (QPS) strategic initiatives
• Partner with clinical departments and hospital leadership to drive improvement initiatives
• Monitor performance metrics tied to CMS programs, value‑based purchasing, and public reporting
• Ensure readiness for Joint Commission and regulatory surveys
• Investigate adverse events, including Root Cause Analyses and Failure Mode and Effects Analyses
• Participate in hospital and health system committees related to quality and safety

Qualifications

Required

• MD or DO with an active board certification in any medical specialty
• Minimum 3 years of progressive leadership experience in healthcare quality
• Experience implementing quality improvement or patient safety initiatives

Preferred

• Experience within a complex health system
• Knowledge of regulatory and accreditation standards
• Leadership experience in physician executive, medical director, or hospital leadership roles
• Strong analytical, communication, and change management skills

About Emory Healthcare & Emory Hospital Warner Robins

• Emory Healthcare is the largest and most comprehensive academic health system in Georgia and is nationally recognized for its commitment to clinical excellence, patient safety, and quality improvement, ranking among the top 10% of academic medical centers for quality according to Press Ganey.
• EHWR joined EHC in 2025 and represents a key expansion of the health system’s regional presence.
• The catchment area spans Houston County and surrounding communities, supporting a regional population of nearly 300,000 residents.

About Houston County, Georgia

• Provides a family‑friendly atmosphere with modern amenities and a strong sense of community.
• Conveniently located along the I‑75 corridor, Houston is well‑positioned between major metro markets and coastal destinations, making weekend get‑aways easily accessible.
• The area offers a low cost of living with high quality of life, allowing physicians and their families to enjoy spacious homes, safe neighbourhoods, and financial flexibility.
• Families benefit from the top‑performing Houston County School District, alongside respected private schools.

Interested candidates are encouraged to inquire to learn more about this physician leadership opportunity with Emory Healthcare.

Description

Job Description : Provides leadership and support in the oversight of all aspects of quality and patient safety for the assigned facility. Provides oversight and administration of the OU entity’s quality management, performance improvement, and regulatory compliance activities to achieve Emory Healthcare (EHC) goals of clinical excellence.

Reporting: Reports to the OU entity Chief Medical Officer (CMO) or Chief Quality Officer (CQO), supporting the EHC Chief Quality Officer with the development and implementation of quality improvement activities.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the EHC CQO, EHI, Inc., and Office of Quality to execute the EHC QPS plan and strategic priorities using improvement methodologies to drive clinical and process outcomes.
• Help develop, plan, coordinate, and implement strategic and day‑to‑day quality (clinical improvement) programs across Emory Healthcare.
• Collaborate with local hospital operating unit leaders and EU academic departments to ensure integration of clinical quality management, regulatory compliance, patient safety, and risk management efforts across EHC.
• Manage the Quality & Patient Safety staff in adherence with EHC policies and standards, responsible for hiring, development, coaching, mentoring, and performance management of staff.
• Participate in organizational committees at both the hospital and system levels as assigned or needed.

Quality: Anticipate national trends and initiatives in performance improvement, clinical quality, health‑care informatics, and the use of clinical technology for improvement efforts.

Ensure the OU entity implements best practices for local, state, and national clinical regulatory programs, value‑based purchasing methodologies, and comparison ratings.

Metrics/Data:

• The ACQO shall be knowledgeable of campus metrics including QPS goals, drive/watch metrics, and other relevant operational metrics.
• Proactively review key metrics, identify trends, and discuss them with hospital leaders.
• Identify opportunities for improvement and drive improvement initiatives.

Regulatory Accreditation and Certification: Provide direction regarding regulatory standards and compliance, including Joint Commission, DCH, and disease‑specific certifications.

Promote actions to achieve compliance with all relevant city, state, and federal laws, government regulations, accrediting agency standards, and health system policies.

Policy Management: Facilitate dissemination, communication, and implementation of EHC policies and procedures.

Infection Prevention: Partner with IPC leaders to implement EHC IPC strategy and lead the Infection Prevention program at the OU entity.

Patient Safety: Lead and facilitate patient safety efforts at the OU entity in partnership with the Director, Quality & Patient Safety and OU entity leadership.

• Lead or facilitate Root Cause Analyses and Failure Mode and Effects Analyses.
• Investigate all major adverse events.
• Participate and lead patient safety debriefs.

Risk Management: Partner with the risk management team to facilitate risk management strategies to promote patient safety.

Quality Data Strategy and Program Reporting: Provide leadership and input for the clinical quality data strategy for improvements in collaboration with data analytics and information technology teams.

Ongoing Professional Performance Evaluations and Peer Review Analysis: Maintain physician credentialing, recredentialing, and regulatory performance evaluations.

Minimum Qualification:

• Medical degree from an accredited institution; board certification in a medical specialty.
• Three (3) years of progressive leadership in a healthcare quality position.
• Experience with the design and implementation of quality, performance improvement, and patient safety efforts in a complex health system.
• Change management skills.
• Strong team‑building ability, effectively motivating, engaging, and encouraging team participation.
• Knowledge of patient safety field and/or hospital flow and efficiency.
• Strong analytical/problem‑solving, critical thinking, and idea‑generating ability.
• Experience working collaboratively with clinical leadership.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Self‑directed and motivated.

Additional Details

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.

Accommodations: EHC will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Office of Leave and Accommodations.

Physical Requirements: Medium‑heavy: 36–75 lbs., 0–33% of the work day (occasionally); 20–35 lbs., 34–66% of the work day (frequently); 10–20 lbs., 67–100% of the work day (constantly); lifting up to 75 lbs.; carrying up to 35 lbs.; occasional to frequent standing & walking; occasional sitting; close eye work (computers, typing, reading, writing). Physical demands may vary depending on assigned work area and tasks. Environmental Factors: Environmental conditions may vary; exposure includes blood‑borne pathogens, bio‑hazardous waste, chemicals, fumes, vapors, communicable diseases, electrical shock, floor surfaces, hot/cold temperatures, indoor/outdoor conditions, latex, lighting, patient care injuries, radiation, shift work, travel may be required; use of personal protective equipment, including respirators.