SVP/System Chief Medical Officer

Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is seeking a seasoned physician executive to serve as Senior Vice President and System Chief Medical Officer (CMO ). This is a newly created, enterprise-level leadership role at a pivotal moment in the system's evolution, as NGHS continues to grow, integrate, and mature its clinical enterprise across a multi-hospital platform.

Reporting to the Chief Clinical Officer and serving as a member of the executive leadership team, the System CMO will provide enterprise-wide clinical leadership, with responsibility for quality, patient safety, professional practice, and medical staff engagement across NGHS's seven-hospital system and affiliated physician organizations.

The Opportunity

NGHS has experienced significant growth in recent years, expanding from a single hospital to a diverse, multi-campus health system serving more than one million people across Northeast Georgia. With increasing clinical complexity, competitive market dynamics, and continued integration of inpatient and outpatient services, NGHS is intentionally strengthening system-level clinical governance and physician leadership.


The System CMO will play a central role in advancing consistent clinical standards, strengthening quality and safety outcomes, and fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability, and continuous improvement-while honoring NGHS's deeply rooted community mission and physician-led culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide enterprise-wide leadership for clinical quality, patient safety, and professional practice across a multi-hospital system.
• Strengthen and operationalize a cohesive clinical governance model that ensures consistent standards of care, clear accountability, and effective decision-making.
• Serve as the principal liaison between medical staff leadership and system administration, building trust and shared accountability.
• Lead and align Regional Chief Medical Officers, ensuring consistency in expectations and performance while respecting local context.
• Oversee enterprise performance improvement efforts, including outcomes, patient experience, and use of internal and external benchmarks.
• Support medical staff self-governance, physician engagement, and leadership development.
• Provide clinical leadership for regulatory, accreditation, and risk-related matters, including DNV and CMS requirements.
• Support research and academic initiatives that advance NGHS's role as a learning organization.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a clinically credible, relationship-oriented physician leader with demonstrated experience leading quality, safety, and medical staff functions in a complex healthcare environment. This individual will bring both strategic perspective and hands-on leadership, with the ability to balance accountability for performance with trust-based engagement.

Key qualifications include:

• Medical degree required; board certified in a clinical specialty.
• Significant senior leadership experience in medical affairs, quality, or clinical leadership (e.g., CMO, VPMA, Chief Quality Officer) within a multi-hospital or integrated health system.
• Proven track record of improving clinical outcomes, patient safety, and consistency of care.
• Deep experience working with medical staff leadership and navigating physician governance.
• Familiarity with regulatory and accreditation environments, including DNV and CMS Conditions of Participation.
• Licensed or eligible for licensure in the State of Georgia.
• Advanced management degree (MBA, MHA, MMM) strongly preferred.

Leadership Style & Cultural Fit

NGHS values leaders who are visible, approachable, and grounded in the communities they serve. The System CMO must lead through influence and credibility, demonstrating integrity, fairness, and sound judgment, while fostering collaboration across diverse clinical and operational settings.

About Northeast Georgia Health System

Northeast Georgia Health System is a not-for-profit, community-anchored health system serving Northeast Georgia through seven hospitals, an extensive ambulatory network, and multiple physician organizations. NGHS is recognized for its commitment to clinical excellence, community stewardship, and physician development.

Application Process

This search is being conducted on behalf of Northeast Georgia Health System by Korn Ferry. All inquiries, nominations, and applications will be handled confidentially.


Interested candidates are encouraged to submit a resume and expression of interest through Korn Ferry.

Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis. Artificial Intelligence tools may be used in connection with the recruitment process for this position.