Job Description

At Island Health, people are at the center of everything we do. As our Chief Medical Officer, you’ll play a vital role in leading teams and supporting our mission to care for those who care for others. You’ll help create a positive and seamless experience for every team member — ensuring they feel valued, supported, and heard

• Location: Anacortes, WA / Onsite
• Compensation Range: $368,216.00 - $536,780.00
  • Bonus Potential: 15%

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) serves as the senior physician executive and clinical leader of the Hospital District. The CMO provides strategic leadership to advance clinical excellence, patient safety, quality outcomes, physician engagement, and organizational performance. Acting as a key liaison between the Medical Staff and Executive Leadership Team. The CMO fosters collaboration, promotes a culture of accountability, and ensures the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care.

The CMO partners closely with physicians, leadership, and community stakeholders to support the Hospital District's purpose, values and strategic objectives while maintaining an active clinical practice within the District.

What you will be doing:

Clinical Leadership and Medical Staff Relations

• Maintain active medical staff privileges and active clinical practice within the Hospital District.
• Serve as a trusted physician leader and advocate for clinical excellence throughout the organization.
• Promote effective communication and collaboration between the Medical Staff, Administration, and Board of Commissioners.
• Support the implementation and enforcement of Medical Staff Bylaws, policies, procedures, and professional standards.
• Collaborate with Medical Staff leadership to address physician performance, behavioral concerns, and disciplinary matters.
• Foster physician engagement, professional development, and leadership succession planning.

Strategic Planning and Physician Workforce Development

• In partnership with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO):
  • Develop, maintain, and execute the Medical Staff Development Plan.
  • Identify physician workforce needs and recruitment priorities.
  • Lead physician recruitment and retention initiatives.
  • Develop performance, quality, and behavioral expectations for employed and contracted physicians.
  • Establish physician compensation guidelines and oversee annual physician performance evaluations.
  • Support organizational strategic planning and growth initiatives.
  • Perform special projects and strategic assignments as requested.

Quality, Patient Safety, and Clinical Excellence

• Lead efforts to improve clinical quality, patient outcomes, and patient safety.
• Promote evidence-based medicine, clinical standardization, and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to enhance care delivery processes and the overall patient experience.
• Monitor and improve physician-related patient satisfaction metrics and clinical performance/outcomes.
• Collaborate with clinical leaders to develop new service lines and expand access to care.
• Participate in peer review activities and support a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

Infection Prevention and Risk Management

• Partner with Infection Prevention and Control programs to monitor infection trends and prevention initiatives.
• Review quality and safety data and recommend corrective actions when needed.
• Participate in risk management, sentinel event reviews, root cause analyses, and high-risk case evaluations.
• Support organization-wide efforts to reduce preventable harm and improve patient outcomes.

Quality Improvement and Performance Management

• In collaboration with Quality Improvement leadership:
  • Monitor organizational quality indicators and benchmark performance.
  • Support development and oversight of hospital-wide quality improvement initiatives.
  • Participate in the development and revision of clinical policies and procedures.
  • Assist in establishing outcome measures and performance metrics.
  • Champion physician participation in quality improvement and performance improvement activities.
  • Strengthen peer review processes and support fair, objective clinical performance evaluation.

Financial and Operational Leadership

• In collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO):
• Participate in annual operating and capital budget development.
• Support service line planning, forecasting, and growth strategies.
• Evaluate clinical resource utilization and opportunities for operational improvement.
• Align quality and financial performance objectives to support organizational sustainability.

Governance and Committee Participation

• Serve as a member of the Board, Quality Committee.
• Participate in Medical Staff committees and leadership forums.
• Represent Administration on the Staffing Committee or other operational committees as assigned.
• Participate in professional associations, patient safety organizations, healthcare advocacy groups, and industry committees as appropriate.
• Advise the Board and Executive Leadership on clinical matters, quality outcomes, regulatory requirements, and physician workforce issues.

Regulatory and Compliance Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
• Enforce accountability for ethical clinical practices and professional conduct.
• Support organizational readiness for surveys, audits, and accreditation reviews.
• Maintain current knowledge of healthcare regulations, quality standards, and emerging industry trends.

What you will bring to the role:

Required Qualifications

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from an accredited institution.
• Current unrestricted physician license in the State.
• Board certification in a recognized medical specialty.
• Active medical staff membership and clinical privileges within the Hospital District or ability to obtain privileges.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of progressive clinical practice experience.
• Minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of physician leadership or medical administrative experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading quality improvement, patient safety, and physician engagement initiatives.
• Working knowledge of healthcare regulatory and accreditation requirements.
• Experience with peer review, credentialing, and medical staff governance processes.
• Proficiency in healthcare data analytics, quality metrics, and performance reporting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Healthcare Administration (MHA), Business Administration (MBA), Public Health (MPH), or related field.
• Prior experience as a Chief Medical Officer, Chief of Staff, Medical Director, or equivalent physician executive role.
• Experience in a rural health system, critical access hospital, public hospital district, or integrated delivery system.
• Lean, Six Sigma, Baldrige, or other performance improvement training.
• Experience leading service line development and physician alignment strategies.

Make a Difference with Us

At Island Health, every role contributes to our mission of compassionate, high-quality care. Join us and help create a workplace where every team member feels valued and supported.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

We believe in taking care of our people so they can take care of others. When you join Island Health, you’ll enjoy a culture that values integrity, compassion, teamwork, and growth — plus a robust benefits package that includes:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off and Extended Illness Benefits
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Vested Retirement Contributions and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition Reimbursement and Student Loan Repayment Programs
• Employee Recognition Events and a supportive, community-focused team

Ready to Apply?

Apply today and take the next step in your career with Island Health.