Job Description

Calling all Esteemed Leaders! Are you a physician executive who excels at advancing clinical excellence, strengthening physician engagement, and driving quality and safety across complex healthcare environments? Do you thrive in collaborative leadership roles where strategic vision, operational performance, and medical staff partnerships come together to improve the health of communities? This leadership opportunity invites your expertise.

The Role:

***This is a 0.6 FTE***

The Providence Montana Chief Medical Officer, Hospitals (CMO), provides overall physician leadership to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center and Providence St. Patrick Hospital including the activities of all medical leaders assigned to hospitals and serves as the primary physician administrator for the medical staff. The CMO is responsible for all clinical activities, ensuring the highest quality of medical care delivered by hospital practitioners and support staff, and serves as the primary physician administrative liaison between the Medical Executive Committees (MECs), Board Quality & Safety Committee, and Providence MT Community Mission Board.

The CMO and Providence MT executive team lead together through collaboration with area leaders to enhance service throughout the entire continuum of care. The CMO consults in the development and implementation of strategic initiatives consistent with the strategic initiatives of Providence. CMO helps implement medical staff partnerships and strategic plans; assists with hospital-based medical staff recruitment to achieve appropriate staffing levels; and ensures that our medical staff, medical leaders, and caregivers are well informed regarding Providence MT strategy, direction, current issues and management response to those issues. This oversight includes joint accountability with Providence MT executive leadership for attainment of financial performance targets and for compliance with accreditation standards, and organizational requirements, such as medical management strategies, disease management programs, and service improvement initiatives, including patient safety, the quality of care, patient experience, and matters related to grievance resolution and medical staff performance.

As health care evolves, Providence is responding with a vision and core strategy to transform and innovate at scale. Across five states, Providence and its affiliates continue to pioneer how care is delivered by sharing one strategic plan designed to improve the health of entire populations by supporting the well-being of each person the organization serves. The plan supports the vision, "Together, we answer the call of every person we serve: Know me, care for me, ease my way®", which is Providence's promise to patients, customers and communities.

The core strategy of "Creating healthier communities, together" is supported by five specific areas of focus in the system strategic plan:

• Inspire: We must first inspire and develop our people.
• Know: To serve our communities effectively, we are building enduring relationships with consumers.
• Partner: Providing the best care requires new alignments with clinicians and care teams.
• Adapt: We'll develop and thrive under new care delivery and economic models.
• Adopt: To serve more people we will grow by optimizing expert-to-expert capabilities.

Through innovation, excellence, good stewardship and working together across Providence, we will continue to lead change to improve the health of our communities.

What You'll Do:

• Positions Providence MT as a service area leader for providing quality care through initiatives, education, and strong quality metrics programs. Partners with the Providence MT executive team and medical staff leadership on the education, development, and reporting of care processes and patient outcome measures. Ensures that Providence MT meets or exceeds quality standards, including patient experience standards. Oversees development of best practices for that become standards for care.
• Participates in hospital, program-specific, and system-wide quality review and improvement programs through active involvement in identifying indicators, utilization of services, and appropriateness of treatment for clinical services.
• Leads the development and implementation of methods to monitor and analyze clinical care outcomes, track progress, and performance improvement for the programs and services.
• Works in collaboration with the Director of Quality, MEC, Board Quality and Safety Committee to address clinical quality concerns and gaps in performance expectations.
• Promotes best practices around staff engagement, patient experience, and value.
• Provides direction and support for to the CFO and utilization management team, and quality management policies, criteria, and protocols. Implements medical policy/procedure guidelines, including evaluation of new medical procedures.
• Participates in retrospective review of problem areas identified from summary data of paid claims, admissions, authorization logs, grievance process and other sources where policy, utilization or quality issues are involved. Recommend intervention strategies or programs to rectify identified problems.
• Maintains confidentiality of records, patients, employee, or medical center information. Ensures all information and conversations regarding patients are secure from public access.
• Provides effective leadership, by motivating staff and providers to produce excellence in their work both individually and as a team. Creates a positive work environment for all.
• Creates timely and direct communication channels to deal with service, clinical or performance issues, ensuring prompt and appropriate resolution.
• Serves as a role model in setting standard of practice and performance.
• Promotes and provides opportunities for both clinical and/or administrative staff professional development.
• Actively supports and incorporates the Providence mission and core values into daily activities. Treats others with respect, demonstrates excellence, justice and compassion in daily work and relationships with others. Is a steward of fiscal and human resources.
• Assists MEC in addressing physician behavior, impairment, and performance issues.
• Establishes regular meetings with the administrative and provider staff to monitor and evaluate internal operations and progress towards meeting annual goals.
• Serves as the key communications link to staff physicians, other providers, and dyad partner to the Providence MT executive team by relaying all information garnered from meetings by tying Providence-wide efforts and initiatives to the hospitals, programs, and department level performance.
• Participates actively in meetings within Montana and Providence, and acts as a liaison for communication and problem-solving both internally and externally.
• Participates in all mandatory staff meetings and in services and training programs to ensure continued understanding of all departmental policies, procedures, and performance improvement processes.
• Monitors clinical adherence to all applicable Providence MT policies and procedures, initiating prompt corrective action plans to address issues.
• Provides supervision to all direct reports, and assists in their ability, and all medical directors' ability to provide supervision and guidance to clinical and administrative staff.
• Supports the development and utilization of tools and other resources to analyze provider productivity and leads effort to address issues in conjunction with the CMO of PMG.
• Works with practitioners to analyze experience and practice patterns. Counsels and develops physicians who have quality shortfalls or questionable patterns of utilizing inpatient or ancillary services, referrals, and/or other medical services.
• Manages difficult peer situations arising from medical care review. Willingness to constructively confront providers about needed changes in practice patterns.
• Serves as a professional link between Providence St. Joe’s and St. Pat’s medical staff, departments, and Administration to resolve conflicts, facilitate communication, and engage in development of interdisciplinary treatment teams and approaches.
• As a member of the Montana senior leadership team promote collaboration and cooperation with independent physicians and business partners.
• Works in collaboration with the Community Mission Board (CMB) relative to CMB responsibilities and authority matrix.
• Participates in the annual budget process, setting reasonable financial goals and striving to maintain cost-effective performance while achieving the highest quality of care.
• Organizes and leads multidisciplinary process to develop, maintain, and update clinical pathways, guidelines, and care plans related to specialty.
• Supports and participates in the credentialing of providers and contracting process.
• Provides medical direction and oversight for the development, implementation and compliance with appropriate program policies, procedures, and standards of care.
• Consults and participates actively in all compliance efforts, including standards and recommendations of CMS, the Joint Commission, and applicable standards of relevant professional societies, and all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
• Maintains licensure and board certification.

What You’ll Bring:

Education & Credentials

• M.D., or D.O.
• Master’s degree in health care management, Business Administration, or related field (preferred)
• Upon hire: Montana Physician License (Vendor Managed)
• Upon hire: Board certified in recognized medical specialty.

Experience & Expertise

• 5 years of medical practice experience in managed care, group practice environment, and physician or healthcare leadership role
• Experience within a multi-site, matrixed integrated system (preferred)
• Experience in Quality Management and Resource Management in healthcare organizations such as Medical Group and/or Health Plans (preferred)

Professional & Leadership Capabilities

Mission & Culture

• Exhibit servant leadership and champion upholding the integrity of the organization’s mission to serve poor and vulnerable populations with the highest quality of care while pursuing the regional vision and strategy.
• Model behaviors consistent with organizational values.
• Mission, Vision, and Core Values of Providence are demonstrated and promoted daily.
• Open discussion and problem-solving, frequent regular communications and a respectful and caring approach to staff, patients, families, and medical staff is a trademark.
• Create a culture of excellence focused on value-based purchasing, patient experience, physician engagement, integrated business/clinical intelligence, and productivity.

Communication

• Superior communication skills to interact effectively with PH&S's executives, medical staff, caregivers, Board, and all levels of PH&S management.
• Flexibility of thought and a willingness to actively listen to others regarding input and feedback.
• Demonstrates capacity to simplify ideas into easily understood concepts; articulates strategy and operational tactics to diverse groups of internal and external constituents; speaks and writes clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles; delivers messages to the desired effect; connects the dots and provides clarity of thought process and intent; seeks input to clarify issues and potential actions.

Interpersonal Savvy and Political Astuteness

• Relates well at all levels inside and outside PH&S, builds rapport and strong relationships internally and externally; is politically savvy; maintains composure under pressure; not easily discouraged.
• Diffuses tension through exemplary communication, uses diplomacy and tact to maneuver through complex political situations; sensitive to how people and organizations function; tenacious with the courage of conviction to manage through resistance and challenges.

Leadership Style

• A strong, confident, and decisive leader with clinical credibility.
• Exudes a polished, professional image and calm executive presence in challenging situations.
• History of a highly visible and collaborative style of leadership; one who partners with others internally and externally in the community to achieve the best results.
• Capacity to balance the big picture and strategic perspective with attention to the day-to-day operations and the details of execution.
• Genuine, open and partners well with others.
• A good mentor to the management team and providers and skilled at serving as a coach, talent developer, and advisor to others.
• Executive demeanor and professionalism with strong core values of integrity, trust, sincerity, and honesty.
• Must be diplomatic, even keeled, and have a positive approach.
• Should be known as visible and accessible in the region.

Relationships and Collaboration

• Build and cultivate relationships inside and outside the organization, engendering confidence, and credibility with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Develop a highly collaborative working relationship with the Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Operating Officer, CMO for Montana hospitals, senior leadership team, medical staff leaders, and advisory board representatives based on trust, cooperation, and mutual support.
• Demonstrate team play with other regional physician executives throughout the system and represent the Montana region effectively within the health system.
• Establish strong relationships with payers as needed, including developing payment related to quality and outcomes improvement.

Conflict Management

• Deals well with conflict and adversity without personalizing issues; faces demanding situations with courage and tenacity; encourages direct and tough debate; finds common ground and gets cooperation; acts to remedy behavior in conflict with organization's values.

Change Agent

• A skilled and courageous change agent with sensitivity to the interpersonal, organizational, and political issues that accompany change.
• Strong ability to lead through influence and comfort with ambiguity.
• Knowledge and understanding of the trends and changes taking place in healthcare and experience articulating how these shifts may impact PMG.
• Able to lead complex organizations through a transition process.

Innovation

• Uses sound judgment in selecting creative ideas and solutions especially in primary care; leverages fresh perspectives, breakthrough ideas and new paradigms to create value; challenges existing practices.
• Promotes appropriate adoption of clinical innovations; approaches issues with curiosity and an open mind; stimulates and facilitates creativity and experimentation in others.

Business Acumen

• The successful candidate knows how businesses work; knowledgeable in current and potential future policies, practices, trends, technology, and information affecting their business and organization; understands finance.

Influence and Negotiation

• Promotes and sells ideas persuasively; in a collegial manner affects positive clinical change regardless of reporting structure; shapes the opinions and gains alignment of stakeholders by demonstrating understanding.
• Projects a positive image of the organization; stands up for what is right; wins acceptance for proposals and initiatives; negotiates skillfully to create best outcomes for all parties in tough situations with internal and external groups; wins concessions using direct, firm communication while maintaining relationships.

Why Join Us?

• Clinical Leadership: Champion quality, safety, physician engagement, and clinical excellence across two flagship Montana hospitals.
• Executive Influence: Partner closely with executive leaders, medical staff leaders, governing boards, and regional stakeholders to shape the future of care delivery.
• Strategic Impact: Drive initiatives that improve patient outcomes, care quality, operational performance, and community health.
• Physician Partnership: Strengthen alignment between physicians, caregivers, and leadership through collaboration, transparency, and shared accountability.
• Mission‑Driven Work: Advance Providence’s commitment to compassionate, high-quality care for the communities we serve.

Ready to Shape the Future of Healthcare?

If you are a collaborative physician executive with a passion for quality, physician engagement, organizational transformation, and advancing the health of communities, we encourage you to apply.

The full pay range is listed in accordance with applicable law. Final compensation will be determined based on qualifications, experience, organizational compensation alignment, and the approved hiring department budget for the position. This position may also be eligible for incentive compensation and benefits.