Chief Medical Officer-8000 - Kingman Regional Medical Center

Chief Medical Officer

Kingman Regional Medical Center

Kingman, AZ

Position Overview:

Kingman Regional Medical Center (KRMC), the largest healthcare provider in northwest Arizona that is anchored by its 235-bed hospital in Kingman and is the only non-profit hospital in Mohave County, Arizona, announces a national search for a Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Reporting to Kingman’s dynamic CEO, the CMO will play a pivotal role in building trusting and collaborative relationships with KRMC’s medical staff and support the organization in delivering high quality healthcare to the community.  The CMO will serve as a strategic liaison between hospital leadership and the medical staff, become a close partner with the CEO,  and work with physicians on important issues relating to quality of care, operational best practices, regulatory compliance, physician recruitment, clinical program development, access to care, and provider relationships.  He/She will provide expertise and guidance on best practices and will play a key role in advancing the strategic initiatives and operational goals of the system to include achieving the health system’s goal of becoming a 5-star CMS rated hospital.

The CMO will serve as a top physician leader on KRMC’s senior management team and will be instrumental in driving the health system’s continued commitment to putting patients first and ensuring the healthcare needs of the community are met. The CMO will work with a medical staff comprised of employed, contracted, and independent community-based physicians, and, it is preferred, but not required, that the CMO allocate some of his/her time to practicing clinically in addition to the administrative responsibilities of the role. The successful candidate will be an experienced and accomplished physician leader who possesses excellent communication skills and brings a proven track record for building and inspiring a positive culture within the medical staff.  He/She will champion a data-driven, best practice approach to quality care and facilitate solutions with IT to help physicians optimize KRMC’s electronic medical record (Meditech) and other data/information systems.   

The ideal candidate will be a proactive, strategic-minded, innovative, business savvy, influential physician leader who is skilled at relationship building and successfully transforming strategic vision into implementable tactics that achieve desired results. The CMO will serve as a vital partner to physicians, the CEO and the administrative team, and clinical leaders.  He/She will support and accelerate the growth of the health system and its unique connection to the community.  The CMO will embody KRMC’s mission of inspiring and partnering with the community to achieve optimal health, embrace the critical nature and importance of the health system to the community, become an important and visible member of the community, and lead with genuine respect, humility and passion for service and people.   

This is a unique opportunity to play a major role and impact the delivery of healthcare to a close-knit community and enjoy a great quality of life inside and outside of work.  The successful CMO candidate will join a profitable and growing health system that is led by a deeply committed CEO and a leadership team that is continually focused on strengthening KRMC’s performance and ensuring access to the most advanced and personalized care in the region.

Key Relationships:

Reports to:  CEO of Kingman Regional Medical Center

Key Areas of Focus and Responsibility:

The CMO’s major areas of focus, key initiatives, and responsibilities in this role include:

• Build genuine and trusting relationships with the medical staff and administration.  With a partnering and advisory approach, serve as an effective liaison between administration and the medical staff.  Ensure physician input in hospital operations, strategic clinical program development, and major decisions impacting their practice and the care of their patients, and work closely with administration on key strategic and operational issues in working with the physician community.

• Establish a reputation for being approachable, available (create an open door policy),  responsive, fair, proactive, operationally astute, fiscally responsible, business-savvy, strategic-minded, quality and patient focused, nimble, and adaptable.   

• Be a great communicator and facilitate the development of a physician friendly culture based on mutual respect, professionalism, patient-focused care delivery, service excellence, quality outcomes, and a genuine desire to improve the health of the community. 
• Become a key strategic member of administration and keep the “big picture” in mind in terms of serving the community, being community focused, and addressing the long term needs of the Kingman community. 

• Assist in establishing standards for the delivery of high quality patient care, continuously assessing and ensuring the delivery of care utilizing national benchmarks, evidence-based standards and protocols, appropriate credentialing, competency assessments, and regulatory standards.  Collaborate with the quality division, quality officers, and administration to standardize, align, and improve quality and safety metrics and ensure clinical services are provided in accordance with KRMC’s mission, values, and goals.

• Provide expertise and guidance on quality improvement initiatives.  Lead a data-driven approach to identifying and analyzing opportunities for improvement and direct thoughtful, well-organized approaches to initiating improvement projects that have clearly defined objectives with measurable goals.  Serve as a resource and influencer in the setting and accomplishment of goals, improving documentation, and identifying safety improvement opportunities.  Ensure that the right key stakeholders are engaged in each project and receive the necessary support to successfully achieve and sustain desired results over time. Become familiar with Vizient benchmarks and best practices. 

• Work closely with the medical staff and administration on key operational issues including supply chain, drug formulary, clinical program development, patient satisfaction, patient access, physician satisfaction, IT issues, and other areas to enhance operations, efficiency, quality, fiscal responsibility, LOS, and ensure appropriate utilization of services.

• Provide expertise and leadership to ensure that KRMC remains continuously compliant on all state and national regulatory and compliance requirements(note – KRMC is DNV accredited).

• Partner with medical staff on the development of a system (inclusive of individual provider scorecards) to ensure provider credentialing and competencies are consistently and correctly performed at the time of initial onboarding and recredentialing. 
• Work with hospitalists and other providers and staff on initiatives to improve patient flow and adopt best practice discharge protocols to achieve appropriate ALOS, reduce readmissions, and reduce cost of care.
• Actively support physician recruitment efforts and work closely with the CEO and the Medical Staff leadership to build a high quality medical staff and ensure appropriate access to care in the community.
• Assist in promoting clinical services and programs to referring physicians and serve as a resource and problem solver when service issues arise.
• Strengthen GME training programs and relationships.
• Participate and/or lead various KRMC meetings and committees as needed and requested. 
• Maintain professional growth and development.  Remain current on changing trends healthcare delivery and provide ongoing education in all areas of influence.

Professional & Personal Characteristics for Success:

• Exceptional relationship skills, a good listener, flexible, and willing to engage in open and honest dialogue; a bridge builder and system team player with a high degree of emotional intelligence and the ability to effectively work with physician colleagues and team members at all levels of the organization and across the system.

• A personal presence which is characterized by a sense of honesty, a high level of personal integrity and caring, strong moral character, leadership courage, and the ability to inspire, energize and motivate others to work towards a common set of goals.  Maintains a clear focus on what is best for the organization, physicians, patients, and the communities served.

• Superior verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate a clear vision and translate complex issues into comprehensible ideas and concepts. 

• An innate willingness to assume a leadership role and skilled at fostering a sense of urgency and proactiveness to finding solutions through influence and positive change.

• Seeks out the truth and the higher ground in all interactions and brings proven ability to effectively handle and resolve conflict.      Conveys a sense of fairness and independence in judgment and actions that impact the outcomes of patient care and will affect physician practice and clinical operations.      All decisions are made in accordance with professional practice standards, hospital policy, and regulatory and compliance standards and requirements.

• Able to analyze and resolve complex issues.

• Executive presence while also being down-to-earth and approachable, demonstrates enthusiasm and support for others; inspires respect and trust from his/her team.

• Action oriented, results driven, and grounded in business discipline and prudence.  Able to act and react appropriately and at the right time, and not afraid to lead.     

Education, Certification, Licensure & Experience Requirements:

Qualified candidates must have a M.D., D.O. or equivalent medical degree.  Board Certification (or the equivalent) in their specialty with agreement to maintain such Board Certification through tenure of employment is also required.

Qualified candidates must be licensed or qualified for licensure to practice medicine in the State of Arizona.

A respected clinical physician with outstanding professional credibility and personal integrity.

Ten or more years of clinical practice and five or more years of executive leadership experience, including responsibility for quality and medical staff relationships. 

A leader and champion of quality with demonstrated ability to lead and implement quality improvement initiatives.

Strong project management skills and experience leading improvement projects that drive enhanced operations, cost savings, improved quality and patient experience, and improved provider experience.

Thorough knowledge and understanding of current trends in healthcare, including physician-hospital relations, physician practice issues, quality improvement processes, clinical information systems, and the implications of the changing healthcare environment for medical credentialing are essential.

About Kingman Regional Medical Center:

Kingman Regional Medical Center (KRMC) is the largest healthcare provider in northwest Arizona with a total of 235 inpatient beds located in one of the state’s fastest growing counties.  Over the past 10 years, KRMC’s employee base has grown by 80% and now has more than 1,900 employees, 270 physicians/allied health professionals, and 150 volunteers.  KRMC’s service area has a population of about 65,000, with a regional draw of 200,000 residents.

KRMC is a comprehensive community hospital offering a full range of medical services to meet the health and wellness needs of a vibrant growing community.  KRMC provides state-of-the-art medical facilities including an advanced diagnostics & imaging center, cancer center, cardiovascular center, pain management center, sleep disorders center, pulmonary function test laboratory, wound healing and hyperbaric center, acute rehabilitation unit, and primary care clinics. In January 2024, KRMC’s Lung Nodule Clinic began offering the Ion Endoluminal System by Intuitive, the latest in minimally invasive technology for lung biopsy.  KRMC has over $400 million in annual net revenues, an average daily census of 160 patients, and is the largest hospital in the region.  Annual key patient volumes include:

• Emergency Room Visits:      52,275
• IP Admissions:      8,400
• Total Surgical Cases:      7,100
• GI Cases:  3,200
• Births:  735

KRMC’s medical staff is a mix of employed, contracted, and independent community-based physicians.  Employed physicians include adult primary care and pediatrics, plus a wide range of specialists in general surgery, GI, thoracic surgery, cardiology, endocrinology, pediatrics, pulmonology, and OB/GYN.  Contracted physicians include hospital medicine, emergency medicine, radiology, general surgery and bariatrics, orthopedics, and urology. 

Recognized as an innovator in rural healthcare and deeply committed to educating the providers of tomorrow, KRMC is Arizona’s first rural teaching hospital that is affiliated with Midwestern University and offers residency training in family medicine and emergency medicine. 

KRMC is committed to continuous improvement and high quality care.  Over the last decade, KRMC has earned repeated awards for high patient satisfaction scores and has received multiple national designations as either a “five-star” or “top 100” hospital.  KRMC received Healthstream’s Excellence in Healthcare Award for the nation’s highest employee satisfaction.  In August 2024, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services named KRMC a 4-star hospital for Overall Hospital quality, the only hospital in the northwest region of Arizona to receive this high of a rating.

Key Attractors to the Role:

• Assume a top leadership role in Kingman Regional Medicine Center and serve as a positive, forward-thinking, and energetic leader who will become a trusted partner to both medical staff members and administrative leaders and support the continued operational improvement and strategic growth of the region’s premier healthcare provider. 
• Reside in a safe, friendly, convenient, and family-oriented community with all of the necessary amenities that is within a short drive of Las Vegas, Flagstaff, Phoenix, as well as destination locations in Southern California and Mexico.

The Locale—Kingman, Arizona:

Kingman is a city located in northwest Arizona along historic Route 66 that is 105 miles southeast of Las Vegas, 150 miles west of Flagstaff, 180 miles northwest of Phoenix, and a few hours’ drive from Southern California and Mexico.  Founded originally in 1882, Kingman now has a population more than 30,000 residents and is the county seat of Mohave County.

Kingman is a small town yet a top tourist destination and a great place to live and work in a safe, family-friend community with an affordable standard of living.  It is home to the largest industrial park in Northern Arizona, making it a top location for companies moving to the state. With 34 million people within a day’s drive, Kingman offers every amenity needed but without the traffic or busyness of much larger nearby cities.

The top five employers in Kingman include Kingman Regional Medical Center, followed by Mohave County, Kingman United School District, Mohave Community College, and  American Woodmark.

Kingman sits on the edge of the Mohave Desert, but it is located in a cold desert climate with four distinct seasons due to its plateau location.  Kingman’s higher location keeps summer temperatures away from the extremes and contributes to cold winters and occasional snowfall.  The Colorado River forms the western boundary of Mohave County with an estimated 1,000 miles of freshwater shoreline including Lakes Havasu, Mohave, and Mead. 

Outdoor enthusiasts can visit wilderness areas, enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, and historical sites all within a short drive from Kingman.  Kingman is known as “The Heart of Historic Route 66” and has a historic downtown district that has been undergoing revitalization that features homes and businesses built in the early 1900s. Beale Street, the center of downtown Kingman, includes breweries, boutiques, restaurants, and antique shopping as well as city and county services. History buffs can also learn more about Kingman from the award-winning Mohave Museum of History & Arts.

Kingman has one public school district and one charter school.  Kingman United School District (KUSD) consists of 12 schools, ranging from Kindergarten to high school.  The Kingman Academy of Learning, a charter school, is split into four schools:  a primary (preschool – 2^nd grade), intermediate (grades 3-5), middle (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12). The Emmanual Christian Academy teaches students from kindergarten to 8^th grade.  Arizona Virtual Academic is a K-12 blended learning center.  For post-secondary education, one of four main campuses of Mohave Community College is located in Kingman, as well as an extension campus of Northern Arizona University.

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For more information or to confidentially discuss this position, please contact:

Brian Aston, Senior Partner & Founder

Kate Schmitz, Senior Search Consultant | 864-608-1750 | KSchmitz@InTrustPartners.com

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