8:00am – 8:15am
Chairperson’s Opening Remarks 

8:15am – 9:00am
Navigating Challenges While Prioritizing Care
Navigating nationwide staffing shortages while maintaining quality of care are just two of the many mounting challenges chief medical officers face, and seek to overcome, right now. There are so many forces to navigate including operations, finance, state budgets, health disparities and family needs and expectations. It’s important to never compromise on quality or safety, though challenging to continue to fund needed services and resources in the face of increasing financial pressures. These increasing pressures are something CMOs are feeling in health systems everywhere. In this session, hear what is top of mind for CMOs in today’s current healthcare environment.

Imran Siddiqui
Chief Medical Officer, Physician Executive
Desert Valley Hospital & Medical Group 

9:00am – 9:45am
How CMOs Must Evolve to Lead the Next Generation of Healthcare
Traditionally, the US healthcare system has been siloed. Various stakeholders – patients, payors and providers – have their own perspectives on healthcare, making it difficult to work across lines with each other. Providers historically have focused exclusively on cost containment while patients and payors (including state and federal agencies) have started to demand better quality and outcomes – as well as lower costs. Because of this divide, physicians are accustomed to operating almost autonomously. Over the years, however, it’s become impossible for these disparate groups to work as separate entities. To meet the growing demand for higher quality, physicians have been forced to learn to align their goals with patients and payors. Naturally, the role of spearheading this integration rests with a chief medical officer (CMO). But to keep pace with the rapid evolution of health care, CMOs must be ready and willing to pivot on a dime. This session will explore how CMOs are the nexus of this shift.

Zafar Akram Jamkhana
Interim Chief Medical Officer
SSM Health Saint Louis University

9:45am – 10:15am
Networking & Refreshments Break 

10:15am – 11:00am
Striking a Balance: Navigating the Dual Roles of Chief Medical Officer and Physician
Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) play a vital role in healthcare organizations, bridging the gap between clinical practice and administrative management. However, this dual responsibility often presents a unique challenge, as CMOs may be torn between the organization’s interests and their fellow physicians’ ideals. This is the number one challenge for chief medical officers. This session will offer practical strategies for healthcare leaders to navigate these conflicting roles, ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients, physicians and the organization.

James Keller MD MHSA
Chief Medical Officer
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital 

11:00am – 11:45am
OPEN

11:45am – 12:30pm
Communications Principles to Become an Influential Chief Medical Officer
One of the greatest challenges for chief medical officers is exerting influence with both clinicians and other members of the C-suite. It’s also a tremendous opportunity to drive meaningful change for the organization, improve the quality of care patients receive, and increase physician engagement and satisfaction. This session will explore principles for becoming a skilled influencer.

Dale Criner, MD, MBA
Vice President/Chief Medical Officer
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare – Germantown Hospital 

12:30pm – 1:30pm
Luncheon 

1:30pm – 2:15pm
Leading a Connected, Engaged Clinical Team
Establishing effective communication is crucial in leading a large health system. It is also essential to bridge the gap between the corporate leadership and the frontline. This session will explore the challenges of serving as CMO of a large health system, care transformation initiatives, and the keys to success in hospital medicine.

Erik C. Summers, MD, FACP
Chief Medical Officer
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Associate Professor
Section on Hospital Medicine 

2:15pm – 3:15pm
Panel: Chief Medical Officer Leadership Styles
Chief Medical Officers are important players within the healthcare industry. They are physician leaders who play a big role in providing high-quality patient care for patients, and they can have a great impact on the overall performance of their hospitals. This session will explore Chief Medical Officer leadership characteristics through the lens of different leadership approaches.

Herman Williams, MD, MBA, MPH
Chief Medical Officer
Nashville General Hospital

Vanessa Carroll, MD, MBA, FAAP
Chief Medical Officer
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital

3:15pm – 3:45pm
Networking & Refreshments Break 

3:45pm – 4:30pm
Preparing the Next Generation of Chief Medical Officers in an Evolving Landscape
As the healthcare industry rapidly evolves and top medical talent becomes scarce, the healthcare industry is facing a shortage of experienced chief medical officer (CMO) successors. To successfully meet the clinical and business demands of this complex role, CEOs and current CMOs must begin proactively preparing the next generation of medical leaders. This session will explore the current state of CMOs, and identified key growth and development areas for aspiring CMOs.

Herman Williams, MD, MBA, MPH
Chief Medical Officer
Nashville General Hospital

4:30pm – 5:15pm
CMO Success Blueprint: Timing, Talent and Retention in Biotech
The biotech market, amidst uncertainty, has continued to grow through new investments. This upward trajectory is expected to persist. In this highly competitive and rapidly evolving landscape, having the right leadership in place is critical for staying ahead of the curve. Of the executive roles needed for an organization’s success, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is a critical hire to accelerate a company’s growth. This session will explore the crucial role of the CMO in biotech.

Ronak Bhimani
Chief Medical Officer
Lower Bucks Hospital

5:15pm – 6:00 pm
The Rapid Evolution of the Payer CMO
Over the past decade, many payers in the US have pivoted their organizational philosophy and business model to take on an expanded role in the healthcare ecosystem—evolving from health insurance companies primarily focused on managing risk to healthcare partners responsible for the coordination and provision of high-quality care for members and customers. This evolution was in part driven by the increased focus on value-based payment (VBP) models as part of the Affordable Care Act: payers and providers sought new ways to work closely together in organizing new models of care to take on risk. This translates into current demand-side pressure on payers to focus on quality (for example, through quality metrics such as HEDIS scores and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Star ratings), affordability and customer experience as equally important and mutually beneficial objectives. While every payer is different, many have a common need for sound clinical insight, judgement, and leadership across a range of business priorities critical to future success of the organization. The payer CMO has moved from a physician executive to strategic business partner. This session will explore how organizations that embrace this expanded and diversified role for the CMO can create sustained competitive advantage and unlock significant value for the enterprise and its stakeholders.

OPEN

6:00 pm
End of Day One

8:00am – 8:10am
Chairperson’s Recap 

8:10am – 8:50am
Navigating the Changing Healthcare Landscape: Understanding the Evolving Roles of CMOs
The expectations and responsibilities of a hospital’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) have evolved dramatically over the past decade. In order to remain effective, CMOs have had to step into new roles and take on additional responsibilities. Physicians and hospital executives are encouraged to move from fee-for-service medicine to value-based reimbursement models that reward quality over quantity. Many hospitals are under pressure from state-funded insurance programs and private insurers to reduce cost burdens while improving the quality of care they provide. This session will explore how CMOs have an important role in helping their organizations respond effectively to these new challenges. Therefore, CMOs should be viewed not only as clinical leaders but also as business leaders who can help transform their organizations’ cultures while driving innovation and productivity gains that improve the quality of patient care.

Thomas Cummins
Chief Medical Officer
Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford 

8:50am – 9:30am
Why Your Organization Needs a Chief Medical Officer
A chief medical officer (CMO) is a role you commonly encounter in healthcare, biotech and pharmaceutical companies. However, the CMO role has been garnering more attention as a response to changing healthcare needs brought on by the pandemic. Nowadays, many companies are adding CMOs to their C-suite – and this session will explore the reasons why you should, too.

Shehzad A Saeed, MD, FAAP, AGAF, NASPGHAN-F
Associate Chief Medical Officer
Physician Lead, Patient and Family Experience
Dayton’s Children’s Hospital 

9:30am – 10:00am
Networking & Refreshments Break 

10:00am – 10:40am
How CMOs Can Leverage Clinical Informatics for Optimal Results
Clinical informatics programs have the potential to advance strategic goals for higher quality care, population health management, cost containment, physician satisfaction, and more. But many health systems don’t realize the full benefits of these programs as a result of organizational structures or hiring decisions. Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) are in a unique position to elevate these programs to achieve important organizational goals by embracing strategic collaboration. This session will explore how CMOs can partner with Chief Medical Informatics Officers and clinical informatics teams to promote technology innovation that enhances workflows, reduces administrative burden, and supports high-quality patient care.

Eric J. Schuck, MD, MBA, FAAP
Regional Chief Medical Officer
Trinity Health Georgia

10:40am – 11:20am
Leveraging Technology to Improve Care Coordination, Discharge Planning and Transitions of Care
In these challenging times in healthcare with overcrowded Emergency Departments, staff who struggle with addressing barriers to providing care and maintaining personal resilience, an increase in workplace violence, and the need to address social determinants of care, it has never been more important for leaders to support their teams and address these concerns. It is critical that Leaders become innovative and embrace technology solutions to support a seamless delivery of care. In this session, the Learner will:   

1. Identify key challenges in performance outcomes in Staff Resiliency, Length of Stay, Transitions of Care and Care Coordination
2. Explore Innovative Strategies and Technology To:
   a. Enhance Staff Resilience and Emotional Well-Being
   b. Reduce LOS through Discharge Milestone Development
   c. Development of an EMR Care Map to reduce LOS
   d. Institute Telehealth Visits for Transitional Care Management                            

Julie L. Mirkin, DNP, MA ACM-RN, Wharton Fellow
Senior Vice President / Chief Nursing Officer
The Brookdale Hospital Medical Center

11:20am – 12:00pm
What a CMO Needs to Know About Risk Management: Key Ingredients for Success
This session will present real life examples that deepen and color a set of core tenets that leaders can use to mitigate risk and optimize quality and safety for patients and caregivers. We’ll explore opportunities to optimize learning and partnership with your local risk management team, and identify behaviors a CMO can exhibit to enhance risk management at your hospital or health system.

Robert A. DeColli Jr. DO, MBA, CPE, FACOI
Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
Memphis Health Center

12:00pm – 12:40pm
Safeguarding Healthcare: Prepare for Workplace Violence or Cybersecurity Operations
 In today’s evolving healthcare landscape, prioritizing the safety and readiness of healthcare facilities, staff, patients, and visitors is imperative. This presentation highlights the critical importance of addressing workplace violence and cybersecurity preparedness, two of the most pressing threats facing healthcare organizations.

We will discuss the reasons why these threats pose significant challenges to the healthcare sector by examining the unique complexities and risks involved. From there we will move to the challenges of preparing for and responding to these incidents.

Lastly, we’ll explore preparedness efforts that can be undertaken to mitigate these risks effectively. By examining real-world case studies and best practices, attendees will gain valuable insights into improving their organization’s resilience against workplace violence and cyber threats. Ultimately, participants will be prompted to reassess their current preparedness strategies and consider practical steps to enhance their organization’s ability to mitigate, respond to, and recover from these critical incidents

Eric Sean Clay, MBA, CHPA, CPP, PSP, PCI
Vice President of Security
Memorial Hermann Health System

Adam Lee, MBA, MS, CEM®
Director, Emergency Management & Organizational Resilience
Memorial Hermann Health System

12:40pm
Conference Concludes 

Workshop: The Evolution of the CMIO Role in Hospitals & Health Systems

In the early days of the role, CMIOs were responsible for ensuring the smooth implementation of EMRs and other technologies in healthcare settings. It was a daunting challenge, as no one had ever held a position quite like it before. CMIOs had to navigate complex regulatory requirements while managing resistance to change from their peers and other healthcare professionals. They had to build the foundations for an entirely new department and safeguard care while still tending to their clinical duties. Since the genesis of the CMIO role, a lot has changed, including the impact and aftermath of a pandemic that turned the healthcare landscape and the world upside down. To combat the spread of COVID-19, the healthcare industry experimented with remote work, video conference meetings, and telehealth care, which quickly became mainstream. The CMIO must now manage these new approaches, along with increased cases of clinician and nurse burnout. These factors, along with regulatory requirements, advances in technology, and the increasing emphasis on population health and value-based care, have heightened the need for health systems to leverage solutions that automate workflows, simplify and enhance processes for an overtaxed workforce, and resolve operational challenges. Health systems’ shift from paper-based systems toward digital solutions increase efficiency has elevated the role of the CMIO as a critical leader in an organization’s success. This session will explore the future of the CMIO.