The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is a key executive team member and strategic leader responsible for ensuring clinical excellence, advancing quality initiatives, and fostering strong relationships with physicians, advanced practice providers (APPs), and staff. The CMO will partner closely with the CEO, the executive team, the Board, and key committees to drive innovation, strengthen physician engagement, and align clinical practice with organizational strategy.
The CMO will also maintain a limited patient care practice each week to remain connected to physician workflows and support credibility among peers.
Key Responsibilities:
Physician Engagement & Accountability
Build and maintain strong rapport with physicians and APPs, creating a foundation of trust that makes accountability conversations constructive and effective.
Serve as mentor, coach, and advocate for providers while setting clear expectations for performance, professionalism, and leadership.
Hold physicians and APPs accountable for performance, including having direct, candid conversations around quality, leadership, and behavior when expectations are not met.
Clinical Practice & Oversight
Maintain a limited clinical practice (minimum of a half-day to one full day weekly) to stay connected to patient care and physician workflows.
Serve as the supervising physician for the APP float pool (12–15 providers), providing oversight, mentorship, and clinical support.
Serve as the provider of record on Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) nursing protocols (or designate interim coverage as appropriate).
Quality & Compliance
Serve as Executive Sponsor of the Quality Committee and lead clinical quality initiatives across the organization.
Understand NCQA HEDIS requirements as they relate to contracted quality metrics and provider compensation. Monitor performance against these measures and take corrective action with providers who consistently fall below expected thresholds.
Ensure provider compensation changes tied to quality measures are reviewed and acted on through the Quality Committee.
Serve as peer reviewer for Compliance and Risk Adjustment, particularly around coding and documentation issues.
Technology & Innovation
Champion the use of technology to improve workflows, reduce administrative burden, and enhance the physician experience.
Serve as a clinical voice in evaluating and adopting new tools, systems, and innovations.
Partner with operations and IT to implement solutions that support quality care delivery and improve provider workflows.
Strategic & External Leadership
Collaborate with the executive team, Board, and other committees on strategic planning, growth initiatives, and quality goals.
Participate in payor meetings and represent Summit on external advisory councils, such as the VHAN Advisory Council, to advance organizational interests.
Culture & Communication
Coordinate and lead Grand Rounds, while curating relevant Continuing Medical Education (CME) opportunities for providers.
Model collaboration, transparency, and professionalism at all levels of the organization.
Serve as a visible, accessible leader across multiple sites.
Summit is one of the largest independent medical groups in Tennessee. Our 500+ providers serve more than 400,000 patients.?Our growing footprint includes 90 locations in 23 counties across East and Middle Tennessee, including four diagnostic centers, mobilediagnostic services, eight physical therapy centers, four express clinics, central laboratory, and sleep services center. Summit’sstrengths include being:?Physician-owned and physician-governed?Nationally recognized for quality performance?Competitive with annual salaries and bonus potential?Focused on an enhanced work-life balance for clinicians through extensive administrative support and resources
