Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Optum - American Health Network (AHN) - Hybrid

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At Optum, we are transforming healthcare nationally while providing physician-led care locally and truly impacting the future of healthcare wholly. Experience the fulfillment of advancing health in the communities we serve with the excitement of contributing to new ideas and initiatives that could help improve care for millions of patients across the country. Our goal is to align purpose with opportunity for a mutual fit.  We are driven by our north star, value-based care, and embed that within the culture of all our care-delivery organizations through a Quadruple Aim of providing Affordability in healthcare; Quality metrics, measures, and outcomes; Satisfaction of our patients through the care and experience they are offered; and the Well-Being of our own Clinicians.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) serves as the senior clinical leader for American Health Network (AHN), and is responsible for representing the organization externally, stabilizing provider culture, advancing clinical quality initiatives, and aligning clinical strategy with business direction.  The CMO providers leadership for all physicians and advanced practice clinicians, with an emphasis on clinical credibility, market presence, provider alignment, and strategic growth.

In collaboration with the Regional Medical Directors (RMD), the CMO oversees clinical governance, promotes organizational discipline, stewards clinical excellence while harmonizing standards, data, and value-based care performance with enterprise strategies, ensures high-quality patient care, and maintains AHN's standing as a well-respected clinical network across Indiana and Ohio.  

The CMO is an actively practicing physician who also dedicates administrative leadership time to shaping AHN's strategy, reputation, culture, and provider performance.  This role partners closely with the executive leadership team to advance growth, affordability, health equity, and overall patient experience.

Leadership Expectations

• Act as a true enterprise leader, balancing near-term execution with long-term scalability
• Provide solid, visible leadership through complexity, ambiguity, and change
• Influence across matrixed organizations without relying solely on direct authority
• Develop solid successor talent and leadership depth across operational team(s)
• Be an engaged leader who collaborates well with their team of regional leaders
• Drive proactive performance management while ensuring consistent, data-driven reporting

Key Areas of Focus

• Clinical governance and Quality: set clinical standards, evidence-based guidelines, lead peer review, credentialing support, as well as policy governance while owning metrics for quality and safety, driving towards continuous improvement and transparency
• Care Model & Operations: standardize workflows for access, panel management, care team roles and coordination of care delivered while partnering with operations to optimize templates, throughput, and overall patient experience ensuring equitable access and competent care
• Value-Based Care & Population Health: Lead risk adjustment, accurate coding, and care gap closure; optimize utilization and referral patterns; align incentives to outcomes.  Ensure performance across government and commercial VBC arrangements, oversee attribution, leakage management, and high-risk cohort programs
• Clinical Informatics & EHR Optimization: chair clinical informatics governance; set priorities for EHR optimization, clinical content, decision support, and analytics; sponsor clinician training and adoption altogether.  Provide direction to medical directors who lead EHR optimization workstreams that report into the CMO, ensuring consistency and data integrity
• Regulatory, Compliance & Risk: Ensure adherence to HIPAA/privacy requirements and enterprise policies; lead incident review and corrective actions; maintain survey readiness.  Promote secure handling of PHI and compliance behaviors consistent with Optum standards
• Talent, Culture & Engagement: Recruit, onboard, and develop physician and APC leaders; cultivate mentorship and well-being; enhance engagement and retention.  Build a high-trust culture of mutual respect with clear accountability and shared decision-making
• External & Enterprise Relationships: Represent the medical group with hospitals, community partners, and payers on clinical matters; collaborate with enterprise clinical leaders to scale best practices
• Financial Stewardship & Strategy: Provide clinical input to budgets and investments; manage productivity / access targets and affordability initiatives; assess ROI for clinical programs
• Governance & Communication: serve on executive committees / boards; deliver clear, timely communications to clinicians and stakeholders; present performance insights and actions

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead AHN's clinical strategy and represent the organization with employers, health systems, community partners, and regional stakeholders
• Strengthen AHN's market presence through relationship-building, physician networking, and strategic outreach initiatives
• Serve as AHN's senior clinical ambassador, enhancing recruitment credibility and promoting AHN's reputation across Indiana and Ohio
• Guide long-term clinical priorities, growth initiatives, referral development, and market strategy in partnership with organizational leadership
• Maintain visible leadership amongst providers to reinforce culture, trust, and clinical alignment during organizational transition.  Set goals to reduce costs related to facilities, low-value care, specialty referrals, and other measures; engage providers in action planning to meet targets
• Address patient care issues identified by clinical teams and offer strategic input on specialty and primary care adequacy
• Act as a clinical liaison with the Marketing team
• Ensure adherence to all applicable clinical, operational, and regulatory requirements
• Identify and mentor high-potential lead physicians
• Lead, actively participate in and attend meetings as well as committee participation
• Tasks and duties pertinent to practicing medicine within standards of care
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities, as directed
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of a positive team-focused company culture

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• A valid, unrestricted medical license in the state in which they practice and within the specialty of practice (if applicable) - or ability to obtain prior to start
• Medical Doctor (MD or DO)
• CMO - American Health Network
• Board Certification
• 5+ years of recent experience in clinical practice
• 5+ years of experience in a leadership role in a medical facility or related environment
• Experience in both managed care (value-based care) and fee-for-service based models
• Proficient computer skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, email systems, and web-based programs
• Proven in good standing and remain in good standing with credentialing requirements
• Proven to maintain any required clinical privileges at the hospitals used to treat patients
• Demonstrated success in value-based care (quality, risk adjustment/coding accuracy, utilization management, and patient experience)
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of health care professionals and staff, both in and outside of the local care delivery organization
• Proven ability to travel to all clinics in Indiana and Ohio

Supervisory Scope

• Direct/Indirect leadership of Regional Medical Directors, Quality leadership teams, and clinical governance committees

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in a fast-paced office environment, independently, with attention to detail
• Ability to stand and sit for periods of time and to move intermittently throughout the workday
• Solid sensory skills, such as visual acuity, good hearing, and manual dexterity
• Ability to interact with others, both in person and virtually
• Experience managing remote staff, preferably leadership level
• Proven change leadership and transformation experience
• Exceptional executive communication and listening skills
• Familiarity with AI systems and utilization within healthcare and leadership

Compensation for this specialty generally ranges from $336,500 - $485,500. Total cash compensation includes base pay and bonus and is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience and may increase over time based on productivity and performance in the role. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.    

OptumCare is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.  

OptumCare is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.