Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirings throughout the industry. Please submit the good news—or the bad—from your shop, and we will feature it here at the end of each week.
CareSource Georgia
Minh Nguyen, M.D., has been named the chief medical officer of CareSource Georgia, a managed care provider. He will oversee clinical strategy, population health, health equity and the quality of health care services, and work to improve health outcomes for patients through collaboration with providers and community-based organizations.
“Dr. Nguyen has been an instrumental part of our Georgia leadership team, and his expertise and passion for improving the health and well-being of our members make him exceptionally well-suited to lead our clinical operations,” said Jason Bearden, market president for CareSource Georgia. “He will continue to further our goal of expanding access to care in addition to developing and leading initiatives that not only meet quality and safety objectives but improve health outcomes for Georgians.”
Nguyen most recently served as market medical officer for CareSource Georgia where he led and supported all quality, population health and clinical initiatives to manage and improve health outcomes for members. He also serves on the CareSource Health Equity Advocacy Team to help ensure health equity activities and standards are embedded into organizational policies and procedures.
Prior to joining CareSource, Nguyen served in various leadership and clinical roles at Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians and WellStar. Nguyen is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego and the Ross University School of Medicine. He completed his family medicine residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Quantum Health
Quantum Health announced the appointment of Stanley Crittenden, M.D., as its new corporate chief medical officer. In his new role, Crittenden will enhance Quantum Health’s existing clinical operations and strategy along with growing its value-based care programs and clinical focus.
“We are very excited to announce the hiring of Dr. Crittenden, who has an unwavering focus on clinical excellence and is deeply passionate about doing his part in improving the health care system for all. He will help enhance our existing clinical operations and strategy along with our growing our value-based care programs and clinical focus here at Quantum Health,” said Zane Burke, CEO of Quantum Health.
Crittenden comes to Quantum Health from Evergreen Nephrology, a Rubicon Founders portfolio company, where he served as CMO. During his time there, he led the creation of their payer and provider integrated value-based care delivery model and its supporting technology stack.
Included Health
Included Health tapped Mark Flakne, former CFO of Optum Health, as its new chief financial officer.
Prior to joining Included Health, Flakne spent 11 years of his more than 20-year career with UnitedHealth Group, where he most recently served as CFO of Optum Health. During his tenure as CFO, Optum Health’s revenues grew from $21 billion to more than $70 billion, representing a 28 percent annual growth rate. Operating in strategic finance roles at Optum Health, Flakne gained unique and relevant experience, including leading economic growth, scaling high-performance in-person physician networks, advancing expansion into home care settings, and helping the company take on accountability for clinical outcomes and cost management through value-based contracting.
“As a seasoned CFO and proven leader in building high-performance teams that excel in the execution of ambitious growth and operational goals, Mark will be a great addition to Included Health,” said Owen Tripp, CEO and founder of Included Health. “Mark’s strategic mindset, combined with his passion for healthcare and his track record associated with complex undertakings like the economics of outcomes-driven medicine while scaling a public company, are powerful assets as we focus on Included Health’s growth and evolution.”
“I am excited and energized to join the Included Health team and be part of its ongoing growth story,” said Flakne. “Included Health has a strong market position, as well as great potential to further establish itself as employers and individuals alike are in need of a single, all-in-one destination for personalized healthcare. I am inspired by Included Health’s mission and look forward to working with the company’s talented team to serve our members while driving results and enhancing shareholder value.”
Prior to numerous strategic finance positions within Optum Health, Flakne held leadership roles at Ecolab and PwC. He brings deep experience in business development and strategy (including mergers and acquisitions to scale business growth), the regulatory landscape, and capital management. Flakne holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management information systems from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
>The NAACOS board of directors has selected Jeff Micklos as the next president and CEO to replace Clif Gaus, who is retiring.
> Rady Children’s-San Diego has announced that Matt Schmitz, M.D., has been appointed pediatric orthopedic surgeon and clinical professor of orthopedics at UCSD School of Medicine.
> Leslie Snavely has been tapped as the CEO of CHG Healthcare, a nationwide physician staffing company.
> NYC Health + Hospitals announced the appointment of Cristina Contreras as the CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln and Julian John as CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan.
> Thirona, a leader in AI-powered image analysis, has announced its medical advisory board members, who are among the top global leaders in interventional pulmonology and bronchoscopy. The board members include: Dirk-Jan Slebos, M.D., University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands; Pallav Shah, Royal Brompton Hospital, U.K.; and Krish Bhadra, CHI Memorial Hospital, U.S.
> AI company Qventus announced the appointment of Jamie Eisinger Burgess as its senior vice president of marketing.
> Pivot Point Consulting tapped Nick Patel, M.D., a renowned digital transformation and healthcare innovation leader, as a physician executive partner.
> Dignity Health announced Betsy Hart as its new president and CEO of Glendale Memorial Hospital.
> Northern California-based not-for-profit Sutter Health has named new executive leaders for two of its East Bay medical centers. Trevor D. Brand will be CEO of Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch, California, and Bradley (Brad) R. Goodson, will be CEO of Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland.
> Shanthi Margoschis, who has 30 years of healthcare experience as a registered nurse and hospital administrator, has been named the new CEO of Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital. Margoschis succeeds Mitch Hanna, Sutter Auburn Faith’s longtime CEO who retired earlier this year after a 38-year career with Sutter Health.