Here are 12 chief medical officer exits and appointments since June 1, 2026, as reported by Becker’s:
1. Baptist Health Richmond (Ky.) has appointed Morgan Blanton, DO, as vice president and chief medical officer, effective in September.
2. Puneeta Sharma, MD, was named chief medical officer for Valley Medical Group, part of Ridgewood, N.J.-based Valley Health System.
3. Taylor Bertschy, DO, was named chief medical officer of Alexandria, La.-based R4. Rapides Regional Medical Center.
4. Craig Fockler, DO, was named chief medical officer at Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber (Pa.).
5. Kate Becker, CEO of Albuquerque, N.M.-based UNM Hospital, plans to retire in December after more than 30 years in healthcare, including the last eight at UNM. Steve McLaughlin, MD, chief medical officer of UNM Hospital, was named interim vice president of clinical affairs and will help lead the organization during the transition.
6. Eric Flynn, BSN, RN, was named chief medical officer for Raleigh (N.C.) General Hospital.
7. Patricia Iris, MD, was named chief medical officer for Coeur d’Alene, Idaho-based Heritage Health.
8. Richard Stumacher, MD, was named chief medical officer of Stony Brook Southampton (N.Y.) Hospital, part of Stony Brook (N.Y.) Medicine.
9. Cornelius Powell, MD, MBA, was appointed chief medical officer of Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach, Fla.
10. Clint Strong, MD, was named chief medical officer of Springfield, Mo.-based Jordan Valley Health. He assumed the role June 1 after more than 13 years with the organization.
11. Joseph Corser, MD, was named interim chief medical officer of Sanford Health Bemidji in Minnesota.
12. Dewitt Bateman, MD, was named chief medical officer of Covington, La.-based Lakeview Hospital.
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