Chief Medical Officer | Critical Access Hospital

WRHS; North Dakota; On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Continuing education support

Licensure reimbursement

Employee wellness programs

Job summary

West River Health Services seeks a Senior Chief Medical Officer to balance clinical practice with strategic leadership in a rural Critical Access Hospital setting.

The role is approximately 50% patient-facing and 50% administrative, guiding medical strategy and collaborating with the executive team to advance WRHS's mission and patient care quality.

Qualifications

• MD or DO required with board certification in a specialty.
• Current, unrestricted ND medical license or ability to obtain before start.
• Meets WRHS medical staff membership and credentialing criteria.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care in your specialty with a regular patient panel.
• Lead medical staff and ensure high-quality patient care and safety.
• Develop clinical guidelines, oversee recruitment, credentialing, and performance reviews.
• Drive quality improvement, patient safety, and risk management initiatives.
• Collaborate with executives on strategic goals and represent WRHS on medical advisory boards.

Skills

leadership

Education

Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)

Board certification in applicable specialty

Unrestricted license to practice medicine in North Dakota

Master's degree in Health Administration or Business Administration (optional)

Medical leadership experience (e.g., Medical Director)

Experience in rural/CAH setting

Job description

Job DetailsLevel: SeniorJob Location: Hettinger, ND 58639Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: Graduate DegreeJob Shift: Day

West River Health Services is a mission-driven Critical Access Hospital and Rural Health Clinic serving the residents of southwestern North Dakota. Guided by our core values of Excellence, Innovation, Compassion, and Respect, we're committed to providing the kind of quality health care typically found in larger cities, delivered with small-town friendliness and individual care. We believe our employees are the foundation of that commitment, working together to deliver safe, high-quality, patient-centered care.

Position Summary

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) serves as both a clinical leader and a practicing physician, in a role structured to be approximately 50% patient-facing and 50% administrative/leadership. This balance keeps the CMO closely connected to patient care while guiding the organization's medical strategy, working alongside the executive team to advance WRHS's mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care in your specialty area, maintaining a regular patient panel
• Provide strategic leadership and direction to medical and healthcare staff, ensuring the highest standard of patient care and safety
• Establish and maintain clinical best practices, protocols, and guidelines
• Oversee medical staff recruitment, credentialing, and performance evaluation
• Develop and implement quality improvement, patient safety, and risk management initiatives
• Serve as liaison between medical staff and administration, supporting the physician peer review process
• Collaborate with executive leadership on strategic goals, and represent WRHS on medical advisory boards and in the community

QualificationsRequired

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
• Board certification in an applicable specialty
• Current, unrestricted license to practice medicine in North Dakota, or ability to obtain prior to start
• Meets all criteria for West River Health Services medical staff membership and credentialing

Preferred

• Master's degree in Health Administration, Business Administration, or a related field
• Prior experience in a medical leadership role (Medical Director, Department Chief, or similar)
• Experience in a rural, Critical Access Hospital, or similarly resource-constrained clinical setting

Compensation & Benefits

**Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience, training, and qualifications.**

• West River Health Services offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement plans; paid time off; continuing education support; professional licensure reimbursement; employee wellness programs; and other benefits available to eligible employees.

West River Health Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.