Physician Chief Executive Officer PHO

Overview The Physician Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Covenant HealthCare Partners, Inc. is a part-time (3 days per week) physician executive who provides strategic leadership for the CIN/PHO. The role advances the three strategic pillars—Deliver Value, Engage Providers, and Grow Strategically—with focus on overall strategic direction, high-level payer and value-based care strategy, Board relations, physician network growth and engagement, physician leadership development, and senior physician leadership presence. The Physician CEO maintains strong collaborative and dotted-line relationships with the Hospital CFO and PO President while providing direction to existing operational leadership.

This role does not carry day-to-day CMO clinical duties or operational execution. Day-to-day population health, care management, quality, utilization, data/analytics, contracting support, and practice transformation are owned by existing operational leadership. Clinical strategy and quality leadership are coordinated with any designated Chief Medical Officer. The Physician CEO emphasizes physician credibility, strategic alignment across the hospital, PO, and CHP leadership teams, and high-level external representation.

Time commitment averages three days per week and is intentionally limited to strategic work so the role remains sustainable for a practicing or recently practicing physician leader.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior physician executive and strategic leader of CHP, providing overall direction for the CIN/PHO while maintaining strong collaborative and dotted-line relationships with the Hospital CFO (revenue cycle, financial performance, contracting strategy) and the PO President (physician alignment and network growth).
• Provide strategic direction and oversight of day-to-day operations, population health execution, care management, quality improvement, data/analytics, contracting support, and practice transformation through existing operational leadership.
• Lead high-level payer and value-based care strategy in close coordination with the Hospital CFO, PO President, and relevant contracting leadership. Ensure alignment between CHP network performance and system-wide revenue cycle and contracting objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with the CHP Board of Managers, Covenant Medical Center executive leadership, Primary Care Partners Board, and physician leaders.
• Champion physician engagement and network growth; support recruitment and retention of high-value physicians, expansion of specialty participation, and activation of employed and independent physicians in value-based programs. Advance physician leadership development and succession planning.
• Ensure effective governance, compliance, and risk management for the CIN/PHO. Strengthen Board-level understanding of value-based care, promote transparency, and support long-term financial sustainability and strategic alignment.
• Represent CHP strategically in external forums, health plan discussions, employer partnerships, and community relationships. Participate in Covenant HealthCare executive team forums on a strategic (not operational) basis.
• Drive organizational culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across CHP.
  
  

Qualifications

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) with unrestricted Michigan medical license and current board certification required.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of clinical practice experience with at least 5 years of progressive physician leadership experience (e.g., Medical Director, CMO, or equivalent) in a CIN, ACO, PHO, or integrated system.
• Primary care background (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, or similar) preferred; other specialties with significant population health or value-based care experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated success in population health, value-based care, quality improvement, and physician network leadership.
• Strong business acumen and executive presence; ability to effectively lead both clinical and nonclinical teams.
• Master’s degree in healthcare administration, business, or public health preferred but not required for exceptional physician candidates.
• This PHO position does not include direct patient care; any clinical practice would be separate from the CHP role.