Behavioral Health Acute Division Chief Medical Officer

Athra Systems•San Antonio, TX

45d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Division Chief Medical Officer serves as the senior physician leader for the Acute Behavioral Health Division. The CMO is responsible for establishing clinical strategy, overseeing physician performance, ensuring regulatory compliance, improving quality metrics, and supporting the successful launch and management of behavioral health programs across multiple states. This executive partners with hospital CEOs, operational leaders, nursing leadership, and behavioral health providers to ensure consistent delivery of exceptional patient care while driving organizational growth and clinical innovation.

Requirements

MD or DO degree from an accredited medical school.
Board Certification in Psychiatry.
Active medical license (or ability to obtain licensure in multiple states).
Minimum 5 years of clinical psychiatric experience.
Minimum 5 years of physician leadership experience in acute behavioral health.
Experience leading psychiatrists and advanced practice providers across multiple facilities.
Strong knowledge of Joint Commission, CMS, and behavioral health regulations.
Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with multi-state healthcare organizations.
Experience in emergency psychiatry or crisis services.
Experience opening or expanding behavioral health service lines.
MBA, MHA, or equivalent leadership training.

Responsibilities

Provide executive oversight for psychiatric and behavioral health services across multiple acute care facilities.
Establish and maintain evidence-based clinical standards, treatment protocols, and best practices.
Ensure exceptional quality of care, patient safety, and positive clinical outcomes.
Lead physician peer review, quality improvement initiatives, and performance evaluations.
Support difficult clinical cases and serve as a physician resource for medical staff.
Recruit, mentor, and retain psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and behavioral health physicians.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing provider culture.
Conduct regular physician meetings and educational initiatives.
Assist with onboarding, credentialing support, and provider development.
Ensure compliance with: Joint Commission standards, CMS Conditions of Participation, State licensing requirements, DEA regulations, HIPAA, Accreditation standards.
Lead preparation for surveys and regulatory inspections.
Assist with development of new behavioral health programs including: Inpatient psychiatry, Crisis stabilization, Medical detoxification, Consultation-liaison psychiatry, Emergency psychiatry, Intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs.
Participate in business development meetings with company executives and health system leadership.
Evaluate new partnership opportunities and clinical service expansions.
Partner closely with operations leadership to improve: Patient throughput, Emergency department psychiatric consult workflows, Transfer processes, Bed utilization, Staffing models, Clinical efficiency.
Support medical directors throughout the division.
Participate as a member of the executive leadership team.
Develop policies, procedures, and clinical practice guidelines.
Review adverse events and lead root cause analyses.
Support budgeting and physician workforce planning.
Present clinical updates to executive leadership and governing boards.