Chief Medical Officer

Lower Lights Christian Health Center•Columbus, OH

About The Position

Lower Lights Christian Health Center (LLCHC) is a mission-driven, faith-based Federally Qualified Health Center serving underserved communities in Central Ohio. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is the senior clinical executive responsible for medical leadership, quality of care, clinical governance, strategy, standards, oversight, and accountability across the organization. The CMO sets enterprise clinical direction while delegated leaders execute and oversee work within their areas. As a member of the Executive Team, the CMO ensures high-quality, patient-centered, culturally competent care aligned with FQHC requirements, value-based care priorities, and LLCHC’s mission. The role partners with the CEO, CAO, CFO, Board of Directors, Medical Directors, providers, and operational leaders to advance clinical excellence, operational performance, population health outcomes, risk management, and community impact. The CMO works in corporate offices, clinical facilities, or remotely, with occasional travel. The position requires a licensed physician (MD/DO) or Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP/APRN) with an active, unrestricted Ohio license and appropriate clinical certification. LLCHC seeks at least five years of family or internal medicine practice and three to five years of progressive clinical leadership. Preferred experience includes developing Medical Directors or site leads, Epic/OCHIN, FQHC compliance, and additional leadership or public health training.

Requirements

Licensed physician (MD/DO) or Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP/APRN) with an active, unrestricted Ohio license and appropriate clinical certification.
At least 5 years of clinical practice in family medicine or internal medicine.
At least 3–5 years of progressive clinical leadership.
Demonstrated success in quality improvement, provider leadership, and healthcare operations, preferably including UDS measures.
Familiarity with FQHC operations and underserved populations.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to lead through influence and accountability.
Clinical systems thinking and problem-solving ability.
Data-driven decision-making ability.
Commitment to equity, trauma-informed care, and whole-person health.
Mission-oriented approach and passion for serving community needs.
Ability to work well with others and use time and resources effectively.

Nice To Haves

Experience supervising or developing Medical Directors or site leads.
Prior experience with Epic, especially within OCHIN.
Knowledge of HRSA compliance, FTCA, and NCQA/PCMH.
Additional leadership or public health training, such as an MBA, MHA, MPH, or fellowship.

Responsibilities

Provide enterprise clinical direction, governance, and oversight across medical and clinical service lines, aligned with organizational strategy, regulatory requirements, and standards of care.
Oversee enterprise clinical leadership through service-line and Medical Directors and maintain organizational accountability for quality, safety, standards, and performance.
Lead clinical integration and care transformation initiatives aligned with LLCHC’s whole-person care model.
Establish systems for consistent implementation of clinical policies, protocols, and standards across LLCHC sites.
Work with Medical Directors to set expectations, delegate clinical authority, coach leaders, and maintain governance, accountability, and escalation pathways.
Serve as executive sponsor for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety programs and provide direct accountability for Primary Care UDS Quality Metrics.
Collaborate with Medical Directors and providers on workflows and monitoring systems to meet or exceed UDS benchmarks.
Analyze quality dashboards, trend reports, and performance data to drive improvement at provider, clinic, and organizational levels.
Ensure compliance with HRSA Health Center Program Requirements, FTCA deeming, NCQA/PCMH standards, and other regulatory frameworks.
Lead, supervise, and develop clinic Medical Directors; establish responsibilities, goals, and accountability structures.
Facilitate regular Medical Director meetings to support clinical alignment, communication, and leadership consistency.
Lead or oversee peer review, credentialing, privileging, and provider performance improvement processes, including required discipline-specific and physician participation.
Mentor and support medical, behavioral health, and dental providers; foster excellence, accountability, and teamwork.
Oversee provider recruitment, onboarding, supervision, and retention; guide Medical Directors on provider quality, documentation, and productivity.
Support clinical education, student and resident rotations, and workforce development.
Partner with the CAO, nursing leadership, and practice management on clinical direction and workflow priorities across sites.
Collaborate with IT/EHR teams using Epic/OCHIN to improve documentation, provider workflows, quality dashboards, and decision-support tools.
Advance integrated care models, including behavioral health integration, care management, MAT/SUD programming, and chronic disease initiatives.
Represent LLCHC in clinical matters with hospitals, public health partners, academic institutions, and community organizations.
Advocate for FQHC priorities, health equity, access to care, and the needs of LLCHC’s patient populations.
Collaborate with executive and operational leaders to support efficient and financially sustainable clinical programs.
Lead provider-level accountability for documentation quality, panel management, and clinical revenue-cycle performance.
Participate in budget planning for clinical staffing, equipment, and service expansion.
Integrate UDS and payer-based quality performance into value-based care strategy and financial planning.