Primary Health Care, Inc. Des Moines, Iowa
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Position Overview
Primary Health Care, Inc. (PHC) is seeking an experienced, mission-driven Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to serve as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team. The CMO provides strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for medical, behavioral health, and pharmacy services across a large, community-based ambulatory health system.
This role is structured as an approximate 60 percent clinical and 40 percent administrative split, allowing the CMO to remain actively engaged in patient care while leading system-wide clinical strategy, quality improvement, and provider engagement initiatives.
Qualifications
Education and Licensure
- M.D. or D.O. from an accredited medical school
- Board certified in an appropriate specialty (or within five years of residency completion)
- Active, unrestricted Iowa medical license (or ability to obtain)
- Active DEA and Iowa Board of Pharmacy (CSA) registration
- Current BLS certification
Experience
- Experience working with underserved or medically complex populations
- Experience in community-based or federally funded health care settings
- Prior clinical leadership experience with responsibility for provider performance, quality, and engagement
- Experience with federal and state grant funding and compliance
Skills and Attributes
- Strong executive leadership and physician engagement skills
- Ability to mentor, retain, and support clinicians in a high-volume ambulatory environment
- Experience with quality improvement, patient safety, and risk management
- Strong organizational, prioritization, and decision-making skills
- Commitment to mission-driven, patient-centered care
Key Responsibilities
- Provide direct ambulatory patient care consistent with the 60 percent clinical portion of the role, including participation in the after-hours call rotation
- Lead, mentor, and oversee medical, behavioral health, and pharmacy clinicians
- Partner with Human Resources on clinician recruitment, onboarding, credentialing, privileging, and retention strategies
- Oversee development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of clinical policies, protocols, and care delivery models
- Ensure effective integration of all clinical disciplines while supporting independent clinical judgment
- Lead and support quality improvement, patient safety, and risk management initiatives
- Monitor clinician productivity, staffing models, and resource utilization to support access and financial sustainability
- Support coding accuracy, regulatory compliance, and clinical input related to fee schedules and service delivery
- Provide leadership in FTCA risk management activities and root cause analyses
- Collaborate with residency programs and oversee community health rotations and curriculum
- Represent PHC within the medical community and with external partners as designated
- Support organizational strategic planning, service expansion, and performance initiatives
- Ensure compliance with Joint Commission, HRSA, and other regulatory and accreditation requirements
- Assume leadership responsibilities in the absence of the CEO and COO, as needed
Why Join Primary Health Care, Inc.
- Meaningful Leadership Role: Shape clinical strategy and care delivery for a large, mission-driven FQHC system
- Hands-On Clinical Practice: Maintain an active patient panel while serving in an executive leadership role
- Integrated Care Environment: Oversee medical, behavioral health, and pharmacy services within a collaborative model
- Physician-Centered Culture: Strong emphasis on clinician engagement, mentorship, and burnout prevention
- Organizational Stability: Join a well-established community health system with deep roots in central Iowa
- Quality of Life: Enjoy Des Moines low cost of living, strong schools, and growing metro area