The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Value-Based Services Organization (VBSO) serves as a senior clinical leader supporting the advancement of value-based care across the health system. The role focuses on improving quality, clinical outcomes, patient experience, and total cost of care across defined populations, with a primary focus on the USC employee health plans member population. Reporting to the Chief Contracting, Managed Care and Payor Relations Officer, the CMO works at the enterprise level and partners closely with affiliated health plan leadership, Keck Health System leadership, the Keck School of Medicine, and university leadership. A central and critical component of this role is building and maintaining a highly effective relationship/partnership with the affiliated health plan and clinical departments within Keck School of Medicine, requiring strong communication, alignment, and shared accountability for performance, outcomes, and member experience. The CMO's time will be allocated equally between the VBSO (50%) and an active faculty role within their clinical specialty (50%) at Keck Medicine of USC or its affiliates, while maintaining a clinical faculty appointment within their specialty. The CMO leads and supports the development and execution of clinical strategy across a portfolio of value-based arrangements, including the employee population and government programs such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). This includes contributing to growth in risk-based lives, strengthening value-based partnerships, and supporting performance in both upside and downside risk models. This leader will oversee and strengthen existing population health programs and build additional programs as appropriate. The role includes ensuring strong performance on quality and care delivery metrics, including PPO benchmarks, HEDIS measures, and other value-based performance standards, and improving physician alignment across the health system. The CMO will partner with clinical and operational leaders to support the consistent use of evidence-based care, improve care coordination, and strengthen in-network utilization. The CMO must be able to operate effectively in a complex academic environment and build trust across a wide range of stakeholders, with particular emphasis on close partnership with USC health plan leadership, in addition to physician leaders, health system executives, and operational leaders.
Essential Duties:
- Deliver sustained improvement in quality and clinical outcomes, patient experience, utilization, and total cost of care across value-based programs and attributed populations, with primary accountability for the USC employee health population.
- Achieve and maintain strong performance on quality metrics, including HEDIS measures, PPO benchmarks, and other value-based performance programs.
- Strengthen collaboration with the USC health plan and critical stakeholders to align care models, performance goals, and member experience, contributing to improved plan performance and outcomes.
- Drive enterprise-wide physician alignment, resulting in improved adherence to evidence-based care, reduced clinical variation, and consistent high-value referral patterns.
- Partner closely with physician and operational leaders to improve access, strengthen care coordination, and advance efficient, team-based care delivery models.
- Improve utilization and referral management to support Tier One network strategy and reduce out-of-system care.
- Ensure effective performance of population health, disease management and care management programs, with measurable impact on high-risk and high-cost populations.
- Establish clear performance expectations, monitor key metrics, and take timely, data-informed action to address gaps and improve results.
- Support the continued expansion of value-based care initiatives, including employer partnerships and attributed populations, in alignment with organizational priorities.
- Support the implementation and scaling of care models that improve access, coordination, and outcomes, including team-based and technology-enabled approaches.
- Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with physicians, health system leadership, the Keck School of Medicine, university leadership, and affiliated health plan executives.
- Maintain clinical credibility and engagement through active practice and visible leadership within the organization.
- Collaborates with a multidisciplinary team including RN Case Managers, Care Coordinators, Program Manager, and a Clinical Director.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Req MD Medical degree (M.D. or D.O.) from an accredited school
- Req 10 years Progressive leadership experience in clinical operations, population health, or value-based care, including experience leading large, complex physician organizations or health systems within matrixed environments and in collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups.
- Req 10 years In leadership experience in large, organized, and/or clinically integrated delivery systems (preferably within an Academic Medical Center), with a track record of partnering effectively with physician, operational, and executive stakeholders.
- Req 5 years Experience in value-based care, population health management, or risk-based contracting, with demonstrated accountability for clinical and financial outcomes.
- Req 5 years of active clinical practice
- Req Demonstrated ability to influence and align physicians and clinical leaders in a matrixed environment, promoting evidence-based care, reducing variation, and optimizing referral patterns.
- Req Proven ability to lead in complex, matrixed organizations, quickly assess performance, and drive measurable improvement in outcomes, execution, and results.
- Req Expertise in developing and executing clinical and population health strategies across health systems, medical groups, and academic environments, with accountability for quality, utilization, cost, and overall performance.
- Req Strong understanding of value-based care and managed care models, including risk-based contracts, total cost of care management, and payer dynamics across commercial, employer, and government programs.
- Req Experience partnering with health plans to align clinical strategy, performance goals, and member experience, including benefit design, network strategy, and in-network utilization management.
- Req Data-driven decision-making capability, including experience using analytics and risk stratification to manage population health and drive measurable improvement.
- Req Knowledge of value-based quality programs and performance metrics, including HEDIS, MIPS, PPO benchmarks, and other payer-specific measures.
- Req Collaborative leadership style, with the ability to build trust, foster alignment, and drive behavior change across physician, operational, and executive stakeholders.
- Req Execution-oriented mindset, with the ability to prioritize initiatives and deliver results in a complex, fast-paced environment.
- Req Executive communication and leadership presence, with the ability to clearly articulate strategy, align diverse stakeholders, and drive accountability across clinical, operational, and health plan partners.
- Req Demonstrated ability to influence and align physicians and clinical leaders in a matrixed environment, promoting evidence-based care, reducing variation, and optimizing referral patterns.
- Req Proven ability to lead in complex, matrixed organizations, quickly assess performance, and drive measurable improvement in outcomes, execution, and results.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Pref Master’s degree A master’s degree (MSN, MBA, MHA, or similar)
- Pref Completion of a post-graduate training program resulting in board eligibility and/or certification
- Pref Board Certification
- Pref 5 years of leadership experience within an Academic Medical Center
- Pref Experience in the development, implementation, and/or oversight of quality improvement efforts (for example Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies).
- Req Executive communication and leadership presence, with the ability to clearly articulate strategy, align diverse stakeholders, and drive accountability across clinical, operational, and health plan partners.
Required Licenses/Certifications:
- Req Medical Doctor M.D. or D.O.
- Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)
The annual base salary range for this position is $300,000.00 - $480,000.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
