Cejka Finds New CEO for the Oregon Clinic
July 21, 2017 – As the healthcare industry continues its transformation, talent management remains a high priority. The shortage of physicians and other clinicians is one matter. But healthcare organizations must also fill new and expanding leadership roles to carry out strategic initiatives in response to current reform efforts, and whatever changes President Donald J. Trump may produce. This has led to a high demand for top-notch leaders in the sector.
Recently, Cejka Executive Search placed Scott Gudger as chief executive officer of the Oregon Clinic. The search was led and by executive vice presidents and managing principals, Joyce Tucker and MaryBeth Nicholas Cruz.
Mr. Gudger recently served as vice president of St. Vincent Physicians for Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health Provider Services in Billings, MT. He has more than two decades of healthcare leadership, including nearly a decade with the Providence Health and Services system in the Portland, OR area. Mr. Gudger is known as an influential thought leader in healthcare strategic planning for a myriad of physician practices located in the Pacific Northwest.
As the new CEO of Oregon’s largest private specialty provider, which receives over 420,000 annual patient visits to their 60-plus offices throughout the state, Mr. Gudger will lead more than 1,100 employees and upwards of 270 medical providers in 30 specialties. He will continue the clinic’s mission to deliver the highest quality patient care while being committed to the community at large, and ensuring an excellent workplace and culture for the entire organization.
Healthcare Recruiters
Cejka Executive Search has provided recruiting services exclusively to the healthcare industry for more than 35 years. Its client roster includes Georgetown University Hospital, Northwestern Memorial, Levine Cancer Institute, St John Providence Health System, Tenet, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, Centene Corporation, Cape Fear Valley Health, and Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center.
The firm has conducted searches for an array of roles, including chief medical information officer, chief compliance officer, chief of oncology, chief medical officer, chief of pediatrics, chief of neurology, chief nursing officer, CEO, CFO, COO, department chair, chief clinical officer, medical director and chief strategy officer.
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As a seasoned clinical and operational healthcare executive for more than 30 years, Ms. Tucker is responsible for senior-level healthcare search services and consultation. She works with healthcare boards and senior executives at healthcare organizations nationwide to acquire senior talent. She draws upon this diverse background to help healthcare organizations define leadership roles and acquire senior talent with the right technical and cultural skills to lead in today’s changing healthcare market.
Ms. Nicholas Cruz has a deep understanding of the strategic, operational and cultural challenges faced by healthcare groups. With over two decades of experience with a diverse medical health system, where she designed and led successful talent acquisition programs, she ensures a results-driven and engaging experience for both her candidates and clients.
Having personally recruited hundreds of healthcare professionals, including physician executive and administrative leaders, Ms. Nicholas Cruz has a reputation for understanding what it takes to build healthcare leadership teams. She has also formed and overseen recruitment operations responsible for hiring more than 840 clinicians.
Active Healthcare Sector
The U.S. healthcare system has undergone the most dramatic reform in over three decades, shifting towards a team-based care model driven by value-based reimbursements and capitated contracts for population health management. “As a result, healthcare organization are undergoing major clinical, operational and technological transformations, causing organizations to re-evaluate the kind of business and clinical leaders they need to successfully deliver care in this new environment,” said John Gramer, president of Cejka. “At the same time, the U.S. is facing increasing demand for healthcare services, thanks to the aging population and surge in the newly insured, and not enough physicians to meet that demand.”
“So, healthcare organizations are looking for expanded skill-sets in one of the most resource-constrained employment markets in decades,” he said. “The result is fierce competition for top healthcare talent, and growing demand for organizational design, succession planning and search services to help define and build the healthcare leadership teams of the future.”
“We are in one of the most competitive and complex healthcare employment markets in decades,” Mr. Gramer said. “Both healthcare leaders and practicing clinicians have greater career choices than in the past. Healthcare reform has created additional opportunities for healthcare leaders to oversee care coordination, utilization management, employee health, and population health.”
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
