CMH appoints new chief medical officer

WILMINGTON - CMH Regional Health System (CMH) has recently announced the appointment of Dr. Michael Choo as the new chief medical officer and vice president of operations. The newly created CMO/VP of operations position was the outcome of a strategic plan set forth in early 2009 by the medical staff and the CMH executive team. "It is critical to the future of CMH to have a CMO in place to create a culture of physician and hospital collaboration," says Andy Riddell, president and chief executive officer. "I am very happy that we have reached this point of putting a physician in place on our executive team to work closely with the medical staff." Choo is currently the president and CEO of Professional Emergency Specialists of Southern Ohio (PESSO), the physician providers for Emergency Services at Clinton Memorial Hospital since 1992. He has also been the medical director of Dayton Heart and Vascular Hospital's Heart Emergency Center since 1999. "With the current environmental challenges threatening our community, I'm committed to using my 19 years of clinical and business skills to help CMH maintain its culture of excellence in healthcare," Choo said. "I will be focused on promoting and fostering collaboration among our medical staff to ensure the highest quality patient care and the existence of a successful hospital in our community." As part of Choo's acceptance of this position, he will secede from his affiliation with, and ownership of, PESSO. In addition, Choo will discontinue his services as the medical director for Dayton Heart and Vascular Hospital's Heart Emergency Center in addition to his medical directorships for Business Health Services at Fayette County Memorial Hospital and of Hyperbaric Services for Dayton Heart Hospital. Choo earned his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass. and his masters of business administration (MBA) degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He has also served as the president of the CMH Medical Staff since January 2007. "I am excited to hit the ground running, working in concert with both the physicians and management staff to forge a strong working relationship," Choo said. "In addition to working with physicians, a lot of my time will be working closely with the chief nursing officer and the nursing managers on effective care management processes and enhancing the quality of care given to our patients." Choo resides in Centerville with his wife, Sheryl, and four children. "I am especially excited to return to Clinton Memorial Hospital full-time where all of my four children were born," Choo said. "It's like coming back home!"[[In-content Ad]]