Chief Population Health Officer (CPHO)

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Job Summary

The Chief Population Health Officer (CPHO) focuses on how we can best provide care to the patients and the broader communities we serve, including care outside of our traditional facilities and integrating transitions across elements of care that will enable the health system's success in value-based payment arrangements. The CPHO collaborates with executive/senior leadership, administration, and professional staff throughout the health system and across the U-M community to develop programs and promote a culture consistent with the goals of improving the experience of receiving and delivering care, improving the health of populations, and lowering the cost of care.

The CPHO oversees performance management of value-based payment models, including payer quality and care management incentive programs, and ensures success by developing and implementing innovative health care delivery models and team-based care in collaboration with other key health system leaders. Duties also include the identification, development, and implementation of other business opportunities in value-based care. The CPHO will have system and statewide responsibilities.


This leader will ideally have experience in a complex academic health system and have demonstrated success leading by influence in a matrix environment. The goal is to achieve fully integrated operations for the future, where population health aspects are embedded into regular operations. Since the CPHO will not have direct line authority over every area they need to influence, they must possess the ability to build coalitions and the operational agility to ensure strategic results both with the Academic Medical Center (AMC) and the Regional Network. The ideal candidate will be a clinical leader (MD, DO, RN, PharmD, or equivalent) who has successfully led significant transformation in large, complex systems, demonstrating that leadership competencies and influence are paramount to technical depth in this phase of our journey.

Mission Statement

Michigan Medicine improves the health of patients, populations and communities through excellence in education, patient care, community service, research and technology development, and through leadership activities in Michigan, nationally and internationally.  Our mission is guided by our Strategic Principles and has three critical components; patient care, education and research that together enhance our contribution to society.

Why Join Michigan Medicine?

Michigan Medicine is one of the largest health care complexes in the world and has been the site of many groundbreaking medical and technological advancements since the opening of the U-M Medical School in 1850. Michigan Medicine is comprised of over 30,000 employees and our vision is to attract, inspire, and develop outstanding people in medicine, sciences, and healthcare to become one of the world's most distinguished academic health systems.  In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. Work at Michigan Medicine and become a victor for the greater good.

What Benefits can you Look Forward to?

  • Excellent medical, dental and vision coverage effective on your very first day
  • 2:1 Match on retirement savings

Responsibilities*

The CPHO is responsible for implementing the overall strategy and operations of the organization's population health initiatives within the system. 

Responsibilities include:

  • Serve as the primary architect of innovative payment models, focusing on building capabilities and infrastructure needed for the transition from fee-for-service.
  • Construct a unified execution plan that integrates disparate silos (data, contracts, operations) into a cohesive strategy.
  • Drive cultural change and gain consensus across the organization using influence, data literacy, and diplomacy to align clinical and administrative leaders with value-based goals.
  • Develop and implement a strategy for both the AMC and Regional Network ultimately ensuring full alignment across the system.
  • Assess the current state of the program and the census of available FTEs/resources across the AMC and Region to propose a future-state structure that maximizes efficiency.
  • Collaborate with Operations leadership to direct the daily work of population health staff embedded within the clinical enterprise.
  • Participate with the CFO in meetings with other organizations, associations, providers, and payors regarding aspects of value-based care.
  • Maintain and deepen relationships with affiliated physician organizations regarding value-based care activities, specifically managing the change required to implement risk-sharing agreements.
  • Anticipate which value-based agreements contracts will not be renewed through negotiations and effectively develop and implement strategies which minimize disruptions to patient care while optimizing University of Michigan Health System's (UM-H) financial performance.
  • Lead the vision, planning, and design for the required data infrastructure and analytical capabilities necessary to support population health strategy, acting as the primary business consumer translating clinical needs into IT requirements.
  • Promote Michigan Medicine as 'Leaders and Best' in transforming the team-based care model and creating innovative care delivery models at the state and national level.
  • Work closely with clinical leadership to understand the future needs for healthcare delivery models in UM-H markets and sites of care.
  • Demonstrates behaviors which are compliant with Michigan Medicine values, goals, policies and procedures, and affirmative action policies.
  • Work collaboratively within UM-H leaders regarding value-based care activities, including serving on various committees and task forces.
  • Manage reporting against population health metrics, in collaboration with leadership, to ensure accurate measurement of health outcomes.
  • Collaborate with third party payers to create sustainable financial models to support team-based care and care management.
  • Establish strategic direction and planning for innovative, collaborative, team-oriented population health care model (e.g., pharmacists networks) with care team integration.
  • Implement and lead statewide initiatives in collaboration with payers and external organizations.

Required Qualifications*

Education/Certification 

  • MD, DO, PharmD, DNP, or equivalent is required. 

Knowledge and Work Experience 

  • 10+ years in a leadership role for a business unit or support organization. 
  • Proven experience as an architect of strategy, capable of unifying fragmented operational pieces into a coherent plan. 
  • Progressively responsible experience in the management of health care delivery and a history of successful execution of initiatives. 
  • Demonstrated success in navigating a matrix organization with a track record of successfully using influencing skills to drive strategy without direct line authority. 
  • Experience leading cultural transformation from Fee-for-Service to Value-Based Care, specifically regarding physician engagement and workflow redesign, is preferred. 
  • Experience within both a complex academic medical center environment and a regional community network is preferred. 

Skills and Competencies 

  • Operational Agility: The ability to ensure high-level strategy translates into specific, executed actions on the front lines. 
  • Change Management: Skill in shifting mindsets and behaviors, particularly among medical staff, to build trust in data and new care models. 
  • Coalition Building: Excellent interpersonal skills, as demonstrated by the ability to work effectively with physician partners across disciplines. 
  • Communication: Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to articulate the "why" behind the shift to value-based care. 
  • Ambiguity Tolerance: High tolerance for ambiguity, capable of implementing future-state value-based care models while the institution remains largely fee-for-service. 
  • Integrity & Character: Embodies creativity, vision, and unquestioned integrity, serving as a role model for ethical leadership. 
  • Collaborative Leadership: Recognized for building strong partnerships with physicians, nurses, administrators, and other stakeholders, unifying diverse interests through a shared vision and best practices. 
  • Operational Excellence: Proven track record of leading projects that enhance efficiency, quality, safety, and service in complex healthcare environment. 

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Background Screening

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.