Healthcare Acronym: CMO - Chief Medical Officer

CMOs, or Chief Medical Officers, oversee doctors and hospital operations. Depending on the nature of the CMO posting, these officials may also provide medical advisement to national governments and medical organizations. The CMO is the head of a country's medical services--a posting known as the Surgeon General in the United States. Chief Medical Officers also exist at the local level to aid in hospital administration and provide oversight for hospital personnel.

Typical qualifications for A CMO position include an advanced medical degree in addition to significant experience in managing others. As it is most commonly an administrative position, the CMO does not normally administer direct medical care to patients. The advanced medical degree exists as a qualifier because it demonstrates candidates possess a deep understanding of medical care as well as a high likelihood of having been a part of the medical administration system. CMOs also help new doctors become acclimated to hospitals, as well as provide advisement on local medical cases and serve as a liaison between doctors and hospital administration.

The CMO position is regarded as a leadership position within hospital administration. As such, qualifications often necessitate multiple years' experience in managerial affairs. Qualified candidates should be able to relate to medical personnel in all fields, not merely those that share a particular candidate's former practicing medical background. Excellent interpersonal skills are also crucial. CMOs are continuously in communication with hospital staff, legislators, and hospital administration.

Another major responsibility of the CMO is to ensure that hospital personnel are delivering quality care for all patients. This may involve teaching hospital policies and procedures to new personnel. Financially, CMOs may determine payroll wages for hospital employees in addition to managing the hospital's budget. Beyond these daily responsibilities, CMOs typically meet frequently with hospital committee chairpersons and trustee boards. These meetings can range widely in their purpose, from departmental quality assurance in patient care to generating ideas on how to improve a hospital's financial performance. Hospital medical directors communicate often with the CMO to coordinate hospital efforts with local community clinics. The CMO may also be responsible for implementing any new training programs or policies for hospital personnel.