Chief Medical Officer

Department: Health and Human Services
Union Affiliation: None
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
Total Hours Per Week: 40

Sign-On Bonus: $15,000 

Relocation Expenses: The county also provides a $5,000 relocation allowance to help offset moving and housing costs within Oregon or $7,500 if you are relocating from out of state.

Tillamook County follows Oregon Pay Equity laws in reviewing education, experience and seniority for wage offers.

The classification serves as the Chief Medical Officer of the Tillamook County Health Department, providing clinical oversight and ensuring compliance with medical, ethical, and regulatory standards. This leadership role is responsible for supervising and administering all clinical programs within the organization. In addition to delivering direct patient care as a practicing physician, the Chief Medical Officer oversees medical staff, guides clinical operations, and ensures the consistent delivery of high-quality, patient-centered services. This position plays a critical role in the integration of medical, behavioral health, dental, and public health services, supporting a team-based approach to care. The Chief Medical Officer leads the Quality Assurance Program, supervises provider credentialing and performance, contributes to policy development, and collaborates with executive leadership to advance organizational goals related to clinical excellence, patient outcomes, and healthcare access within this rural Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) setting.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The individual in this role is expected to possess and exhibit the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Knowledge

• Comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of primary care delivery in an ambulatory, community-based setting.
• Knowledge of evidence-based methods for diagnosing and treating a wide range of acute and chronic conditions across diverse populations.
• In-depth understanding of preventive healthcare strategies, population health principles, and wellness promotion.
• Knowledge of Electronic Health Record systems, clinical documentation standards, and healthcare reporting requirements.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local public health laws, including HIPAA and Oregon state medical statutes.
• Familiarity with the requirements, operations, and compliance obligations of the FQHC program and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regulations.
• Knowledge of clinical quality improvement methodologies, risk management, and outcome-based care practices.
• Knowledge of medical administration, including provider supervision, credentialing, workforce development, and the creation and implementation of clinical policies and procedures.

Skills

• Proficient in the use of clinical and diagnostic tools and equipment relevant to the provider’s medical specialty.
• Skilled in providing autonomous, patient-centered care while exercising sound clinical judgment in alignment with best practices and applicable laws.
• Skilled in interpreting and applying laws, regulations, and clinical guidelines within both public health and primary care environments.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex medical information clearly to patients, staff, and leadership.
• Effective interpersonal and active listening skills to foster collaboration within multidisciplinary care teams.
• Demonstrated skill in supervising, mentoring, and evaluating medical providers, including recruitment, performance management, and disciplinary action as needed.
• Skilled in leading and sustaining clinical quality improvement initiatives, including data analysis and implementation of corrective action plans.
• Strong organizational and time management skills to balance clinical practice with administrative and supervisory duties.

Abilities

• Ability to build and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds.
• Ability to work collaboratively and constructively with colleagues, leadership, and cross-departmental teams across the health department.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and uphold ethical standards in all clinical and administrative functions.
• Ability to manage clinical programs and guide medical teams to achieve quality, access, and productivity goals.
• Ability to lead the development, implementation, and revision of clinical policies, protocols, and procedures.
• Ability to direct and evaluate a Quality Assurance Program, including participation in peer review, incident reporting, and risk mitigation efforts.
• Ability to coordinate closely with executive leadership—including the Director, Chief Operations Officer, Clinic Manager, Dental Manager, and Public Health Deputy Director—to align clinical operations with strategic objectives.
• Ability to oversee provider performance, ensuring compliance with clinical standards, regulatory guidelines, and organizational benchmarks.
• Ability to effectively balance hands-on patient care with administrative responsibilities to optimize service delivery and health outcomes.

 Required Qualifications (Minimum qualifications for this role)

Education

• Doctoral degree

Experience

• Must have a minimum of three (3) years of experience as a physician in a primary care clinical setting.

Certifications or Licenses

• Must possess a valid Oregon Medical Board license to practice medicine. 
• Must have a current specialty board certification.
• Must meet all requirements of OAR 847.050.0041 to obtain a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) license to prescribe medications. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• N/A

Other Qualifications

• Must have graduated from an accredited school of medicine with completion of accredited residency program.
• Must pass background, criminal and NPDB check.
• Must possess a valid Oregon driver’s license at the time of the appointment and maintain an acceptable driving record.

Duties assigned to this classification include, but are not limited to, the following examples.

• Clinical Care and Patient Management
  • Manage acute and chronic health conditions and retain accountability for patient outcomes.
    • Perform assessments (subjective and objective), make diagnoses, and develop treatment plans in collaboration with patients.
    • Implement and evaluate interventions for effectiveness.
    • Engage in wellness and preventive health management.
  • Provide reproductive health counseling and services.
  • Collaborate with medical, behavioral health, and technical staff in the provision of integrated care.
  • Refer patients to appropriate medical, behavioral health, dental, or community-based services as needed.
  • Prescribe, initiate, modify, or discontinue medications and treatments within scope of practice, in accordance with clinical guidelines, formulary, and department policy.
  • Maintain timely, accurate, and complete documentation in the Electronic Health Record.
  • Provide on-call coverage as assigned.

• Clinical Supervision and Leadership
  • Supervise and provide clinical oversight for assigned medical staff, including physicians, advanced practice providers, and other clinical personnel.
    • Responsibilities include hiring, evaluation, coaching, performance management, and discipline, up to and including termination.
  • Oversee and participate in provider onboarding, training, and orientation activities.
  • Consult on staff development and in-service education.
  • Ensure provider credentialing and clinical staff fitness for duty according to organizational policies and applicable regulations.

• Quality Improvement and Risk Management
  • Direct the organization’s Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement (QA/QI) Program in collaboration with administrative leadership.
  • Serve as a key member of the Risk Committee and support incident review and mitigation strategies.
  • Serves as the clinical lab director, overseeing the overall operation and management of our CLIA waived laboratory services.
  • Assist and lead in the development and ongoing review of clinic policies and procedures to ensure alignment with evidence-based practices and regulatory standards.

• Organizational Collaboration and Strategic Input
  • Actively participate in and lead interdisciplinary team meetings, provider meetings, and committees within the Tillamook County Community Health Centers (TCCHC).
  • Collaborate with department leads, including Dental, Behavioral Health, and Public Health, to ensure coordinated and integrated care delivery.
  • Cover for the Public Health Officer in their absence, as needed.
  • Partner with the Chief Operations Officer and other executive team members to monitor and improve clinical quality metrics and patient health outcomes.

• Represent TCCHC in clinical consultations with external agencies and stakeholders, as directed.

Supervisory Responsibilities
This role encompasses supervisory responsibility, including the following tasks:

Span of Supervision

• Directly manage team members, including training, assigning, and directing work, evaluating performance, disciplining as necessary, and addressing employee concerns and grievances.

• Provide team members with regular feedback on performance, including frequent informal feedback, annual performance reviews, assisting with professional development, and making recommendations for employee separations, promotions, or special assignments.

• Participate in the recruitment of new employees, including interviewing and making hiring recommendations/decisions and compensation recommendations.

• Disseminate, implement, and enforce organization and team standards, policies, and procedures, including providing proper guidance to those carrying out related duties.

• Other: Develop a staffing strategy for a department or functional unit.

Supervisory Controls

The level of oversight and guidance the supervisor will provide this position.

• Works independently within a broad framework, managing a complex area of responsibility. The supervisor provides direction on overall goals, and performance is reviewed periodically based on outcomes and expected results.

Working Conditions
Mental effort 

• Requires an exceptional degree of sustained mental concentration with sustained periods of attention, constant deadlines, or a high level of creative thinking.

Physical effort

• Minimal: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items, such as papers, laptop bag, or small parts; or driving an automobile. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

Work environment

• Moderate Risks/Discomforts: require special safety precautions, e.g., working around moving parts, carts, or machines; exposure to contagious diseases or irritant chemicals. Employees may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields.

Selection Process
This recruitment shall remain open until filled.  If you are selected as a candidate for an interview, we will contact via email you to arrange a date and time. We want to ensure that we hire the best possible staff for our county team because we believe that people are our most valuable asset!