Summa Physicians Inc. has named a longtime leader from the region’s medical school to serve in the newly created position of chief medical officer.
Dr. Jay Williamson, 63, will assume the position in Summa Health System’s physician practice Dec. 1. He previously served as the interim dean of the College of Medicine at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) in Rootstown. Williamson also was NEOUCOM’s associate dean for clinical sciences since 1995.
”I’ve had a wonderful 16 years at NEOUCOM,” Williamson said. ”This was just a matter of finding a good opportunity.”
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In his new role, Williamson will help direct clinical quality improvement, utilization management, pharmacy services, medical policies and compliance for Summa’s growing physician practice, which includes more than 250 doctors throughout the region.
”I’ve been very excited in recent years about health-care reform and the things we need to do to prepare ourselves for health-care reform,” Williamson said. ”This position allows me the opportunity to work with physicians to do some strategic planning with them.”
Williamson is no stranger to Summa, having started his career as an intern at Akron City Hospital in 1972. He has served as associate director of Summa Akron City and St. Thomas hospitals’ family practice residency program since 1995. He was the program director for the six preceding years.
Williamson said his transition into administrative roles has been gradual. ”I just thought the impact I could have in health care would be greater by doing some of these other things,” he said.
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He will continue to see patients once a week at the Family Medicine Center of Akron, which is part of Summa’s family practice residency training program.
a 15 percent increase in residency training spots nationwide to increase the pipeline of future physicians.
Cheryl Powell is a health reporter for The Akron Beacon Journal, the daily newspaper in Akron and a syndication partner of MedCity News.
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