Sutter Health

Chief of Family and Internal Medicine (San Francisco, CA)

Sutter Health$250K — $300K *
Healthcare
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • MD or DO with board certification in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine
  • Minimum of 5 years clinical experience, 3 years in a leadership role
  • Successful track record managing clinical operations and driving performance
  • Preferred experience in physician recruitment and onboarding
  • Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities

Responsibilities

  • Lead department aligned with organizational goals and strategic priorities
  • Partner with the Administrative Director for staffing, budgeting, and resource oversight
  • Develop initiatives enhancing patient access and operational efficiency
  • Participate in onsite rounding to support teams and identify operational opportunities
  • Champion adherence to evidence-based practices and quality initiatives
  • Lead physician recruitment strategy and ensure high-quality clinical fit
  • Oversee onboarding and mentoring of new providers

Benefits

  • Opportunity for growth and innovation in clinical leadership
  • Engagement in a collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement
  • Support for career development pathways and provider retention
  • Access to technology integration and population health initiatives
  • Mentorship opportunities within the organization
Full Job Description
Opportunity Information

The Chief of Family and Internal Medicine provides clinical and operational leadership for the department, ensuring excellence in patient care, operational efficiency, and financial performance. Reporting to the Chair of Primary Care, the Chief partners with the administrative dyad to ensure safe, efficient, and patient-centered care while aligning performance with departmental and organizational goals.

 

This role partners with administrative operational leadership to manage the practice, drive performance, and foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

· Lead the department in alignment with organizational goals and strategic priorities.

· Partner with the Administrative Director to oversee staffing, budgeting, and resource allocation.

· Develop and implement initiatives to improve patient access, provider engagement, and operational efficiency.

· Ensure appropriate clinician staffing to meet current and future demand.

· Participate regular onsite rounding to ensure visibility, support frontline teams, and identify operational opportunities

 

Clinical Excellence

· Ensure adherence to evidence-based practices and quality standards.

· Champion patient safety and continuous quality improvement initiatives.

· Serve as a clinical resource and mentor for providers.

 

Recruiting, Onboarding & Workforce Development

· Lead physician and provider recruitment strategy for Family and Internal Medicine in partnership with Physician Recruitment, HR, and operational leadership.

· Participate in candidate evaluation, interviewing, selection, and offer alignment to ensure high-quality clinical and cultural fit.

· Oversee onboarding and integration of new providers, ensuring a consistent, supportive, and high-performing transition into practice.

· Collaborate with Medical Directors to establish standardized onboarding, mentoring, and early-career support processes.

· Support succession planning and leadership development within the department.

· Deliver clear, timely performance feedback through the annual evaluation process that supports accountability, team development, clinical excellence, continuous improvement and high-quality patient care

· Promote provider retention through engagement, performance feedback, and career development pathways.

 

Performance Management

· Monitor and achieve key performance indicators (KPIs) for quality, patient satisfaction, and financial sustainability.

· Drive productivity and optimize workflows to meet RVU and access targets.

· Partner with administrative and revenue cycle leaders to improve documentation, coding, and cost management.

· Address performance gaps through data-driven improvement plans and coaching.

 

Growth & Innovation

· Support integration of technology and population health initiatives.

· Foster a culture of innovation and adaptability.

 

Collaboration & Communication

· Maintain strong relationships with specialty departments and organizational leadership.

· Communicate goals, expectations, and performance updates clearly and consistently.

Qualifications

· MD or DO with board certification in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine.

· Minimum of 5 years of clinical experience and 3 years in a leadership role.

· Demonstrated success in managing clinical operations and driving performance metrics.

· Experience with physician recruitment, onboarding, and team development strongly preferred.

· Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

 

Leadership Competencies

· Strategic Thinking: Ability to align departmental goals with organizational vision.

· Operational Acumen: Skilled in managing budgets, workflows, and resources.

· Talent Leadership: Effectively recruits, develops, and retains high-performing clinical teams.

· Collaborative Leadership: Effective in dyad partnerships and interdisciplinary teams.

· Change Management: Ability to lead through transitions and implement improvements.

· Results Orientation: Focused on measurable outcomes and accountability.

About Sutter Health

Sutter Health is a not-for-profit health system in Northern California, headquartered in Sacramento. It includes doctors, hospitals and other health care services in more than 100 Northern California cities and towns. Major service lines of Sutter Health-affiliated hospitals include cardiac care, women’s and children’s services, cancer care, orthopedics and advanced patient safety technology.
Learn more about Sutter Health
Size
58,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1981

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