USA Health chief medical officer receives national recognition
In the announcement, Becker’s said, “These physician leaders play a pivotal role in advancing patient safety, maintaining high quality standards, bridging the gap between leadership and medical staff, and managing risk."
Michael Chang, M.D., system chief medical officer at USA Health and associate vice president for medical affairs, was selected for the Becker’s Hospital Review 2025 list of Chief Medical Officers to Know.
In the announcement, Becker’s said, “These physician leaders play a pivotal role in advancing patient safety, maintaining high quality standards, bridging the gap between leadership and medical staff, and managing risk. As key drivers of continuous improvement, their efforts have earned numerous quality and safety accolades for their organizations.”
Chang leads clinical, quality and safety initiatives for the 7,700-employee academic health system for the University of South Alabama. Since joining USA Health in 2018, he has spearheaded efforts to improve care access, safety, and efficiency, notably establishing a surgical quality program modeled after the American College of Surgeons’ best practices.
“This is such a well-deserved honor for Dr. Chang,” said Owen Bailey, MSHA, FACHE, chief executive officer for USA Health and senior associate vice president for medical affairs. “Since day one, he has worked tirelessly to facilitate our health system’s journey toward becoming a high-reliability organization in terms of safety, quality and patient-centered care.”
Under Chang’s guidance, USA Health reduced its serious safety event rate by more than 70%, earning the HX Achievement Award for Serious Safety Event Rate Reduction. He also played a key role in USA Health’s 2023 acquisition of Providence Hospital, managing medical staff and ensuring a smooth transition. During the COVID pandemic, Chang served as USA Health’s chief adviser and public health spokesperson, providing regular updates and leadership.
“We are very grateful to have someone of Dr. Chang’s caliber leading our medical staff,” said John V. Marymont, M.D., MBA, dean of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama and vice president for medical affairs. “Not only does he bring decades of expertise and insight on quality issues, he also is a true servant leader.”
Before joining USA Health, Chang spent 24 years in various roles at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston Salem, N.C., where he served as chief medical officer for Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and system chief quality officer for Wake Forest Baptist Health. He was also executive medical director for the Trauma/Acute Care Surgery service line for the health system and a professor of surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Chang received his bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and his medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He completed his residency in general surgery at UAB and fellowship training in surgical critical care and trauma surgery at Vanderbilt.
