Physician, Medical Director, Patient Experience (San Francisco, CA)

Opportunity Information

The Medical Director of Patient Experience provides physician leadership to advance a culture of exceptional patient-centered care across the medical group. This role partners with operational leaders, physician chiefs, and clinic medical directors to improve the patient experience across ambulatory settings while aligning efforts with organizational quality, access, and service goals.

The Medical Director champions initiatives that enhance communication, patient engagement, care coordination, and service excellence. Through collaboration, coaching, and data-driven improvement strategies, this role supports clinicians and care teams in delivering consistently high-quality patient experiences.

Role is 0.2 FTE administrative/0.8 FTE clinical

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Provide physician leadership for patient experience strategy across the medical group.
• Partner with operational leaders to implement system-wide service excellence initiatives.
• Support development of standards, policies, and best practices that promote patient-centered care.
• Identify opportunities to improve the patient journey across access, care delivery, and follow-up.

Clinical Engagement & Culture

• Serve as a physician champion for patient-centered care and service excellence.
• Partner with Chiefs and Medical Directors to promote provider engagement in patient experience initiatives.
• Support development of a culture of empathy, communication excellence, and responsiveness to patient needs.
• Lead peer-to-peer engagement and coaching to support improvement in patient experience metrics.

Performance Improvement

• Monitor and interpret patient experience data (e.g., CAHPS, Press Ganey, or equivalent surveys).
• Collaborate with clinical and operational leaders to address performance gaps and implement improvement plans.
• Support implementation of best practices that improve patient communication, care coordination, and service reliability.
• Promote integration of patient experience goals with quality, safety, and operational performance initiatives.

Provider Coaching & Development

• Provide physician-to-physician coaching related to communication, professionalism, and patient engagement.
• Partner with Chiefs and Medical Directors to support performance feedback when patient experience concerns arise.
• Contribute to training and educational programs focused on communication skills and patient-centered care.

Growth & Innovation

• Support innovative approaches to improving patient experience, including digital tools, access improvements, and care navigation models.
• Collaborate with population health and care delivery teams to enhance continuity and coordination of care.

Collaboration & Communication

• Maintain strong partnerships with physician leadership, clinic operations, nursing leadership, and patient experience teams.
• Communicate patient experience priorities, trends, and improvement strategies across the medical group.
• Represent physician leadership in system-level patient experience initiatives when appropriate.

Qualifications

• MD or DO with active board certification in an applicable specialty.
• Active member of the medical staff or eligibility for appointment.
• Minimum of 5 years of clinical practice experience.
• Demonstrated interest or experience in patient experience, quality improvement, or physician leadership.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills.

Organization Details

Sutter West Bay Medical Group (SWBMG) is a fast-growing, premier, physician led, multispecialty medical group with nearly 500 physicians and advanced practice clinicians serving patients in San Francisco, Northern California and beyond. SWBMG delivers integrated, patient centered care across primary through quaternary care, grounded in clinical excellence, collaboration, and innovation, and is a key partner within Sutter Health's regional care delivery network.

Community Information

San Francisco offers a unique combination of professional opportunity, intellectual energy, and quality of life for physician leaders drawn to innovation and impact.

As a global hub for healthcare innovation, life sciences, and research, the city attracts forward-thinking clinicians and collaborators shaping the future of medicine. Its strong academic environment and commitment to equity and access create a compelling setting for advancing cancer care.

Outside of work, San Francisco offers an exceptional lifestyle, with world-class dining, arts, and culture alongside easy access to Northern California's natural beauty, from coastal trails to wine country. The region's diverse communities support both personal fulfillment and professional growth.

Equal Opportunity Statement

It is the policy of Sutter Health and its partners to provide equal employment for all qualified individuals; to prohibit discrimination in employment because of basis of race, color, creed, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, registered domestic partner status, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, national origin (including possession of a driver's license issued to individuals who did not present proof of authorized presence in the U.S.), age, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military or protected veteran status, political affiliation, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition, genetic information or any other characteristic made unlawful by local, state or federal law, ordinance or regulation. We promote the full realization of equal employment opportunities through a positive continuing program within each medical group, company, hospital, department, and service area. Equal employment opportunities apply to every aspect of Sutter's employment policies and practices.