Dr. Bert W. O'Malley, Jr is scheduled to make his return to the medical center in November.
The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) named Dr. Bert W. O'Malley Jr. as its new president and CEO, according to a press release issued Tuesday.
O'Malley will assume his new role in early November and will also have clinical responsibilities at UMMC and the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC).
Alison G. Brown, MPH, who currently serves as interim president of UMMC Downtown Campus, will continue to serve the UMMC Midtown Campus when O'Malley assumes his role.
"Dr. O’Malley’s depth and breadth as not only an accomplished healthcare executive within academic health systems but also a renowned surgeon makes him an ideal leader for our flagship academic medical center as we work toward raising the national profile of both UMMC and the University of Maryland Medical System," Dr. Mohan Suntha, CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System, said in a statement.
The new leadership appointment will be a homecoming for O’Malley, who served the University of Maryland School of Medicine and UMMC as the chief of otolaryngology and a professor of surgery, and associate director of UMGCCC, from 1999 – 2003.
"UMMC is an outstanding academic medical center and I was immediately drawn to the high level of engagement and enthusiasm among the staff and faculty," O’Malley said. "The culture of teamwork, respect, integrity, and inclusion has established a strong foundation from which to truly transform health care delivery in Maryland and beyond. Additionally, the opportunity to partner and collaborate with the University of Maryland School of Medicine is both exciting and paramount to mission success. In a way, it is like I am coming home as I previously served as a UM SOM faculty leader and am looking forward to working with many former colleagues."
O'Malley currently holds several leadership roles at the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS), including vice president of UPHS, department of otorhinolaryngology chair, Penn Specialty Practices physician executive, and professor of otorhinolaryngology and radiation oncology.
With a background in both academia and surgery, O'Malley co-invented and developed "a series of novel robotic surgical procedures called Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS)," which enabled better access for surgeons to conduct minimally invasive throat surgeries. He also co-founded "the first human robotics head and neck surgery" and first "skull base surgery program."
Related: How to Implement an Effective Critical Care Resuscitation Unit
Melanie Blackman is a contributing editor for strategy, marketing, and human resources at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.
Photo credit: Maryland, USA. May 2016: A view from University of medical center, Emergency entrance / Editorial credit: Kardas / Shutterstock.com