Dr. Gary Stiles, a cardiologist who has been at Duke since 1981, has been appointed to the newly created positions of chief medical officer and vice president of the Duke University Health System.
Health System leaders have appointed Stiles to oversee the entire physician network and to coordinate the relationship between physicians within the system and beyond Duke's borders.
"My goal is to assure smooth passage of patients through the entire system," said Stiles, who began the new job July 1. "We must ensure that patients get care where they need it and that they get it in the most cost-effective way."
Dr. Ralph Snyderman, DUHS president and CEO, said Stiles will be the senior physician in charge of charting the Health System's strategic direction.
"The expansion of our health system requires that we have a physician at a high level [to fill] an administrative and strategic position," Snyderman said.
With this growth, Snyderman said that "our collaborations [must be] collegial and strategic." Stiles, he said, will be effective in handling the responsibilities connected to the position.
Stiles said his top priorities include balancing the Health System's complex roles of providing excellent clinical care while educating physicians and conducting research.
"One of the best ways to ensure the highest level of patient care is by balancing the right number of physicians in the different locations," he said. "I will be working with places like [Lumberton] and Sanford to have a coordinated plan to meet the needs of communities."
Even before this promotion, Stiles was already well-known for his accomplishments among local physicians.
When he was appointed medical director of DUHS Network Development in 1996, Stiles was in charge of coordinating relationships between Duke physicians and doctors practicing in the Medical Center's 18-county primary referral region.
In his new role, Stiles said he wants to have the opportunity to remove some of the tension between educational doctors-such as Duke physicians-and private practice physicians.
"We've made great strides, but we still have a lot more to do to change that old history between the two groups," he said. "I plan to do everything I can to improve that vital relationship."
Stiles also gained valuable experience dealing with Duke and community officials through his role in the formation of PrimaHealth, an independent physician association with approximately 1,000 Duke and community physician members.
Since Stiles' early efforts with PrimaHealth, the association has grown to become one of the largest in North Carolina.
Stiles will maintain his position as chair of PrimaHealth's management committee, although he has rearranged his schedule to make time for his new responsibilities at DUHS.
With the new appointment, he will also decrease the time he spends caring for patients as well as performing faculty and research duties.
Meredith Young contributed to this story.
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