Slidell Memorial Hospital (SMH) and Ochsner Health welcomed Claire Chitwood as divisional chief operating officer in January. Chitwood supports both Slidell Memorial Hospital and Ochsner Medical Center – North Shore.
Chitwood is a senior healthcare executive with more than 20 years’ experience working in a variety of operational roles within physician organizations, clinics, and hospitals. She brings a foundation in healthcare technology and operations that includes responsibility for human resources, ancillary services, plant operations, and physician recruitment and contracting. Her background includes being a strategic partner to administrative and clinical leadership. Her varied and multi-faceted exposure has also provided her in-depth knowledge in the areas of finance and compliance.
Chitwood most recently served as the senior vice president/chief administrative officer for Phelps Health, a county-owned, 242-bed community hospital with several clinics serving a 6-county area in Rolla, Mo. There, she served a year-long appointment as a transitional leader; Phelps was going through a transition, and Chitwood was responsible for uniting the hospital and medical group, developing a strategy and culture to bring them together as one organization. She was instrumental in creating service lines, revised physician and provider contracts, and created retention and recruitment strategies for the organization.
Prior to her position at Phelps, Chitwood was chief operating officer at Granger Medical Clinic in Utah. She was responsible for operations within all clinical sites, lab and imaging, environmental and facility services, interpretive services, human resources, payroll, and information technology and systems.
Chitwood holds Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees from Mississippi State University.