Dr. Christopher Ward named St. Mary’s Chief Medical Officer
April 14, 2025
Dr. Christopher Ward, MD, MBA, FACEP, CPE, has been named Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of St. Mary’s Health Care System, including its hospitals in Athens, Lavonia and Greensboro, effective Monday, April 14, 2025.
Dr. Ward brings more than 30 years of progressive clinical and leadership experience to his new role with St. Mary’s. Most recently, he served as CMO for several hospitals in the Methodist Healthcare System in San Antonio, Texas, a unique joint venture between HCA and Methodist Healthcare Ministries, South Texas’s largest non-public funding source of community health care.
During his tenure with Methodist Healthcare System, he focused on building a foundation for improving clinical outcomes, enhancing medical staff collaboration, and empowering teams to uphold the highest standards of care. In addition, Dr. Ward has over 25 years of experience in emergency medicine and served as vice chair of emergency medicine for Steward Good Samaritan Hospital, the busiest hospital in the former Steward Health Care System.
“I believe we can improve the health outcomes of our most vulnerable populations through leadership that focuses on people first so that we can better serve those in need,” Dr. Ward said. “It is my ultimate goal as an executive-level leader to provide an exceptional experience for patients and their families by providing patient-focused care while enhancing the quality of the care provided to our patients.”
Dr. Ward received his bachelor’s degree with honors from Florida State University, his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and completed the Emergency Medicine Residency Training Program at Emory University in Atlanta.
Dr. Ward is board-certified in emergency medicine through the American Board of Emergency Medicine and holds an MBA from New York University Stern School of Business. He is a Certified Physician Executive (CPE) through the American Association for Physician Leadership and is fluent in English, Spanish, and French.