Gunnison Valley Health Names Dr. Stephanie Porter Chief Medical Officer

Gunnison Valley Health recently announced that Dr. Stephanie Porter, MD will serve as Chief Medical Officer for the health system. As Chief Medical Officer Dr. Porter will work with health system staff, administration and medical providers to ensure that the highest standards of quality and care are maintained for patients.

Gunnison Valley Health CEO, Jason Amrich, said that the addition of a Chief Medical Officer to the leadership structure of the health system is foundational for the development and provision of quality healthcare services.

“Having a physician leader to guide our medical programs, implement quality initiatives and support strategic planning will translate to better care, more options and improved processes for our staff and our community,” Amrich said. “Throughout her tenure at Gunnison Valley Health, Dr. Porter has proven to be a respected, collaborative and innovative leader in both her role of hospitalist and chief of staff. Dr. Porter is an innovative and compassionate leader who I believe will enable the health system to continue to grow and offer the care necessary to keep our community healthy.”

Dr. Porter joined Gunnison Valley Health in 2014 and worked to implement a successful hospitalist program. The hospitalist program provides 24-hour physician coverage to patients which allows prompt action on new results, new symptoms or improvements. Additionally, Dr. Porter has led a number of important quality initiatives including the design of the peer review process for medical staff.

Prior to joining Gunnison Valley Health, Dr. Porter worked as a family medicine provider both as a physician in family practice clinics and as a partner in a group that launched a successful outpatient clinic in Montrose. In her various roles as, Dr. Porter has provided inpatient, outpatient care and nursing home care giving her a breadth of experience that will be invaluable in her new role.

For Dr. Porter the Chief Medical Officer role felt like the natural next step in her career at Gunnison Valley Health.

“I am honored that Jason and my Gunnison Valley Health colleagues selected me to serve in this new role,” Porter said. “I am excited for the opportunity to continue improving our infrastructure and processes for providers. Building a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and collaboration leads to better care for our patients.”

Dr. Porter will continue to provide direct patient care to the community and provide direct oversight of the hospitalist program.

“Having the opportunity to continue to see treat patients in the hospital and be directly involved in day-to-day operations will enhance my ability to provide strategic leadership and support the medical staff,” Porter said. “I enjoy being a physician and don’t want to lose that close connection to my community.”

The addition of a Chief Medical Officer to the Gunnison Valley Health executive team will bring expertise and perspective that will help to drive innovation and support the overall health of the community.