The posting
Job Description
AtlantiCare Health System
Academic affiliation with Temple University
Position Description
Chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Reporting Relationship
Reports to the Chief Physician Executive. This is an AtlantiCare institutional leadership role. The Chair holds academic affiliation with Temple University consistent with AtlantiCare's academic mission, including faculty appointment eligibility and participation in the developing four-year medical school in Atlantic City; this affiliation is academic in nature and does not create a separate reporting relationship. The Chair governs clinical standards, coverage, quality, and education across all orthopedic surgeons practicing at AtlantiCare, independent of group affiliation or employment model, and carries no authority over the internal business operations, revenue, referral patterns, or compensation of any private orthopedic group.
Position Summary
The Chair provides unified clinical, academic, and administrative leadership for orthopedic surgery across AtlantiCare. The Chair is accountable for the quality, safety, and coverage of orthopedic care; for building the mentorship, teaching, and academic infrastructure that supports AtlantiCare's Temple-affiliated educational mission and the developing four-year medical school; and for assessing current capabilities, identifying gaps, and recruiting to close them through existing group partnerships or direct AtlantiCare appointment. The Chair functions as a neutral institutional leader serving all surgeons, learners, and patients, not any single practice group.
Core Responsibilities
Current-State Assessment & Gap Analysis
- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of current orthopedic clinical services, subspecialty coverage, trauma/ED call capacity, quality performance, and academic readiness.
- Identify service, coverage, and academic gaps relative to institutional needs and the developing medical school.
- Develop a prioritized plan to close identified gaps.
Medical Staff Authority, Delegated Authority & Peer Review
Because AtlantiCare's orthopedic surgeons include both employed and non-employed physicians, the Chair's authority relative to the Medical Staff is defined explicitly:
- Operates within and in coordination with the Medical Staff bylaws, holding clinical-governance authority over orthopedic standards, protocols, and privileging criteria across all orthopedic surgeons regardless of employment status.
- Holds clearly delegated authority from the CPE and Medical Staff structure for defined orthopedic matters, with the scope of that delegation specified at appointment rather than assumed.
- Leads orthopedic peer review and morbidity and mortality, with the Chair's role, the interface with the Medical Staff peer review process, and the handling of employed versus non-employed physicians defined explicitly.
- Participates in professional-conduct and disciplinary processes through the established Medical Staff channels, with the Chair's role, limits, and escalation path to the CPE and Medical Staff leadership specified; the Chair does not exercise disciplinary authority outside those defined channels.
Recruitment & Faculty Development
- Recruit orthopedic surgeons and faculty to fill identified gaps, through expansion of existing group partnerships where aligned or through direct AtlantiCare appointment.
- The degree of the Chair's participation in recruitment, the authority exercised, and the resources provided to support it are defined at appointment.
- Build teaching and academic capacity to support medical student education and any associated training programs.
Academic & Educational Leadership
Given the Temple affiliation and the developing four-year medical school, the academic mechanics are defined explicitly:
- The Chair's authority over faculty appointment, curriculum, and supervision of learners is specified, including what the Chair controls directly and what is coordinated with Temple and AtlantiCare academic leadership.
- The pathway for AtlantiCare orthopedic staff to achieve academic appointment and promotion is defined, including whether promotion occurs within the Temple academic framework and how the Chair is integrated into that process.
- Leads orthopedic participation in the Temple-affiliated educational mission, including curriculum participation and learner rotations.
- Builds a formal mentorship and professional-development structure for early-career surgeons.
- Supports GME development as programs mature, including the resources and infrastructure required to meet ACGME initiatives and accreditation should the department train residents or fellows.
Clinical Governance & Quality
- Establish and maintain enterprise clinical standards, protocols, and appropriate-use criteria.
- Oversee credentialing and privileging standards for all orthopedic surgeons at AtlantiCare.
- Accountable for orthopedic quality, safety, and outcomes metrics reported to system quality governance.
Coverage & Trauma
- Ensure reliable, accountable orthopedic trauma and ED call coverage across campuses.
- Direct the structure and staffing of the trauma coverage model, recruiting employed or contracted trauma coverage as needed.
- Support trauma-designation and accreditation requirements.
Orthopedic Leadership Council
The Chair convenes and chairs an advisory Orthopedic Leadership Council to ensure that every stakeholder group operating at AtlantiCare has a voice in orthopedic leadership decisions affecting care across the system's geography.
- The Council includes a physician leader from each orthopedic stakeholder group as it exists at the time (AtlantiCare-employed surgeons, Rothman, Orazco, and any future groups).
- Council membership tracks the stakeholder mix as it evolves, so representation stays current as the department's footprint changes.
- The Council is advisory to the Chair and informs decisions on orthopedic care across the continuum; final accountability for department governance rests with the Chair and the CPE.
Resources & Support
To perform the role, the resources available to the Chair are defined at appointment so the ultimate hire negotiates against a clear picture. These include:
- Education: teaching staff, training infrastructure, academic resources, and administrative support.
- Recruitment: the authority, budget, and support needed for the Chair's defined role in recruiting surgeons and faculty.
- Accreditation: the resources to support ACGME initiatives and accreditation if the department trains medical students, residents, or fellows.
Strategic & Programmatic Leadership
- Develop the orthopedic service-line strategy in alignment with system priorities.
- Identify program-building and growth opportunities across subspecialties.
- Serve as the accountable physician leader for orthopedic clinical and academic performance.
Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement
- Engage constructively with all orthopedic groups practicing at AtlantiCare, respecting the independence of their business operations while holding shared clinical and academic standards.
- Represent orthopedic surgery in system governance forums.
Governance Boundaries (Explicit)
- The Chair does not direct, control, or receive the business operations, revenue, or referral decisions of any private orthopedic group.
- The Chair's authority is limited to institutional clinical governance, academic leadership, coverage, quality, and education.
- Group-specific economic and employment matters remain with the respective groups and standard system contracting channels.
- Faculty appointments, academic roles, and teaching participation are open to qualified surgeons of all groups.
Qualifications
- MD or DO with board certification in Orthopedic Surgery; eligible for AtlantiCare medical staff privileges and Temple academic appointment.
- Demonstrated clinical and administrative leadership, including department, division, or program building.
- Academic credentials supporting a Temple faculty appointment preferred.
- Experience recruiting and developing surgical faculty.
- Credible standing to lead a multi-group, multi-surgeon service line; perceived neutrality across practice affiliations.
- Trauma leadership experience strongly preferred given current coverage needs.
- Track record in surgical education and mentorship.
Selection Process
The Chair is appointed through an AtlantiCare-led search process, with advisory academic input from Temple on faculty credentials and structured input from participating orthopedic groups and medical staff leadership. Final appointment authority rests with AtlantiCare to preserve the role's institutional neutrality and reporting integrity.
Qualifications
- MD or DO with board certification in Orthopedic Surgery; eligible for AtlantiCare medical staff privileges and Temple academic appointment.
- Demonstrated clinical and administrative leadership, including department, division, or program building.
- Academic credentials supporting a Temple faculty appointment preferred.
- Experience recruiting and developing surgical faculty.
- Credible standing to lead a multi-group, multi-surgeon service line; perceived neutrality across practice affiliations.
- Trauma leadership experience strongly preferred given current coverage needs.
- Track record in surgical education and mentorship.
About Us
Total Rewards at AtlantiCare
At AtlantiCare, we believe in supporting the whole person. Our market-competitive Total Rewards package is designed to promote the physical, emotional, social, and financial well-being of our team members. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits and resources, including:
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental & Vision Insurance
Retirement Plans with employer contributions
Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Coverage
Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Tuition Reimbursement to support your educational goals
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care
Wellness Programs to help you thrive
Voluntary Benefits, including Pet Insurance and more
Benefits offerings may vary based on position and are subject to eligibility requirements.
Join a team that values your well-being and invests in your future.
Pay Transparency
In order to support the Fair Compensation Strategy by the US Govt., HR Dept., clients are required to adhere to "Pay Transparency Law" in impacted states, which mandate employers to list salary ranges in job advertisements and promotions.
AtlantiCare is an Equal Opportunity Employer
