Gratia Pitcher

Knowledgeable [Desired Position] with proven track record in leading medical teams and optimizing healthcare delivery. Successfully implemented innovative clinical programs that enhanced patient outcomes and operational efficiency. Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning and team leadership to drive continuous improvement and collaboration.

Healthcare professional prepared for leadership role with extensive experience in medical administration and clinical oversight. Known for driving impactful healthcare initiatives and fostering culture of excellence. Committed to collaborative team environments and adaptable to evolving healthcare needs, with strengths in strategic decision-making and patient care optimization.

Professional medical leader with strong expertise in clinical operations, patient care, and healthcare administration. Skilled in team collaboration, strategic planning, and stakeholder communication to drive healthcare outcomes. Adept at adapting to changing needs, ensuring reliable and consistent performance in high-pressure environments. Known for focus on achieving results and fostering supportive, results-driven team culture.

Experienced with strategic oversight in clinical settings, ensuring high standards of patient care and operational efficiency. Utilizes in-depth knowledge of healthcare regulations and medical protocols to achieve organizational goals. Track record of fostering collaborative environments and leading multidisciplinary teams to success.

• Supervised team of 15 leaders
• Supported innovation within the model of care to integrate technologies within the medical practice to support patient access and deliver the right care at the right place at the right time
• Implemented standard medical staff documents across 14 medical staffs in 2023
• Recognized in 2024 and 2025 in Becker's CMOs to know

• Michigan State License July 2008 – July 2009
• Minnesota State License August 2009 – Present
• Wisconsin State License August 2012-Present
• USMLE Step 1 June 2004, Passed
• USMLE CK Step 2 September 2005, Passed
• USMLE CS Step 2 February 2006, Passed
• USMLE Step 3 June 2009, Passed
• American Board of Internal Medicine October 2009, Passed
• American Board of Internal Medicine Recertification October 2018, Passed

• CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Essentia Health / Duluth, MN / December 2023-March 2026
• Led enterprise clinical practice strategies to support physician and advanced practice leadership development through the creation of leader standard work, unified job descriptions to define roles and responsibilities, and launched a new leader onboarding program.
• Co-created with operational dyad standard process for care pathway development and developed and implemented heart failure, total hip, total knee, back pain, pediatric asthma, surgical hip and femur fracture, major bowel, spinal fusion, and back pain pathways in 2024-2025.
• Co-Led and supported the Office of the CMO functions with the VP of integrated care and Dyad of the CMO including: Medical Staff Services, Physician and Advanced Practice Recruitment, Transition to Practice Program for new advanced practice professionals, Quality, Patient Experience, and Clinician Wellbeing.
• Supported the development of executive enterprise leaders including the Chief Medical Officer of Population Health and the Chief Medical Informatics Officer
• Chair of the Essentia Clinical Practice Committee, which served as the enterprise clinical governing body
• Supported the specialty medical group service lines for the enterprise and their clinical strategic plan execution
• Supported innovation within the model of care to integrate technologies within the medical practice to support patient access and deliver the right care at the right place at the right time.
• Participated in scenario planning and highly reliable organizational assessment and planning.
• Implemented standard medical staff documents across 14 medical staffs in 2023.
• INTERIM CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Essentia Health / Duluth, MN / October 2023 – December 2023
• CHIEF QUALITY AND SAFETY OFFICER
• KEY HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS CONTINUED
• Developed standard work and system root cause analysis and action system committee structure.
• Launched System Committees focused on ambulatory and acute care quality measures.
• Supported ambulatory quality measures from average to high performance, leading the state of Minnesota in 2020-202.
• Achieved and currently maintaining top performance (top decile) in hypertension control, breast cancer screening, and opioid stewardship.
• Achieved CMS 4 Star hospital ratings at 4 facilities and improved performance from a CMS 2 Star Hospital to a 3 star in 2021, achieved 3 CMS 5 Star Hospitals, 1 CMS 4 Star Hospital, and 1 CMS 3 Star Hospital in 2022.
• Established readmission and mortality review standard template and standard work.
• Participated in the development of professional practice evaluation policies and implementation.
• Established in collaboration with market sepsis medical directors system sepsis orders and achieved a sepsis mortality rate of observed to expected rate less than 1, risk-adjusted to population.
• PATIENT EXPERIENCE PHYSICIAN LEADER Essentia Health / Duluth, MN / 2020 – March 2026
• Recruited VP of patient experience
• Launched behavioral standards tied to organizational values
• Supported process to transition to new experience vendor
• EAST MARKET QUALITY DYAD Essentia Health / Duluth, MN / 2018 – 2020