Dr. Anand Budi has been promoted to chief medical officer at Hagerstown, Md.-based Meritus Medical Center. He has been serving as the hospital's associate CMO, according to a Meritus news release.
Dr. Budi, a longtime pediatrician in the region, replaces outgoing CMO Aaron George, DO, who will be moving to another key role in the healthcare system. Dr. George will be the associate dean of clinical education, community development at the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine.
In announcing the two appointments, Maulik Joshi, DrPH, president and CEO of Meritus Health, said in the release that he looks forward to seeing the impact of Dr. Budi's commitment to quality and safety as he takes on the position of CMO and that Dr. George has shown his leadership skills throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. George has led "successful initiatives to enhance patient safety and quality, and to reduce unnecessary testing and lab work at the hospital," Dr. Joshi added. "I'm thrilled to see his passion and talents applied in this new role where he will help mold the future physicians of our region.”
In the coming year, Dr. George will work with Paula Gregory, MD, dean of the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine, to attract high-quality faculty members.
Construction on a 200,000-square-foot building to house the new school is expected to begin this winter, and senior leaders are developing relationships with nearby health systems and colleges. The accreditation process for the medical school is ongoing, the release said.