EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The Memorial Medical Center (MMC) in Las Cruces, which has been under scrutiny for the last few months, has a new chief medical officer.
Gregory D. Eberhart has been named the MMC’s chief medical officer, the hospital said in a news release.
MMC, which is part of the Lifepoint Health network, said Eberhart “brings a wealth of both clinical and executive leadership experience with a track record of accomplishments in quality, physician alignment, service line development and physician development.”
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Eberhart join our leadership team. He is a forward-thinking, people-focused and analytical leader who will help us continue to raise the bar for healthcare in Southern New Mexico,” said Memorial Medical Center CEO Dennis Knox. “He brings vast leadership expertise from top-performing hospitals, clinical excellence in cardiovascular services, best-in-class medical staff leadership, and throughout his impressive career he has shown his commitment to improving the health and lives of others.”
The hospital said Eberhart comes to MMC and Las Cruces after most recently serving as area medical officer for the North Coast network of Adventist Health. Before that, he was vice president and chief medical officer at Mercy San Juan Medical Center for five years in the Sacramento area, the hospital added.
“I am very excited about this opportunity to work with the executive team at MMC and to support an incredible medical staff to ensure we provide high-quality and safe care to our community,” said Eberhart.
Eberhart obtained his Doctor of Medicine from St. Louis University and completed his internal medicine fellowship at Naval Medical Center San Diego, the hospital said.
The hospital said he completed two fellowships, one in cardiology from Naval Medical Center San Diego, and the second in electrophysiology from the University of California San Diego.
Eberhart is also a certified physician executive and fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), American College of Physicians and American College of Cardiology.
The hospital said Eberhart also served the nation in the U.S. Navy, where he achieved the rank of commander. He was honored to serve on the USNS Mercy during the 2004 tsunami response in Indonesia and on a humanitarian mission to Southeast Asia, the hospital added.
As we previously reported, New Mexico state Attorney General Raul Torrez launched an investigation into the hospital last year alleging that the hospital had refused to treat cancer patients, denied or required full up-front payments from several uninsured or Medicaid-eligible patients, failed to screen patients for financial assistance, and denied medical services to patients.
The City of Las Cruces and Dona Ana County also accused the hospital shortly after that, that it had violated its lease and they demanded a list of corrective actions be taken.
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