Southern Hills Hospital names Suresh Ponnada chief medical officer

Las Vegas-based Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center has appointed Suresh Ponnada, MD, as chief medical officer.

In the role, Dr. Ponnada will help lead clinical strategy and support quality, safety and care effectiveness across the hospital, according to a July 13 news release shared with Becker’s.

Dr. Ponnada comes to Southern Hills Hospital from Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in Winchester, Nev., where he most recently served as associate chief medical officer. That move keeps him within Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare’s Sunrise Health System.

The hospital said Dr. Ponnada brings experience in clinical care, hospital operations, physician engagement and patient safety.

Before serving as associate chief medical officer at Sunrise Hospital, he held several leadership positions at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Va. Those roles included chief hospitalist, medical director of physician advisory services and medical director of care management, according to the release.

The appointment adds another leadership move within HCA Healthcare’s network in Nevada, where Dr. Ponnada has continued his work in hospital administration and clinical leadership.

Southern Hills Hospital did not report additional details about the timing of his start date, reporting structure or any immediate priorities tied to the new role.

The role of chief medical officer typically involves working across clinical teams and hospital leadership, and the release said Dr. Ponnada will support the hospital’s efforts around quality, safety and care effectiveness. Beyond those responsibilities, no further description of his duties was provided.

Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center is based in Las Vegas. The announcement did not include additional comments from Dr. Ponnada or other hospital leaders.

Dr. Ponnada’s background spans both direct clinical leadership and administrative roles. At Sunrise Hospital, he served as associate chief medical officer before moving into the chief medical officer post at Southern Hills Hospital. His earlier work at Carilion Clinic included responsibilities in physician advisory services and care management, in addition to his chief hospitalist role.

The release described his background as including work in clinical care, hospital operations, physician engagement and patient safety. No other qualifications, certifications or previous positions were reported in the source material.

The hospital’s announcement was limited to the leadership change and a brief summary of Dr. Ponnada’s prior experience. It did not provide information on how long the chief medical officer position had been open or whether there were other recent executive changes at Southern Hills Hospital.

As reported, the appointment reflects a continuation of Dr. Ponnada’s work within HCA Healthcare’s Sunrise Health System and adds to his leadership background across hospital and clinical settings in Nevada and Virginia.