Shriners Children’s Introduces Chief Medical Officer Scott H. Kozin, M.D.

With the inception of Shriners Children's Medical Group, Dr. Kozin was named a physician lead. Now, as chief medical officer, he looks forward to directing the entire group, which he calls an "integral and important" part of the overall healthcare system that will lead Shriners Children's into the future.

"The medical group is the home for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants," Dr. Kozin said. "That home represents an area where we can grow and prosper. That home allows us to attract the best talent and let them grow and focus on our tripartite mission. Our tripartite mission is like a three-legged stool: We deliver patient care, provide education and perform research. We expect our physicians to perform all three legs on that stool, and that concept is what makes us unique and different from other healthcare systems."

He pointed out that, prior to the medical group, there was little connection among the physicians and advanced practice providers across Shriners Children's hospitals, clinics and outreach locations. Now, the medical group fosters "collaboration and collegiality" among all those team members, he said.

"The medical group has attracted even higher-caliber surgeons and higher-caliber nurse practitioners and physician assistants who want to be in the Shriners Children's medical group."

Dr. Kozin emphasizes that groups drive higher performance through diverse skills and shared responsibility, outperforming even the best individual. So, the entirety of the group is making a difference across the healthcare system.

Another of Dr. Kozin's primary goals as chief medical officer is to improve the efficiency of Shriners Children's, especially when it comes to the patient and family experience.

"People want efficiency," he said. "They want to see the physician in a timely and efficient manner. People have jobs and other responsibilities, so we must be respectful of their time."

However, Dr. Kozin stresses that such improvements must be achieved while maintaining the special kind of care for which Shriners Children's is known - and that specialized care patients experience is unlike anything else.

"That efficiency cannot supplant how we care for kids," he said. "One thing we always try to tell our staff is the patient experience doesn't begin when they see the doctor. The experience begins from the moment they check in, to the moment they see the physician, to the moment they go to X-ray, to the moment they talk to the nurse, to the moment they leave - that's their experience. So, encouraging all those people involved in the care of that child to be compassionate and caring is really important."

He added: "We are unique. I've been all over the world. I've seen countless children's hospitals. We provide care differently than other institutions. When patients and their families come into the Shriners Children's family, they experience the wrap-around care that we provide, and they feel our compassionate care. I promise families that we provide - and will continue to provide - the best care possible."