Dr. Stephen Smith Joins Hospital Team With Extensive Experience in Emergency Medicine

LA PLATA, Md. - December 14, 2022 — University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center named Stephen Smith, MD, as the new Chief Medical Officer to oversee 425 medical providers who work or have privileges at the 104-bed hospital in La Plata. He will begin his new role Dec. 29.

Dr. Smith brings 30 years of medical and leadership experience to the role and most recently served as president and chief operating officer for a 190-bed hospital system in Northern Virginia. He has extensive experience and knowledge in emergency medicine, including as chairman and medical director of the Emergency Department at UM Charles Regional from 2007 to 2009.

"Dr. Smith's extensive knowledge and leadership in emergency medicine will be a tremendous asset to the hospital and its patients, especially as our emergency room volumes continue to grow," said Noel Cervino, President and CEO of UM Charles Regional. "And his proven track record as a manager and administrator will help move us on our path as a High Reliability Organization. He is a great addition to our senior leadership team."

In his new role, Dr. Smith will provide guidance and direction to clinical programs, patient safety, regulatory standards compliance, physician recruitment and the Medical Staff Office. In addition, he will play a key role in the hospital's Patient Experience initiatives and its High Reliability Organization journey. Along with his senior management role at UM Charles Regional, Dr. Smith will also serve as a member of the University of Maryland Medical System's Chief Medical Officer Council under the leadership of Andrew N. Pollak, MD, the System's Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer.

"I look forward to returning to UM Charles Regional, and I'm delighted to see the ongoing renovation and expansion of the hospital's Emergency Department," Dr. Smith said. "As Charles County continues to grow, so does the need for excellent health care and emergency medicine. I plan to build on the excellent team that already exists here and help the hospital continue to attract high quality health care providers."

Dr. Smith received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., after earning a Bachelor of Science in biology at Stanford University in California. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles before returning to the Mid-Atlantic region in 1993.

Dr. Smith is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine and is a National Board Medical Examiner. He is licensed to practice medicine in California, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Dr. Smith's non-medical interests include travel, golf, scuba diving and hiking.