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Mercy Hospital Southeast is welcoming a new chief medical officer, Dr. Joseph Hayes.
Dr. Hayes joins Mercy with an impressive background in health care leadership, most recently serving in senior leadership at SGMC Health in South Georgia, where he worked closely with physicians, nurses and operational leaders to support the medical staff, strengthen care delivery and help build physician training programs focused on developing and retaining future doctors for the community.
He also serves as a population health expert on the committee that oversees health care quality measures for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Dr. Hayes was recently honored with an award from the American College of Physicians for his work expanding health care access, developing future physician leaders and strengthening community partnerships across South Georgia.
“Dr. Hayes joins Mercy Southeast with a proven history of developing and strengthening frontline leadership and a dedication to advancing quality, affordable care for the patients we are honored to serve,” said Dr. John Mohart, Mercy executive vice president and chief operating officer. “As a Mercy leader, Dr. Hayes will be a strong advocate for our physicians and advanced practice providers and help lead our community to a healthier future.”
Dr. Hayes’ focus is to continue building a well-rounded team of physicians and advanced practice providers who are committed to providing exceptional care.
“From my first visit, the welcome I received from Mercy’s leadership, physicians, caregivers, patients and community members was genuine and memorable,” Dr. Hayes said. “Mercy’s focus on dignity, compassion and caring for the whole person aligns closely with how I try to lead and serve. I’m grateful for the trust Mercy has placed in me, and I’m excited to invest in this health system, support our care teams and help carry the Mercy mission forward in a way that truly serves this community.”
Dr. Hayes is a board-certified internal medicine physician who has spent much of his career in both clinical practice and physician leadership roles. He also has served in executive business roles, which he credits with strengthening his acumen for operations, finance and organizational leadership in health care settings. Dr. Hayes earned a Doctor of Medicine from Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia, and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in health care administration from Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. He completed an internal medicine residency at HCA Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia.
In his free time, Dr. Hayes is a runner and sports fan. He also enjoys off-Broadway and local theater productions, meeting new people, being involved in community events and spending time with his family. He and his wife Valerie have three children – two adult sons and a high school-aged daughter. They recently welcomed their first grandchild. Dr. Hayes and Valerie have two rescue dogs and says his daughter recently introduced them to raising chickens, which has been a fun new adventure.
“We’re excited to get settled in Southeast Missouri and become a part of the Cape Girardeau community,” Dr. Hayes said. “We’re genuinely looking forward to putting down roots here.”
