Novant Health names chief physician executive officer, and more | MED MOVES

Dr. Roxie Cannon Wells has been named Novant Health’s chief physician executive officer for patient experience.

Roxie Cannon Wells

Wells will help lead the system’s patient experience strategy for employed and independent clinicians. Most recently, she served as senior vice president, chief physician executive and strategy officer for Novant Health’s coastal region.

She has spent more than 25 years in healthcare and policy in North Carolina. She has worked as a practicing family physician and risen into healthcare leadership roles.

Kim Henderson, Novant Health executive vice president, said in a statement, said Wells will play a key role in improving the patient experience.

“Roxie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team as well as a deep passion for enhancing patient care and improving health care outcomes,” Henderson said in a statement.

Wells has also focused on helping expand access to healthcare, including those living in rural areas, the system said in a news release.

She has served on the board of trustees for the American Hospital Association and as a past chair of the North Carolina Healthcare Association.

Elena Fuentes-Afflick

AAMC appoints chief scientific officer

Elena Fuentes-Afflick, MD, has been selected to be the next chief scientific officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Fuentes-Afflick will join the AAMC on July 16.

She currently serves as professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and vice dean for the UCSF School of Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

In her new role, Fuentes-Afflick will lead research, science policy and other issues facing academic medicine and teaching hospitals. She will also oversee the direction of the Center for Health Justice, which promotes health equity research and policy.

“I am energized to apply my lifelong passion for – and commitment to – academic medicine to the AAMC and lead efforts to educate the nation about the value of science and research,” Fuentes-Afflick said in a statement. “As a Latina physician, diversity and inclusion have been guiding principles in my personal and professional lives, and I am excited to further advance diversity efforts in the medical research community and inspire the next generation of scientists.”

Fuentes-Afflick succeeds Ross McKinney, Jr., MD, who retired from the AAMC in 2023.

“Elena has an impressive and robust background in medicine, public health, and academic leadership, and I am delighted she will be bringing her passion, talent, and experience to the AAMC and our constituents,” David J. Skorton, MD, the AAMC’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

Mehul V. Raval

Lurie Children’s Hospital selects head of pediatric surgery

Mehul V. Raval, MD, has been named the leader of the division of pediatric surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Raval will hold the Orvar Swenson Founders' Board Chair in Pediatric Surgery.

He has been at Lurie Children’s since 2018 and serves as the vice chair of quality and safety in the surgery department. He is a professor of surgery and pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the director of the Pediatric Surgery Research Fellowship Program.

Raval brings experience in neonatal surgery, and his clinical interests include thyroid surgery and care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

He said he sees “tremendous potential” in the pediatric surgery division.

““We are fortunate to have a dedicated team of faculty, advanced care providers, staff and trainees committed to the excellent care of patients and families,” Raval said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely within our team and alongside our colleagues and leadership at Lurie Children's to grow our clinical focus areas, conduct cutting-edge medical innovation and research and train the next generation of surgeons.”

Dr. Thomas Inge, surgeon-in-chief and chair of Lurie Children’s Department of Surgery, said Raval is the best choice for the post.

“Dr. Raval is an outstanding physician-scientist who has spent a large part of his career focusing on improving the surgery experience for children,” Inge said in a statement. “His research on patient safety and improving recovery post-surgery has already set a new standard in our field.”

Praveen Raju

Rady Children’s names director of pediatric neuro-oncology

Praveen Raju, MD, is taking new roles at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego and the University of California San Diego.

Raju will be appointed as medical director of Rady Children’s pediatric neuro-oncology program. He’ll also serve as director of the pediatric neuro-oncology program, and associate physician diplomate of neurosciences, at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

He will be tasked with leading the growth of Rady Children’s neuro-oncology program and advance research on pediatric brain and spinal tumors.

"Pediatric brain and spinal tumors can be difficult to diagnose at times and often have poor outcomes. I chose this specialty because I wanted to change those outcomes and give families hope," Raju said in a statement.

Raju comes to Rady Children's from Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital. He previously worked as a pediatric neurologist and directed the Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Tumor Research at the Icahn School of Medicine.