Valley Health Plan, the only locally based health plan in California’s Santa Clara County, has been serving its community for more than 30 years. With a deep understanding of their members’ needs and the providers best suited to meet them, they found themselves in the midst of major turnaround efforts.

This coincided with an urgent need to fill the critical Chief Medical Officer position. Upon hearing about Duffy Group’s expertise in healthcare recruitment and their commitment to community, Valley Health Plan chose them as the recruiting partner needed to find a top-notch candidate.

The Strategy

Using the Duffy Recruitment Research™ search model, Duffy Group practice leaders began identifying the ideal traits for a candidate who could collaborate with the executive team and realize their vision. This process involved conducting detailed intake sessions to understand the culture, personality, projects and strategic plans of Valley Health Plan, resulting in a definitive profile of the ideal Chief Medical Officer.

Though the search for this healthcare executive role was open to candidates nationwide, it soon became clear the best fit would likely be a California resident with a deep understanding of Medicaid/Medi-Cal and experience on both payor and provider sides. Consequently, Duffy Group targeted proven Chief Medical Officers, Medical Directors and Senior Medical Directors from Medi-Cal health plans, beginning their search locally in the San Jose area.

The Duffy Difference

Within just seven days of initiating the search, Duffy Group presented their first candidate for the Chief Medical Officer position. Over the course of the search, they submitted four qualified candidates, out of which two were selected for interviews with the client.

In less than two months, an excellent candidate who met the unique and specific criteria for this vital role was hired. Following the successful placement of the initial CMO hire, Valley Health Plan engaged Duffy Group to assist in pinpointing the best candidates for its upcoming executive and managerial positions.

The practice leader visited the Santa Clara facilities after the initial placement, enjoying a day of professional camaraderie and further understanding Valley Health Plan’s vision. This visit also led to Valley Health Plan facilitating an introduction to Santa Clara County’s Behavioral Health Division, prompting Duffy Group to commence a search for their new top executive leadership role as well.