Pediatrix Strengthens Clinical Leadership with Appointment of Two Distinguished Physician Experts
Pediatrix® Medical Group,a leading provider of physician services focused on women, babies and children, has announced the addition of two highly respected physician leaders to its executive and clinical leadership team. Dr. James Barry will join the organization as Chief Clinical Quality & Transformation Officer, while Dr. Jochen Profit will serve as Chief Quality Advisor. Together, they bring decades of experience and nationally recognized expertise in clinical quality, patient safety and healthcare innovation.
The appointments mark a significant step forward in Pediatrix’s continued commitment to advancing care quality and strengthening its leadership in maternal, neonatal and pediatric healthcare. Both physicians are widely known for their contributions to improving healthcare systems, enhancing patient outcomes and fostering innovation in clinical practice.
Mark Ordan, Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Pediatrix, expressed enthusiasm about the new appointments, emphasizing the importance of quality-driven leadership in the organization’s mission. He noted that the addition of Dr. Barry and Dr. Profit reflects Pediatrix’s ongoing focus on delivering the highest standards of care.
“We are thrilled to welcome two nationally renowned physician leaders to Pediatrix and Obstetrix,” Ordan said. “Quality care is at the heart of everything we do as a leading provider of care for women, babies and children. The extensive experience and deep expertise that Drs. Barry and Profit bring will play a vital role in advancing clinical knowledge and improving care practices across the entire field.”
Driving Clinical Transformation and Innovation
In his new role as Chief Clinical Quality & Transformation Officer, Dr. James Barry will take on a central leadership position in shaping the clinical direction of Pediatrix. He will be responsible for ensuring that the organization maintains and continually enhances the highest standards of patient care across its extensive network.
A key component of Dr. Barry’s responsibilities will include oversight of the Pediatrix Center for Research, Education, Quality and Safety (CREQS). This center plays a crucial role in the organization’s efforts to improve healthcare outcomes through clinical research, professional education and ongoing quality and safety initiatives. CREQS operates at both local and national levels, focusing on improving patient outcomes, enhancing patient experiences, increasing provider satisfaction and reducing healthcare costs.
Dr. Barry’s appointment comes at a time when healthcare is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by advances in medical knowledge, data analytics and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. His leadership is expected to help Pediatrix effectively navigate these changes while continuing to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care.
“At a time when medical knowledge continues to expand rapidly and technology is reshaping how care is delivered, Dr. Barry’s proven track record as both a strategist and innovator will be an incredible asset,” Ordan added. “His leadership will help ensure that Pediatrix remains at the forefront of clinical excellence and transformation.”
A Leader in Neonatal Care and Healthcare Innovation
Dr. Barry is a highly regarded neonatologist known for his work in neonatal critical care, patient safety and the application of artificial intelligence in medicine. Over the course of his career, he has focused on achieving measurable and sustainable improvements in complex healthcare systems.
His contributions extend beyond clinical practice into the broader healthcare ecosystem. He is a co-founder of NeoMINDAI, a national learning collaborative that brings together neonatologists, data scientists and clinical informaticists to study and evaluate the role of artificial intelligence in neonatal critical care and pediatric medicine. This initiative reflects his forward-thinking approach to integrating technology into clinical care to improve outcomes.
In addition, Dr. Barry co-founded the Clinical Leader’s Group of the American Academy of Pediatrics, an initiative designed to support and train medical and quality directors of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the United States. This program provides a platform for collaboration, education and leadership development within the neonatal care community.
Before joining Pediatrix, Dr. Barry held several prominent roles within the University of Colorado Health System. He served as the long-standing Medical Director of a Level III NICU and chaired newborn governance across 14 hospitals. He also held an academic appointment as a professor of pediatrics-neonatology at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Dr. Barry highlighted the collaborative strengths of Pediatrix and its potential for innovation.
“I am honored to be joining Pediatrix,” he said. “The organization is built on a strong foundation of clinical excellence and unmatched scale. I believe our greatest strength lies in our collective intelligence. By combining our clinical expertise with curiosity and innovative strategies, we can ensure that evidence-based care becomes more accessible and effective across all our clinical sites.”
Enhancing Quality Through Research and Expertise
Dr. Jochen Profit, who joins as Chief Quality Advisor, brings more than two decades of experience in pediatrics and neonatal-perinatal medicine. A highly respected healthcare researcher, Dr. Profit is recognized for his work in optimizing care delivery for pregnant individuals and critically ill newborns.
In his advisory role, Dr. Profit will provide expert guidance to Pediatrix’s affiliated clinical leaders as well as the CREQS team. His insights will help shape quality improvement initiatives, strengthen patient safety efforts and support the organization’s broader clinical strategy.
Dr. Profit’s research has addressed a wide range of critical issues in healthcare, including system design, care culture, provider well-being, health equity and family-centered care. His work has consistently emphasized the importance of creating healthcare environments that support both patients and providers.
He currently serves in several influential leadership positions, including Chair and Co-Principal Investigator of the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative and Co-Chair and Co-Principal Investigator of the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative. These organizations are dedicated to improving outcomes for mothers and newborns through data-driven quality improvement initiatives.
In addition to his collaborative work, Dr. Profit holds the Wendy J. Tomlin-Hess Endowed Professorship of Pediatrics at Stanford Medicine. His contributions to the field extend to service on the board of the California Association of Neonatologists and participation in numerous national organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Academies for Science, Engineering and Medicine, the Vermont Oxford Network and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
A Shared Vision for Quality and Impact
Pediatrix leadership expressed strong confidence that Dr. Profit’s expertise will have a meaningful impact on the organization’s quality initiatives.
“Dr. Profit is widely recognized as one of the foremost thought leaders in our field,” Ordan said. “We are excited to welcome him to Pediatrix, where his unwavering focus on improving quality and patient safety will have a national impact.”
Together, Dr. Barry and Dr. Profit represent a powerful combination of clinical leadership, research expertise and innovative thinking. Their appointments underscore Pediatrix’s dedication to advancing healthcare quality and improving outcomes for the patients it serves.
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, Pediatrix is positioning itself to lead through innovation, collaboration and a steadfast commitment to excellence. By bringing in leaders of this caliber, the organization is reinforcing its mission to deliver exceptional care while shaping the future of maternal and pediatric healthcare on a national scale.
With their combined experience and shared vision, Dr. Barry and Dr. Profit are expected to play a pivotal role in driving Pediatrix’s next phase of growth and transformation—ensuring that patients, families and providers alike benefit from continuous improvements in care quality and clinical outcomes.
About Pediatrix Medical Group
Pediatrix® Medical Group, Inc. (NYSE:MD) is a leading provider of physician services. Pediatrix-affiliated clinicians are committed to providing coordinated, compassionate and clinically excellent services to women, babies and children across the continuum of care, both in hospital settings and office-based practices. Specialties include obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine and neonatology complemented by multiple pediatric subspecialties. The group’s high-quality, evidence-based care is bolstered by significant investments in research, education, quality-improvement and safety initiatives. The physician-led company was founded in 1979 as a single neonatology practice and today provides its highly specialized and often critical care services through approximately 4,300 affiliated physicians and other clinicians.
