Dr. Stephen Knych is now chief medical officer for AdventHealth throughout Volusia, Flagler and Lake counties, as well as CMO for AdventHealth Fish Memorial in Orange City.
Knych replaced Dr. Leighton Smith, who retired May 10, according to a news release from AdventHealth.
Knych is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and a retired colonel of the U.S. Air Force. During his nearly 40-year career as a clinician and health care executive, he has delivered patient care in ambulatory clinics and hospitals, as well as developed operational health care plans, policies and programs at the Pentagon.
He most recently served as vice president and chief quality and patient safety officer for AdventHealth. In this role at the corporate level, Knych was responsible for the design and oversight of patient safety and clinical performance improvements across the organization.
Knych also led AdventHealth’s efforts to leverage the power of data to help surgeons performing robotic surgeries improve their clinical skills.
Knych has an extensive 24-year career with the U.S. Air Force, serving in leadership and helping develop operational health care plans, policies and programs at the Pentagon.
In addition, Dr. Neil Finkler will serve as chief clinical officer for the Central Florida Division, which includes Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia counties. This is the first time AdventHealth has named a chief clinical officer who will be responsible for the seven-county region, another AdventHeath news release said.
In this new role, Finkler will lead the entire continuum of clinical care, helping to guide the nearly 6,000 physicians and advance practice providers in delivering high-quality, innovative care and streamlining clinical operations for efficiency and best practices.
“As we begin to transition to normalcy in a post-COVID-19 world, this leadership change will help us streamline clinical operations for efficiency and best practices,” Randy Haffner, Ph.D., president and CEO of the AdventHealth Central Florida Division, said in a news release announcing the appointments. “Dr. Finkler’s almost 30 years of service at AdventHealth speaks to his commitment to the patients we serve. Nearly three decades ago, he founded our gynecologic oncology program and fellowship program and brought national prominence to this discipline, which continues to this day.
“Most recently, Dr. Finkler played a critical role in leading our journey to earn a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and A ratings from Leapfrog. I’m excited to see what’s on the horizon under his broader clinical leadership.”
As chief clinical officer, Finkler will lead the entire continuum of clinical care across the seven-county region that includes nearly 6,000 physicians and advance practice providers.
Finkler is board-certified in both obstetrics oncology and gynecologic oncology, has served in multiple leadership and teaching positions at AdventHealth, Boston University School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, and was principal investigator for all GYN Oncology Group clinical trials, a National Cancer Institute cooperative group.
