The 2017 Leaders in Health Care Awards: Outstanding Medical Director/Chief Medical Officer

Gold Award
Peter McGough, M.D., Medical Director
UW Neighborhood Clinics, Seattle

Growing up in a family of surfers chasing the perfect wave on the California coast wouldnt seem a likely path into health care. But for Dr. Pete McGough, that perfect wave has been a lifelong commitment to medicine and patient wellness. As a physician leader, he says, putting the patient at the center of what we do keeps me grounded and provides a reliable compass. McGough is medical director of the UW Neighborhood Clinics, which provide primary and urgent care services at 12 locations in the Puget Sound region. He also is a clinical professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the UW School of Medicine. McGough earned his medical degree at the University of Southern Californias Keck School of Medicine and completed his family medicine residency at Providence Medical Center (now Swedish Cherry Hill) in Seattle. He is board certified in family medicine. His formula is relatively simple: Give physicians what they need and want and they will practice at the top of their game and remain committed to the organization. McGough has been a proponent and leader for Desktop Medicine, which involves using phone calls, electronic messaging and future video visits for patient encounters. He is leading a telemedicine pilot project now underway throughout the Neighborhood Clinics. McGough is a leader and mentor at UW Medicine and the UW Neighborhood Clinics. In working on initiatives to improve care, I try to imagine what I would want for a family member, he says. While change is both a constant and a stressor, the best future is the one you help to create.