Sharif Omar has been appointed as CEO of Northwest Health System, replacing Dan McKay who recently took over as CEO of Sparks Medical in Fort Smith.
Omar has more than 15 years of hospital management experience, most recently as CEO of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC), a 224-bed hospital in Pottstown, Penn.
“Northwest Health System has a tradition of excellence, and I am honored to join the physicians, employees and volunteers in their daily work of caring for the Northwest Arkansas community,” said Omar. “They have laid a strong foundation for excellence that makes Northwest a place where patients can expect quality, personalized care with every visit.”
During the three years Omar ran PMMC the hospital was named a top performer on key quality measures from The Joint Commission and was one of only 13 cancer programs in the U.S. to receive three consecutive outstanding achievement awards from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
The hospital also received accreditations and awards for excellence in stroke and joint replacement. Omar also oversaw efforts to increase physician and employee satisfaction. Additionally, he developed new service lines that grew how the hospital served patients, including breast health, urgent care, ambulance service, psychiatry and others.
“On behalf of the board, I look forward to welcoming Sharif to Northwest Health System,” said Linda Maienschein, Chairman, Northwest Health System Board of Directors. “His experience working closely with physicians and employees to raise the bar for quality patient care will further position Northwest well into the future.”
Omar also has served in leadership positions at Southwest Medical Center in Lafayette, La., and as associate vice president of Tulane University Hospital and Clinic, where he was a part of the hospital’s response to Hurricane Katrina.
A native of Louisiana, Omar holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Louisiana State University and a master’s in health administration from Tulane University.