Adventist Health Sonora welcomes new medical officer

Adventist Health Sonora is pleased to welcome Alexander Heard, MD, CPE, FAAP, a certified physician executive who will serve as the new medical officer, beginning March 2, 2020.

Heard is relocating from Massachusetts, where he has served for the past five years as chief medical officer for Falmouth Hospital, a 90-bed community hospital with 5,000 annual admissions and 1,100 annual surgeries in Falmouth, Mass. He has extensive experience in physician leadership, having served as president and founding board member of the 347-member Cape Cod Preferred Physicians for seven years and as a partner in Cape Cod Pediatrics for more than 10 years.

“Dr. Heard is highly relational and a great communicator, and I am excited for him to join our team and fill this important role as he works to build solid relationships among our medical staff and throughout our organization,” says Adventist Health Sonora President Michelle Fuentes.

“While I cherish caring for patients and families, I have found that serving in leadership and connecting teams to strengthen the quality of care allows me to help more people in the community,” explains Heard. “I look forward to seeing how I can help Adventist Health Sonora.”

Heard completed his residency in pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass.; and completed medical school at University of Massachusetts Medical School, in Worcester, Mass. He is certified by the American Association for Physician Leadership and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Heard comes from a small town and has enjoyed the friendly atmosphere he has found in Sonora. He will be moving to Sonora with his family. He and his wife have four children, two of whom are now out of high school. “The time is right for us to move and I am ready to grow in my career,” says Heard. “We enjoy skiing so moving from the coast to the mountains is going to be an adventure.” Heard is also an avid rugby athlete and coach.