Dr. Steve Berkowitz

Dr. Steve Berkowitz Board certified in internal medicine, he is the Founder and President of SMB Health Consulting since 2011, specializing in: Clinical/ operational performance improvement, Health care presentations to hospitals, boards, societies and medical staff, Strategic planning facilitation, and One on one CMO mentoring

He has worked with over 150 clients in all 50 states.

Previously, for thirteen years he was Chief Medical Officer for St. David’s Healthcare, a six-hospital system in Austin, Texas, as well as the Division CMO for HCA Central and West Texas Division, which includes eight facilities in Austin and El Paso. As a member of the senior executive team, he had the overall responsibility of clinical outcomes improvement, physician development, strategic planning, and medical management for the Division. During this time he directed the implementation of numerous initiatives and programs to improve the system’s clinical effectiveness. St. David’s mortality index and CMS core measures are now among the best in the nation. STEMI times have reached national best practice levels, and SDH has been recognized at both the state and national levels for patient care quality and performance excellence. In 2014, St. David's was the recipient of the Malcom Baldrige Award. He was also Chairman of Capital Area Providers, a 5.01-(a) Texas medical foundation with over 850 physicians.

Prior to this position, Dr. Berkowitz was the National Practice Leader for Physician Services with the HayGroup. During this time he assisted over 75 major healthcare clients throughout the USA and Canada in the areas of strategic development, physician integration, physician compensation, and medical practice management. He was a senior executive for Harris Methodist Health System serving as Managing Director of the HMO and Chief Medical Officer for the integrated delivery system. He began his administrative career as Medical/Executive director for The Travelers Health Network, in Phoenix, Arizona.

He is appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to Chair the Board of the Texas Institute of Health Care Quality and Efficiency and sits on the Board of the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. He has been on the Board of the Texas Hospital Association, the Texas Association of Health Care Quality, and the Texas Health Care Information Council