Lynnette M. Watkins, M.D., M.B.A., FACS, FACHE, CPE
Market Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Watkins brings to BHS a wealth of executive-level experience in the administration and oversight of hospital operations, quality, safety, and physician relations. Prior to joining Baptist, Dr. Watkins served as Chief Medical Officer/Chief Operating Officer at Paris Regional Medical Center in Paris, Texas, a hospital of the Regional Care Hospital Partners and Capella Healthcare partnership.
There, she led multiple successful initiatives including Joint Commission Primary Stroke Certification; the recruitment of top-level hospital and medical services administrators and directors; and administrative management for multiple departments, including Quality/Regulatory, Risk, Medical Staff Affairs, Case Management, Ancillary Services, Trauma, and Stroke and Chest Pain service lines.
Dr. Watkins is a Tenet Health Care administrative veteran as she formerly served as CMO for the Abrazo West and Abrazo Maryvale Tenet campuses. Prior to that, she was CMO for Tenet’s Phoenix Baptist Hospital (Abrazo Central Campus) and Arizona Heart Hospital (Abrazo Arizona Heart Campus). In addition, Dr. Watkins worked for the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Inc., in Mishawaka, Indiana, as Vice President and CMO.
A fellowship-trained and board certified Ophthalmologist, Dr. Watkins has also held numerous leadership roles at ophthalmology surgery centers across the nation, including the Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. She earned her M.D. from the University of Missouri- Kansas City and her M.B.A. in Health Care Administration with honors from George Washington University. She completed post-doctoral training at the Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and at Harvard Medical School and held academic appointments at Harvard Medical School and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
One of Dr. Watkins’ first orders of business in her Market role will be to fill the vacancy for San Antonio’s BHS Chief Medical Officer. She looks forward to working closely with that individual and with each of us to advance the highest quality and compassionate health care Baptist provides to our patients every day. Please join us in extending to Dr. Watkins a warm welcome to BHS and San Antonio.
There, she led multiple successful initiatives including Joint Commission Primary Stroke Certification; the recruitment of top-level hospital and medical services administrators and directors; and administrative management for multiple departments, including Quality/Regulatory, Risk, Medical Staff Affairs, Case Management, Ancillary Services, Trauma, and Stroke and Chest Pain service lines.
Dr. Watkins is a Tenet Health Care administrative veteran as she formerly served as CMO for the Abrazo West and Abrazo Maryvale Tenet campuses. Prior to that, she was CMO for Tenet’s Phoenix Baptist Hospital (Abrazo Central Campus) and Arizona Heart Hospital (Abrazo Arizona Heart Campus). In addition, Dr. Watkins worked for the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Inc., in Mishawaka, Indiana, as Vice President and CMO.
A fellowship-trained and board certified Ophthalmologist, Dr. Watkins has also held numerous leadership roles at ophthalmology surgery centers across the nation, including the Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. She earned her M.D. from the University of Missouri- Kansas City and her M.B.A. in Health Care Administration with honors from George Washington University. She completed post-doctoral training at the Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and at Harvard Medical School and held academic appointments at Harvard Medical School and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
One of Dr. Watkins’ first orders of business in her Market role will be to fill the vacancy for San Antonio’s BHS Chief Medical Officer. She looks forward to working closely with that individual and with each of us to advance the highest quality and compassionate health care Baptist provides to our patients every day. Please join us in extending to Dr. Watkins a warm welcome to BHS and San Antonio.