Feb. 21, 2025

Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center soon will have a new chief medical officer.

Dr. Jared Friedman will take over the role March 2. He succeeds Dr. Michael Elliott, who has served as CMO since 2011.

“Dr. Friedman’s collaborative and personable nature as well as his thorough clinical knowledge make him well-suited for the CMO role. With demonstrated leadership skills, he has often served as a mentor to his colleagues, and he has been instrumental in offering compassionate care in a high-stress environment like the emergency department,” Dr. Ron Place, Avera McKennan regional president and CEO, said in a statement.

The CMO has primary responsibility for developing and strengthening physician and clinic relationships throughout the Avera McKennan region.

The position represents the physician perspective and serves as a physician advocate, promoting effective physician and health system relationships and clinical quality improvements. As CMO, Friedman will be a member of the administrative team and will partner with senior leadership to implement strategies across the region while helping to promote positive clinical outcomes and cost-effective care.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to take on this new role and collaborate with my colleagues in a different way than I have in the past,” Friedman said. “We have an excellent medical group across our region of Avera, and I am proud to be a part of this team. I feel extremely fortunate to be able to continue the incredible quality and mission-driven care we have because of our founders, the Benedictine and Presentation Sisters.”

Friedman joined Avera McKennan as an emergency medicine physician in 2005. He received his medical degree from the University of South Dakota and completed his residency at HealthPartners Institute/Regions Hospital Emergency Medicine in St. Paul.