Gifford Health Care Appoints Dr. Courtney Riley as Chief Medical Officer

RANDOLPH, VT. — Gifford Health Care is pleased to announce the appointment of Courtney Riley, MD, FAAP, as its next Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

A board-certified pediatrician, Dr. Riley has been a member of the Gifford medical staff since 2016, providing compassionate, high-quality care to children and families throughout central Vermont while serving in a variety of clinical leadership roles.

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Riley will provide physician leadership across the organization, working closely with clinical teams, administration, and the Board of Directors to advance quality, patient safety, provider engagement, and Gifford’s mission of delivering exceptional rural health care.

“Dr. Riley represents the very best of Gifford,” said Michael Costa, President and CEO of Gifford Health Care. “She is an outstanding clinician, a thoughtful leader, and someone who understands both our patients and our culture. Throughout her career at Gifford, she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to clinical excellence, collaboration, and innovation. I am confident she will help lead Gifford into its next chapter.”

Since joining Gifford following her pediatric residency at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, Dr. Riley has built a thriving pediatric practice while taking on increasing leadership responsibilities. She has served as Pediatric Clinical Lead, led quality improvement initiatives focused on adolescent mental health and pediatric suicide screening, and helped guide efforts to improve childhood immunization rates.

Among her accomplishments, Dr. Riley was part of the Gifford pediatric team recognized nationally with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention Champion Award after leading efforts that significantly increased HPV vaccination rates among Gifford patients. The practice was one of only 32 nationwide to receive the recognition.

Dr. Riley has also represented Gifford before the Vermont Legislature, contributed to published medical research, and was recognized with Gifford’s HIVE Award for providers who exemplify compassionate, patient-centered care.

“I am honored to serve as Gifford’s Chief Medical Officer,” said Dr. Riley. “Gifford has been my professional home for nearly a decade, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such dedicated colleagues. Together, we will continue building on Gifford’s strong tradition of providing exceptional care close to home while supporting our providers and strengthening the health of the communities we serve.”

In her new role, Dr. Riley will work closely with the Vice President of Clinical Services and the Vice President of Nursing, Quality, and Patient Safety to strengthen collaboration across clinical and operational teams and further advance Gifford’s integrated approach to patient care.

Dr. Riley earned her medical degree from New York Medical College and completed her pediatric residency at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital before joining Gifford in 2016. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and continues to care for pediatric patients at Gifford.

For more information about Gifford, visit giffordhealthcare.org.

###

Gifford Health Care is a community hospital in Randolph, Vt., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea, Randolph, and Rochester, and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford has earned both a 5-star Overall Hospital Quality Rating and a 5-star Patient Survey Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — the highest recognition possible in both categories. Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and inpatient unit, many surgical services, daycare, an adult day program, and a 30-bed nursing home. The Birthing Center, established in 1977, was the first in Vermont to offer an alternative to traditional hospital-based deliveries and continues to be a leader in midwifery and family-centered care. As a community health center and medical home, Gifford’s mission is to improve and manage the health of the people we serve by providing and assuring access to affordable, high-quality health care, and by promoting the health and well-being of everyone in their service area.