AVALA CMO K. SAMER SHAMIEH, MD NAMED IN BECKER’S HOSPITAL REVIEW 2023 CMO’S TO KNOW LIST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 28, 2023
Media Inquiries: Brooke Russell | 985.801.6212 | brussell@avala.com
Covington, Louisiana – AVALA proudly announces that K. Samer Shamieh, MD, was named one of 110 CMOs to Know by Becker’s Hospital Review in February. Becker’s article stated that the executives featured on this list play a crucial role in directing their organization’s forward momentum while continuing to serve their patients and communities first and foremost.
Along with building the foundation for AVALA Hospital and leading our Spine Program, Dr. Shamieh manages a private practice with partners, two spine surgeons, and one neurosurgeon, spanning five locations across South Louisiana. Dr. Shamieh’s role as AVALA’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) aids in the guided support of the general hospital and its operations to provide trusted, safe, and effective healthcare solutions to our communities. The CMO preserves the confidentiality of peer review, credentialing, and other data shared with him as the work of Medical Staff Committees. The CMO also cooperates with any requests of Medical Staff Officers, Chief of Staff, Medical Executive Committee, or Ad Hoc Committee Chair to preserve confidentiality and promote honest discussion of Medical Staff matters.
Dr. Shamieh’s overall patient care is a top priority that he takes very personally. Learning from his father, one of Louisiana’s leading neurologists, Dr. Shamieh knew he wanted to use his talents to help people. That passion for helping others became even more personal after a tragic accident during his medical residency in 2008. Dr. Shamieh was hit by an SUV while attending a New Orleans Saints football game in Dallas, Texas, leading to severe injuries that could have ended his life. He spent the next few months in hospitals throughout Texas and Louisiana, trying to recover from what he had experienced. This accident opened his eyes to patients’ stress when receiving medical care. This inspired Dr. Shamieh to reimagine healthcare and has influenced his decisions as a healthcare provider, surgeon, and Chief Medical Officer of AVALA.
His empathy for suffering patients is unmatched. His mission is to enlighten others on how a patient should be cared for in a healthcare setting and create greater trust between patients and physicians. Superior clinical team members and first-class, spa-like atmospheres with beautiful accents such as chandeliers, calming paintings, private chef-prepared food, and big-screen televisions are amongst many amenities that AVALA offers, furthering Dr. Shamieh’s vision of patient-centered healthcare.
Along with the hospital, he leads a successful private practice of spine and neurosurgeons specializing in minimally invasive procedures to help patients suffering from chronic neck and back pain. These are the same symptoms Dr. Shamieh experienced during his tragedy. His struggles have made him a more robust physician and empathetic toward his patients. AVALA Hospital and the practice boast a high success rate and virtually non-existent infection rate for surgeries. He has been honored as Health Care Hero by City Business in Southeast Louisiana for two years and a Top Doctor by the local magazine Edge of the Lake. He has earned over twenty-five awards for AVALA since its inception in 2017.
The complete list of CMOs to Know by Becker’s Hospital Review can be found here.