Children’s Health, UT Southwestern Appoint Chief Medical Officer for Joint Pediatric Enterprise

DALLAS (Aug. 25, 2020) – Children’s Health℠, the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas, in affiliation with UT Southwestern Medical Center, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, today announces Dai H. Chung, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer, the first leadership position named to the Children’s Health and UT Southwestern joint pediatric enterprise announced in late 2019.

In this new role, Dr. Chung will be responsible for increasing physician alignment and engagement, strengthening clinical operations and fostering greater partnerships to improve the overall quality, cost and efficiency of care for the growing pediatric population in North Texas. In addition, Dr. Chung is Professor of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery, and Executive Vice Chair in UT Southwestern’s Department of Surgery, as well as Surgeon-in-Chief and Senior Vice President of Surgical Services at Children’s Health.

“Dr. Chung is one of the country’s most highly acclaimed pediatric surgeons, an accomplished clinical investigator and an incredible educator. He is also a renowned clinician with deep experience in pediatric surgical oncology, neonatal surgery, ECMO and burns,” said Pete Perialas, President, Children’s Health Care Network and Chief Strategy Officer, Children's Health; Board Co-Chair for the joint pediatric enterprise. “In recent months, he has taken on a leadership role and has been an active and engaged partner as we jointly architect our response to COVID-19. We are fortunate to have Dr. Chung’s leadership and clinical expertise in this new role as we continue to evolve how we provide world-class pediatric care and improve our ability to make life better for children.”

Dr. Chung earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas, where he also completed an internship and a residency in surgery. He received advanced training through a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center/University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, as well as through research fellowships with the National Institutes of Health at Shriners Burns Hospital and the University of Texas Medical Branch.

“Dr. Chung’s new, expanded role as chief medical officer is a vital part of our efforts to set in place an optimal medical leadership structure for the joint pediatric enterprise,” said John Warner, M.D., Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs, UT Southwestern and Board Co-Chair for the joint pediatric enterprise. “We’re confident that both his extensive leadership and clinical experience will continue to enhance our shared commitment to deliver the highest quality pediatric care to families and children across North Texas.” 

“Since joining the team with Children’s Health and UT Southwestern, I have been privileged to practice with some of the world’s best medical professionals in delivering on our mission to make life better for children,” said Dr. Chung. “As the Chief Medical Officer for our joint pediatric enterprise, I look forward to working more closely with teams across our collective organizations as we continue to deliver high-quality care for children in North Texas.”

Certified by the American Board of Surgery in pediatric surgery, Dr. Chung joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2018. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Pediatrics, Section of Surgery. He served as President of the Society of University Surgeons and its Foundation. He also served as a Director of the American Board of Surgery and chaired the Continuous Certification Examination Committee. In addition, Dr. Chung is a member of the Southern Surgical Association, the American Surgical Association, and the Society of Clinical Surgery, among other organizations.

Dr. Chung is on the editorial board of several publications, including JAMA Surgery, Children, and Cancer Research Frontiers, and has published more than 140 academic articles and contributed to dozens of books. He is a sought-after speaker and has delivered scores of presentations around the world. In 2017, he earned the Society of University Surgeons Travel Award and presented his work at the Surgical Research Society of South Africa.

About Children’s Health

Children’s Health℠ is committed to making life better for children. As one of the largest and most prestigious pediatric health care providers in the country and the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas, Children’s Health cares for children through more than 750,000 patient visits annually. The Children’s Health system includes its flagship hospital, Children’s Medical Center Dallas, as well as Children’s Medical Center Plano, Our Children’s House inpatient rehabilitation hospital, the Children’s Health Care Network, specialty centers, rehabilitation facilities and physician services. Children’s Medical Center Dallas continues to be the only North Texas hospital to be ranked in 10 out of 10 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. Through its academic affiliation with UT Southwestern Medical Center, Children’s Health is a leader in life-changing treatments, innovative technology and ground-breaking research. This affiliation led to establishing the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute in 2011, committed to pursuing research in regenerative medicine, cancer biology and metabolism. For more information, follow Children’s Health on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube or visit Childrens.com.

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 17 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 2,500 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 105,000 hospitalized patients, nearly 370,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 3 million outpatient visits a year.