Mark Wakefield, MD, director of the renal transplant program at University of Missouri Health Care and chief of the Division of Urology at the MU School of Medicine, has been named an associate chief medical officer of MU Health Care, effective March 1, 2017.

As an associate chief medical officer, Wakefield is responsible for providing physician leadership for outpatient care. He will engage and partner with clinical and educational leaders to streamline and improve coordination of care. Wakefield joins S. Hasan Naqvi, MD, who was named an associate chief medical officer in September.

“Dr. Wakefield has a proven history of leadership within the Division of Urology and our kidney transplant program, is a tenured professor for his educational and research accomplishments, and he brings a trusted perspective to this position,” said Stevan Whitt, MD, chief medical officer of MU Health Care. “His experience as a leader, educator, researcher and patient advocate makes him ideally suited to foster a continued environment of patient-centered care for our academic medical center.”

Wakefield joined MU in 2004 after serving in the United States Air Force as a staff urologist for the 74th Medical Group at Wright Patterson Medical Center in Ohio. Wakefield earned his medical degree from the MU School of Medicine and completed a urologic residency at MU Health Care.

Wakefield has served on several boards, including as chair of the advisory board of the Midwest Transplant Network and as representative to the Heartland Kidney Network Medical Review Board. In 2011, he served as president of the Missouri Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. He currently is the MU Health Care representative to United Network for Organ Sharing, as well as chair of the advisory board of the Missouri Kidney Program.

“It is an honor to be named associate chief medical officer,” Wakefield said. “Caring for our patients is a privilege, and I am excited to assume a new leadership role in our health system as we continue to provide the highest quality of care to our patients.”