USA Health names chief surgical officer for University Hospital
Nathan Polite, D.O., FACS, FACOS, will partner with University Hospital CEO Josh Snow, MSHA, to coordinate surgical services and ensure optimal outcomes for patients.
By Carol McPhail
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Nathan Polite, D.O., FACS, FACOS, trauma emergency general surgeon and a chief quality officer for USA Health, has been named chief surgical officer for USA Health University Hospital.
In the new role, Polite will partner with University Hospital CEO Josh Snow, MSHA, to coordinate surgical services and ensure optimal outcomes for patients at the acute-care facility that is part of USA Health, the academic health system for the University of South Alabama.
“Dr. Polite is a proven leader who is highly respected by fellow physicians and staff alike. He is also passionate about leading quality initiatives to improve the patient experience,” said Michael Chang, M.D., system chief medical officer for USA Health and associate vice president for medical affairs. “He is uniquely qualified to collaborate with other providers to coordinate services and achieve optimal outcomes in the surgical environment.”
Polite will provide clinical oversight across all surgical disciplines and lead initiatives related to operational efficiency, governance and quality at University Hospital, home to the region’s only Level I trauma center. He also will participate in strategic planning for surgical growth and work to align surgical operations with hospital goals in safety, quality and patient experience.
“I look forward to the opportunity to partner with our surgeons, operating room staff, anesthesiology group and hospital administrators to advance the delivery of care within our surgical and procedural spaces at University Hospital," said Polite, who also serves as an associate professor of surgery at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine.
Polite will continue to serve as a chief quality officer for USA Health, a position he has held since 2023. He joined USA Health in 2021, bringing prior experience as a trauma medical director at a Level II trauma center in the Atlanta area.
He earned his medical degree from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He completed a residency in general surgery at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and a fellowship in surgical critical care at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.
