The Southeast Permanente Medical Group welcomes new executive medical director

Nkem Chukwumerije, MD, now leads one of Georgia’s largest multispecialty physician groups

August 1 marked a new era for The Southeast Permanente Medical Group as Nkem Chukwumerije, MD, officially started his term as president and executive medical director.

Dr. Chukwumerije now leads one of Georgia’s largest multispecialty medical groups, with over 800 clinicians caring for more than 300,000 Kaiser Permanente members. He succeeds Mary L. Wilson, MD, who recently retired after serving in this executive position since 2015.

“It is an exceptional privilege to be asked to lead this wonderful medical group,” said Dr. Chukwumerije. “Dr. Mary Wilson has been a mentor — and a good friend — to me for many years, and I take the responsibility of following in her footsteps very seriously. I look forward to working with the outstanding clinicians and staff in Georgia to continue the great work she has done and build on her many successes.”

Dr. Chukwumerije brings a devotion to Permanente Medicine and a commitment to selfless leadership to his new role. Prior to his role in Georgia, he served as regional physician director for Utilization Management and physician leader for Care Without Delay in Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region, which includes 15 hospitals and 234 medical offices serving over 4.7 million Kaiser Permanente members.

In that role, he led a team in defining and executing Care Without Delay — a new vision and strategy to standardize Permanente Medicine practices — across the 15 Kaiser Permanente hospitals and the post-acute continuum of care. Dr. Chukwumerije also held leadership roles in Kaiser Permanente’s Panorama City Medical Center in the east San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, including chief of Hospital Medicine, physician director for Inpatient Quality Management, physician lead for Performance Improvement, and area assistant medical director.

He is a recipient of several awards from the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, including the Panorama Medical Center’s Leon I. Cohen Physician Recognition Award and SCPMG’s Physician Exceptional Contribution Award.

Dr. Chukwumerije is active in the medical community. He previously served as president and chair of the board of directors of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas, where he continues to serve on the board of directors. He also served as president of the University of Nigeria College of Medicine Alumni Association, North America. He is deeply committed to addressing the medical needs of his native country through his continued service to Faith Alive USA and the Isuochi Progressive Union, organizations devoted to providing medical care and support to underserved areas of Nigeria.

Dr. Chukwumerije, a hospital medicine physician, received his medical degree from the University of Nigeria. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in New Jersey and a Kennamer Fellowship in general internal medicine at the UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles. He also holds a certificate in Global Health and an executive master’s degree (MPH) in Healthcare Management and Policy from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. He is a member of the Society of Hospital Medicine, a fellow of the American College of Physicians, and board-certified in Internal Medicine.

Outside the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 children.