Cogent HMG Announces John Little as Company’s New Chief Payor Development Officer

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cogent HMG, a national leader in hospitalist and intensivist services for hospitals and post-acute care facilities, today announced the addition of healthcare executive, John M. Little, Jr., MD, MBA, as Chief Payor Development Officer, effective January 7, 2013. Prior to joining Cogent HMG, Little served as Vice President of Health Care Services and Chief Medical Officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina.

“I look forward to using my payor and healthcare experience to guide Cogent HMG in delivering more value to our customers and into these new areas of healthcare.”

In his new position at Cogent HMG, Little will be responsible for developing the company’s Payor partnerships nationwide, to enhance the revenue and profitability for our hospital clients. He will also represent Cogent HMG on Hospital Joint Operating Committees and assist leadership in developing and executing innovative relationships to propel Cogent HMG into the post acute and integrated health industries.

“We are excited to start the year with such a strong addition to our leadership team,” said John Donahue, CEO of Cogent HMG. “As we move in to the integrated health arena, John’s extensive performance track record, experience and strategic vision will be vital to our organization’s future success.”

Prior to his tenure at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina, Little served as Vice President of Health Care Services and Chief Medical Officer for BlueChoice Health Plan, formerly known as Companion HealthCare Corporation. Additionally, Dr. Little has fulltime family medicine practice experience and academic experience with the Department of Family Medicine Residency program at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. In 2009, Dr. Little was recognized by the American Academy of Family Physicians as the Robert Graham Physician Executive of the Year for his executive leadership.

“It’s an exciting time to be joining a company like Cogent HMG, an organization that is innovative, forward-thinking and has the desire to move into post acute and integrated health care,” said Dr. Little. “I look forward to using my payor and healthcare experience to guide Cogent HMG in delivering more value to our customers and into these new areas of healthcare.”

Dr. Little earned his doctorate of medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina and his master’s in Business Administration from Winthrop University. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Clemson University, graduating with the highest honors.

About Cogent HMG

Cogent HMG is the nation’s largest private hospitalist company, partnering with more than 100 hospitals across the country to build and manage high-performing hospitalist programs. Through our management and consulting services, Cogent HMG focuses on relentlessly improving efficiency and quality of inpatient care, by supporting hospitalists with technology and operational infrastructure, a coordinated clinical care team, data-driven processes, rigorous ongoing training and experienced leadership. Founded by physicians who were pioneers of the hospital medicine industry, the company is dedicated to the advancement of the field by setting best practices and through its established national mentoring program, Cogent HMG Academy™. For more information, visit www.cogenthmg.com.