John Cunha, DO, FACOEP has been named the permanent Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Holy Cross Health, effective September 1.
“Dr. Cunha has been dedicated to the Holy Cross mission and community for two decades, first as a physician and colleague and most recently as the steady presence who served as our Interim CMO,” said Pierre Monice, MBA, FACHE, President and CEO of Holy Cross Health. “I am grateful he is taking this role permanently. I cannot think of anyone better suited to lead our clinical enterprise forward.”
Dr. Cunha brings more than 20 years of clinical and administrative experience to this role. Since joining the Holy Cross Emergency Physician Group in 2006, he has served as Vice Chair of the Emergency Department since 2016 and a member of the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors since 2019, where he chairs the Quality and Safety Committee. He recently completed a four-year term as President of the Medical Staff, earning the trust and respect of physicians across every specialty and leading the medical staff with a clear, steady voice through the post-COVID period and leadership transitions.
As Interim CMO, Dr. Cunha oversaw, along with nursing leadership, the successful opening of the Holy Cross Health Center & Emergency Care — Deerfield Beach in May. He is the patient satisfaction champion for Holy Cross Emergency Medicine, work that has helped position the Holy Cross ED among the top-performing departments in Trinity Health.
“During my more than two decades at Holy Cross Health, leading the team that opened the free-standing ED in Deerfield Beach earlier this year is one of my proudest accomplishments,” Dr. Cunha said. “In my new role as CMO, I look forward to continuing to build upon and nurture my relationships with the physicians, staff and our patients.”
As CMO, Dr. Cunha will provide medical leadership across quality, safety and physician partnership work and will serve as a key partner to medical staff leadership and the Executive Leadership Team. His strong relationships with physicians and his deep understanding of what it takes to deliver excellent care are exactly what this role calls for.
Following an extensive search for a permanent CMO, Dr. Cunha emerged as the clear choice. He’s a leader whose clinical credibility, institutional knowledge, and strong relationships with physicians set him apart. His appointment ensures continuity and strength in Holy Cross Health’s clinical leadership.
Dr. Cunha earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey and graduated from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He completed an internship at St. Barnabas Hospital and his residency in emergency medicine at Union Hospital and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. He’s board-certified in emergency medicine by the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine.
