Encinitas CA— The physicians of Scripps Mercy Hospital’s San Diego and Chula Vista campuses have elected hospitalist Megan Hamreus, D.O., a resident of Encinitas, as the chief of staff of the county’s longest-established medical center. Dr Hamreus took over as head of the 1,100-member physician team on Jan. 1.
As chief of staff for Scripps Mercy Hospital’s two campuses, Dr. Hamreus will serve as a medical staff liaison to Scripps Mercy San Diego’s administrative staff and Scripps Health’s board of trustees. During her two-year term, she will play a key role in driving continuous improvement in the delivery of health care services to the more than 200,000 patients who visit the hospital annually.
She succeeds the hospital’s outgoing chief of staff, Michael Sise, M.D.
“In addition to the outstanding care she delivers to our patients at Scripps Mercy, Dr. Hamreus has demonstrated exemplary leadership that has strengthened Scripps as a great place for physicians to practice medicine,” said Tom Gammiere, Scripps Health’s corporate senior vice president and regional chief executive. “We’re delighted to welcome her to this new role.”
Dr. Hamreus has been a member of the medical staff at Scripps Mercy Hospital for 10 years, and earlier was on the medical staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. Previously, she served as a hospitalist at various hospitals throughout California. Hospitalists are physicians whose primary professional focus is the general medical care of hospitalized patients. Their activities include patient care, teaching, research and leadership related to hospital medicine.

Leadership at Scripps

At Scripps, Dr. Hamreus has held numerous leadership positions and earned several accolades. She is currently co-medical director of Scripps Health Inpatient Providers Medical Group, co-medical director of Scripps’ systemwide behavioral health care line, and serves on the physician professional practice review committee and bylaws committee at Scripps Mercy Hospital. Dr. Hamreus is past chief of family medicine for Scripps Mercy Hospital’s San Diego and Chula Vista campuses and was named physician of the quarter three times at Scripps La Jolla.

Dr. Hamreus’ priorities

As chief of staff, Dr. Hamreus plans to focus on enhancing educational and leadership programs for Scripps Mercy medical staff members. For new physicians, she plans to offer monthly orientations to instill Scripps Mercy’s standards for safety and high-quality, compassionate care. Dr. Hamreus also intends to convene twice-yearly summits for the hospital’s existing department Chiefs, and to foster more opportunities for leadership development and professional collaboration. She also will support efforts to bring a new Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center outpatient facility to Scripps Mercy’s San Diego campus.
During her tenure as chief of staff, Dr. Hamreus will continue to practice hospital medicine at Scripps Mercy Hospital. She also will continue her role as a medical faculty member of the family medicine residency training program of Family Health Centers of San Diego.

Education and training

Dr. Hamreus earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from California State University, San Marcos and her doctor of osteopathic medicine and surgery from De Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Iowa. She completed her family medicine residency and served as chief resident at the Ventura County Medical Center in California. Dr. Hamreus is board certified in family medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine.
Dr. Hamreus resides in Encinitas with her husband, Tim. She has a daughter and four grandchildren. Dr Hamreus enjoys glass blowing, painting, gardening and skiing.

About Scripps Health

Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a nonprofit integrated health care delivery system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats more than 750,000 patients annually through the dedication of 3,000 affiliated physicians and more than 15,000 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, home health care services, 27 outpatient centers and clinics, and hundreds of affiliated physician offices throughout the region.
Recognized as a leader in disease and injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research. With three highly respected graduate medical education programs, Scripps is a longstanding member of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Scripps has been ranked five times as one of the nation’s best health care systems by Truven Health Analytics. Its hospitals are ranked No. 1 in San Diego County and among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Scripps also is recognized by Advisory Board, Fortune and Working Mother magazine as one of the best places in the nation to work. More information can be found at www.scripps.org.