ACPA Has Announced the Newest Member of its Board of Directors: VP of Member Engagement

January 20, 2021 

The American College of Physician Advisors announced the newest member of its Board of Directors: Vice President of Member Engagement: Clarissa Barnes, MD.

Dr. Barnes is a board-certified internist who works as a hospitalist and Physician Advisor in Clinical Documentation Integrity and Utilization Review for Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center in Sioux Falls, SD. She is also a system-level Physician Advisor for Avera Health. 

"The American College of Physician Advisors is entering its seventh year of existence, and the Board of Directors is thrilled to start 2021 with the addition of Dr. Clarissa Barnes as our new VP of Member Engagement,” said President Juliet B. Ugarte Hopkins, MD “We are confident Dr. Barnes will be instrumental in the pursuit of our vision to provide exceptional and necessary resources for Physician Advisors to assume leadership roles in assisting organizations to successfully navigate the healthcare system now and in the future." 

Dr. Barnes is an experienced physician leader with roles in physician wellness and quality in addition to her physician advisor work. She has extensive experience in both written and verbal communication, which includes national-level publications and media appearances. 

“I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity,” said Dr. Barnes. “Healthcare is a constantly changing landscape, and the work Physician Advisors do is critical to improving the healthcare system. The ACPA is leading the way in this evolving field of work, and I cannot wait to build on this success as a community.”

About: 

The American College of Physician Advisors is the national organization dedicated to “promoting and expanding the prominent role of the Physician Advisor in today’s rapidly changing healthcare environment through education, certification, mentorship and collaboration.”