Becker’s Healthcare Podcast: Interview with Dr. Muhammad Owais Khan

Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Mackenzie Bean
Guest: Dr. Muhammad Owais Khan, CMO & Designated Institutional Official, Three Crosses Regional Hospital

Episode Overview

This episode features Dr. Muhammad Owais Khan, Chief Medical Officer and Designated Institutional Official at Three Crosses Regional Hospital in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Dr. Khan shares his journey in medicine and healthcare leadership, shedding light on the challenges and strategies involved in building physician workforce strength in a rural, high-litigation state. The discussion centers on launching a new Internal Medicine residency program, unique recruitment and retention tactics, and supporting physician well-being to strengthen hospital performance and community health.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dr. Khan's Background and the Hospital’s Profile

• Personal and professional journey:
  • Medical school in Pakistan; Residency in Family Medicine at East Tennessee State; MBA & Healthcare Law at King University ([01:16])
  • Board certifications in Hospital Medicine, Physician Executive, and Healthcare Quality Management
• Hospital snapshot:
  • Three Crosses Regional: 46 beds (10 ICU, 10 ER), fully acute care
  • Privately owned, strong physician input, locally hired doctors
  • Recently awarded 5-stars by Becker’s in 2024
  • “We see a lot of highly acute care patients...one very good thing about this hospital is that it’s privately owned by private investors...we see a lot of physician input in this hospital.” – Dr. Khan [03:02]

Launching the Internal Medicine Residency Program

• Starting from scratch:
  • GME program created with limited resources, no major corporate backing ([04:57])
  • Approved for 24 residents across 3 years on the first attempt; only third such program in New Mexico ([05:18])
  • Focused on local primary care pipeline and addressing critical physician shortages
  • “I will hopefully be able to keep my residents after they graduate to practice here, to stay here. Despite the dwindling healthcare landscape and difficult litigation laws…I am very, very hopeful.” – Dr. Khan [05:39]
• Strong internal culture and community support:
  • Despite skepticism from medical staff, program secured widespread backing post-launch
  • Aim to create “new blood” in a region dependent on aging physicians

Building Retention Through Culture

• Physician well-being at the forefront:
  • Dr. Khan’s leadership model centers on physician satisfaction to deliver quality patient care ([07:41])
  • “Physicians...tough out everything...During this process, they forget that they also have a heart, they also have a mind and a body they have to cater to.” – Dr. Khan [07:45]
  • Early identification and prevention of burnout; strong advocacy for mental health
  • “If I’m going to take care of [doctors], they are going to move mountains to provide excellent patient care.” – Dr. Khan [09:14]
• Inverse leadership pyramid:
  • Focus on supporting doctors first, leading to better patient care, satisfaction, and ultimately hospital profitability ([09:20])
  • “Rather than talking only about patients, I want to talk about doctors...Once they provide excellent care, your patients are going to be happy, you’ll end up getting better insurance contracts, and you will ultimately be profitable.” – Dr. Khan [09:43]

Recruitment Strategy: Word-of-Mouth Over Surveys

• Non-traditional recruitment:
  • No physician surveys/councils; recruitment through direct relationships, personal reassurance, and visible leadership style ([12:03])
  • Dr. Khan is rarely in his office—“You will never find me in my office because...I’m still clinically active.”
  • Most specialists (over a dozen subspecialties) recruited personally or via contacts, even from other states; minimal use of recruiters ([12:47])
  • “The culture is: listen to the doctors. They are important, they are crucial. If you will not have a physician, you will not have a hospital.” – Dr. Khan [13:23]

Legal and Policy Challenges in New Mexico

• A difficult landscape for physicians:
  • New Mexico has no caps on malpractice lawsuits, minimal insurance company presence, and no tort reform ([13:57])
  • Over 30% physician workforce lost due to litigation risk
  • “There is no cap on a malpractice lawsuit...We have lost more than 30% of our physician workforce.” – Dr. Khan [14:15]
  • Physicians gravitate to VA or university hospitals for protection; private practice is heavily impacted
  • Emotional toll and financial insolvency for some physicians; Dr. Khan would not advise his children to pursue medicine because of these risks

Vision for the Future and Lessons for Others

• Hospital ambitions and community impact:
  • Goal: Expand service lines, retain patient population locally, and enhance hospital reputation ([16:57])
  • Aspires to emulate community hospital success stories like Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic: physician-led, with robust GME and top ratings
  • “Why can’t I make a community hospital which is physician-led...and make it as successful with very, very limited resources? I think I have done that.” – Dr. Khan [17:56]
  • Ongoing hope for state policy change to improve the medical malpractice environment
  • Emphasis on teamwork—giving credit to medical staff and community doctors

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I have hired a lot of doctors and very small, successfully started an internal medicine program last year. So that’s a little bit about me and my organization.” – Dr. Khan [03:24]
• “I think no hospital will have problems [with retention] if they take care of their doctors first.” – Dr. Khan [10:03]
• “I personally have a lot of struggles in the C-suite, as anyone can imagine. But I don’t give up. And I go home happy and I sleep happy that I’ve done a good job for my people.” – Dr. Khan [13:36]
• “If people think doctors make a lot of money, then please go ahead and become a doctor, because I don’t tell my kids to become a physician for what I have gone through.” – Dr. Khan [16:01]
• Host Mackenzie Bean: “I think you’re a great case study for community hospitals across the country of what’s possible and the progress being made.” [18:41]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |---------|-------------|-----------| | Dr. Khan’s Background & Hospital Profile | Journey to CMO & details about Three Crosses Regional | [01:16]–[04:29] | | Launching Internal Medicine Residency | GME program genesis, goals, retention strategy | [04:29]–[07:21] | | Building Retention & Physician-Centric Culture | Leadership philosophy, focus on burnout & well-being | [07:21]–[11:41] | | Recruitment Without Surveys | Hands-on leadership, relationship-based hiring | [12:03]–[13:46] | | Legal Challenges in New Mexico | Malpractice environment, workforce impact | [13:57]–[16:33] | | Vision & Future Plans | Expansion aims, community aspirations | [16:57]–[18:41] |

Final Thoughts

Dr. Khan’s story is an instructive, candid look at the realities—and possibilities—for community hospitals in underserved, challenging environments. Through a focus on physician well-being, personal leadership, and relentless advocacy, Three Crosses Regional has rapidly expanded services, tackled recruitment challenges, and set a new benchmark for what rural hospitals can achieve—even when the regulatory and legal odds are stacked against them.