How Carson Kolb runs a healthcare executive search

Healthcare executive search is its own discipline. A CMO at a Medicare Advantage plan with delegated risk is not the same hire as a CMO at an academic medical center balancing clinical, research, and education missions. A hospital CFO managing 340B, DSH, and payor mix is operating on different math than a CFO at a PE-backed urgent care platform. Generic search firms tend to staff these the same way and produce mismatches that surface six to eighteen months in. Carson Kolb has been placing healthcare leaders since 1998. The firm specializes in health systems, hospitals, managed care including health plans, MSOs, IPAs, and ACOs, academic medical centers, life sciences, and healthcare IT. Engagements span non-profit, for-profit, private equity, and venture-backed organizations. Every search follows the firm's three-step methodology: understand and advise (which includes a written report back to the committee confirming the search criteria before recruiting starts), assess and present (a national search with structured phone and in-person evaluation), and negotiate and correspond (continuous communication, offer construction, and post-placement transition support). Over 95% of Carson Kolb engagements come from repeat clients and referrals, which is the strongest available signal that placements actually thrive in the role.