Executive Search

Healthcare Executive
Search Firm

Source EQ places C-suite leaders, clinical executives, and operational leaders across every healthcare setting. If your organization needs a CEO, CMO, CNO, CFO, or clinical director who can drive growth, improve outcomes, and lead through change — we find that person.

500+
Healthcare Placements Since 2018
20+
Years of Expertise
100K+
Healthcare Professionals in Network
All
Healthcare Sectors Covered

Every Healthcare Setting

Healthcare executive search isn't one-size-fits-all. The leader who thrives in a PE-backed behavioral health platform is a different hire from the one who builds a FQHC into a federally recognized center of excellence. We understand those differences — and we recruit accordingly.

Source EQ has placed executive leadership across hospital systems, independent physician groups, behavioral health organizations, FQHCs and CCBHCs, PE-backed healthcare platforms, health technology companies, skilled nursing and long-term care, concierge and direct primary care practices, and alternative medicine organizations including ketamine and integrative health.

We don't just match resumes to job descriptions. We study your mission, your board, your culture, and your strategic plan before we approach a single candidate. The result is a shortlist of leaders who are genuinely aligned with where you're going — not just available.

Behavioral Health

CEOs and executive directors for CCBHCs, FQHCs, and community mental health organizations who understand mission-driven care and complex funding structures.

PE-Backed Platforms

Operators who can scale fast, integrate acquisitions, and deliver EBITDA — while maintaining clinical quality and staff retention.

Health Systems

Department chairs, service line directors, and C-suite leaders who can navigate large, matrixed organizations while moving metrics.

Roles We Recruit

C-Suite to Clinical Leadership

Chief Executive Officer

Founding, transformational, and growth-stage CEOs for health systems, behavioral health organizations, and PE-backed platforms.

Chief Medical Officer

Physician executives who bridge clinical quality, provider relations, and strategic leadership across all care settings.

Chief Nursing Officer

CNOs who drive nursing excellence, workforce strategy, and Magnet or quality initiatives in acute and post-acute settings.

Chief Financial Officer

Healthcare CFOs with expertise in value-based care, grant funding, managed care contracting, and venture or PE reporting.

Chief Operating Officer

Operational executives who build scalable systems, lead multi-site operations, and execute on growth or integration plans.

Chief Clinical Officer

Clinical leaders who set and maintain standards across complex organizations spanning multiple programs and sites of care.

Medical Director

Physician leaders for behavioral health, primary care, specialty programs, and clinically integrated networks.

VP Clinical Operations

Leaders who translate strategy into operational reality, manage clinical teams, and drive quality and efficiency metrics.

Director of Operations

Site-level and regional operations directors for multi-location behavioral health, primary care, and specialty groups.

Our Approach

What Makes a Great Executive Search

Most executive search firms send you a stack of CVs from people who are actively looking. That is not how the best healthcare leaders find new roles. The most transformational CMOs, CEOs, and CNOs are employed, performing well, and not on any job board. They move when the right opportunity finds them — personally, thoughtfully, and with a clear picture of what they'd be joining.

That is the only kind of outreach we do. Every candidate we approach has been researched, vetted, and contacted directly by Christine — not a junior recruiter, not an automated sequence. We tell your story in a way that resonates with high-performing leaders who have choices.

The result is a shortlist of 3 to 5 exceptional candidates who have been deeply interviewed, have expressed genuine interest in your organization, and are aligned with your mission, culture, and growth trajectory. You don't wade through 30 CVs. You meet your next leader.

The EQ Factor

We assess emotional intelligence, cultural alignment, and leadership capacity — not just credentials and years of experience. The right executive has both.

Direct Outreach Only

We never post your role publicly without your approval. We go directly to the leaders you need — whether they're looking or not.

Founder-Led Every Search

Christine leads every engagement personally, from intake through offer. No handoffs to junior staff. No account managers between you and the search.

How to Engage

Search Engagement Options

We work with healthcare organizations on a retained, contingency, or hybrid basis depending on the seniority and urgency of the role. Every engagement includes Christine's direct attention, structured reporting, and a satisfaction guarantee on placements.

Retained Search

Recommended for C-suite and senior leadership roles. A structured engagement with defined milestones, exclusivity, and a dedicated timeline. Best for roles where quality and confidentiality are the priority.

Contingency Search

Fee is earned on successful placement only. Well-suited for director-level and mid-senior roles with a defined profile and reasonable timeline. No upfront investment required.

Hybrid Engagement

A partial upfront engagement fee with the balance due on placement. Common for urgent searches where you want exclusive attention without a full retained commitment.

Common Questions

Healthcare Executive Search FAQs

How long does a healthcare executive search typically take?
Most healthcare executive searches close within 60 to 90 days from intake to accepted offer. C-suite searches for complex organizations or highly specialized roles may run 90 to 120 days. We move as quickly as your process allows — we typically present the first candidates within 2 to 3 weeks of a signed engagement.
What types of healthcare organizations does Source EQ work with?
We work across the full range of healthcare organizations — hospital systems, behavioral health organizations, FQHCs, CCBHCs, PE-backed platforms, physician groups, health tech companies, concierge and DPC practices, skilled nursing facilities, and alternative medicine organizations. If it's healthcare, we recruit for it.
Do you only place active candidates or do you recruit passive talent?
We recruit primarily passive talent — leaders who are performing well in their current roles and not actively looking. This is where the most impactful hires come from. Our network of 100K+ healthcare professionals gives us direct access to people your internal team and other search firms can't reach.
What is the fee structure for healthcare executive search?
Search fees are based on a percentage of the placed executive's first-year base compensation, consistent with industry standards. Retained and hybrid engagements include a partial upfront fee. We are transparent about fee structures from the first conversation and put everything in writing before any search begins.
What guarantee do you offer on placements?
We stand behind our placements. If a placed executive leaves within the guarantee period — for any reason other than elimination of the role — we conduct a replacement search at no additional fee. Guarantee terms are outlined in every engagement agreement.
Can you conduct a confidential search?
Yes — we regularly conduct confidential searches for organizations replacing an incumbent, planning a leadership transition, or handling a sensitive organizational change. We manage all outreach discreetly and never disclose your organization's identity without your explicit approval.
How is Source EQ different from larger executive search firms?
We are boutique by design. Every search is led personally by Christine Rossell, MBA — not assigned to a junior associate after the sales call. You get 20+ years of healthcare recruiting expertise, a founder-level relationship, and a process built around quality rather than volume. We place fewer searches per year than large firms precisely because we give each one the attention it deserves.
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