Leadership Transition at BrightView Health
Cincinnati-based addiction treatment provider BrightView Health has announced a key update in its executive team: Dr. R. Corey Waller has been named the company’s new chief medical officer. This leadership change represents an important milestone for BrightView, reflecting the vision and direction of BrightView Health leadership as it continues to expand its reach and innovate in outpatient addiction treatment. Dr. Waller succeeds BrightView co-founder Dr. Shawn Ryan, who now serves as chief science officer and president of advocacy and external relations, focusing on policy advocacy and external initiatives.
BrightView Health’s Approach to Addiction Treatment
Since its founding in 2015 by CEO Chad Smith, Dr. Shawn Ryan, and Ray Compagna, BrightView Health has built a reputation for delivering high-quality outpatient addiction treatment services. The company provides medication-assisted treatment (MAT), individual and group counseling, peer recovery support, and wraparound social services. The announcement of Dr. Waller’s appointment underscores BrightView Health leadership’s commitment to advancing evidence-based care and improving patient outcomes across its nationwide network. Dr. Ryan noted, “When we founded BrightView in 2015, our vision was to radically improve the addiction medicine vertical. Dr. Waller joining our team is another major step to continue realizing that vision.”
Dr. R. Corey Waller’s Experience
Dr. Waller brings over two decades of experience in emergency and addiction medicine, research, and advocacy. His previous roles include managing director at Health Management Associates and director for the Center for Integrative Medicine at Spectrum Health Hospitals. He also serves as editor-in-chief of the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s guidelines handbook, The ASAM Criteria. At BrightView, Dr. Waller will supervise medical staff development, treatment programming, and outcomes evaluation, while also contributing to research and publications that highlight the effectiveness of the company’s programs. His appointment reinforces BrightView Health leadership’s focus on combining clinical expertise with strategic oversight to improve care delivery.
Nationwide Reach and Impact
Currently, BrightView Health treats around 20,000 patients across 97 locations in Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia. Chief Quality Officer Navdeep Kang emphasized that BrightView has developed systems that significantly improve patient outcomes. He highlighted Dr. Waller’s career-long dedication to building scalable systems of care, aligning with BrightView Health leadership’s long-term strategy to meet community needs effectively.
Strategic Expansion and Acquisitions
This leadership change coincides with strategic expansion for BrightView. In August 2022, the company acquired Boston-based Column Health, marking its second acquisition of the year and establishing a presence in additional state markets. Backed by Chicago-based private equity firm Shore Capital Partners, which invested in BrightView in 2017, the company is well-positioned to scale operations while maintaining clinical quality. These moves reflect BrightView Health leadership’s emphasis on growth, research-backed treatment, and nationwide accessibility.
Industry Trends and the Role of Leadership
The broader addiction treatment landscape has also experienced activity recently, including acquisitions by Lee Equity Partners and Acorn Health. These trends highlight the importance of innovative leadership in the sector. BrightView Health leadership remains committed to responding to these challenges with a patient-centered approach, combining clinical excellence, research-driven outcomes, and policy advocacy.
A Future Focused on Innovation and Care
With Dr. Waller now leading medical strategy and Dr. Ryan focusing on science and advocacy, BrightView Health leadership is well-equipped to continue transforming outpatient addiction care. Patients and families can expect continued innovation, high-quality treatment, and measurable improvements in recovery outcomes as the organization grows and evolves.
