Hidalgo Medical Services Pediatrician Brian Etheridge, MD, Transitions to New Role as Chief Medical Officer with Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico Medicaid.

On Wednesday, July 19, Dr. Brian Etheridge, Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS) Pediatrician, announced his resignation to Dr. Dan Otero, HMS CEO, and Isaac Saucedo, Interim Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Etheridge has accepted a position with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) as their Chief Medical Officer of Medicaid. Dr. Etheridge is originally from Las Cruces, NM, and graduated from New Mexico State University and the University of New Mexico, where he obtained his medical degree in 2004. Dr. Etheridge began practicing general pediatrics and pediatric hospital medicine in Silver City in 2007 and was employed with HMS on two separate occasions, initially from 2007-2009 and again from 2017-2023. He was also employed as a physician and shareholder at Silver Health Care from 2009-2017, and has maintained privileges at Gila Regional Medical Center since 2007. He has trained students and resident physicians from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine as an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics.

Over these years, Dr. Etheridge's steady presence has provided a consistent resource for infants, children, and adolescents in collaboration with local practitioners and the state's care delivery systems. He is a strong advocate for New Mexico children. He has worked on numerous legislative actions and serves on multiple healthcare boards and committees to positively impact and improve the care delivery system for New Mexicans. These include the Vaccine Purchase Act of 2015, the Pediatric Specialty Care Taskforce of 2018, the NM Pediatric Society, and the NM Medical Society.

Dr. Etheridge's recent appointment with HMS was Pediatric Services, Medical Director. Dr. Otero said, "Dr. Etheridge was a strong leader to ensure we effectively and safely navigated the COVID-19 Pandemic. He also provides education, mentorship, and consultation to area practitioners regarding evidence-based pediatric medicine. Although he intends to stay in the community while performing his new duties with BCBS, his presence and support of clinical pediatric services will be missed."

"Caring for the kids and families of Southwest New Mexico has been an immense privilege and honor for the past 16 years. I look forward to continuing to support the health of our state in my new role," stated
Dr. Etheridge. Isaac Saucedo, ICMO, stated, "We are incredibly proud of Dr. Etheridge and wish him well in his new role. We believe he will continue to improve our patients' care and lives in his new position. At HMS, our medical providers will continue to provide the highest level of care as we serve the residents of Hidalgo and Grant Counties."

Dr. Etheridge will remain in practice at HMS until September 15, 2023. For more information regarding this announcement, please contact Dr. Dan Otero, HMS CEO, at 575-590-7090 or dotero@hmsnm.org.

HMS is a Federally Qualified Health Center Grantee under 42 USC 245b and a deemed Public Health employee under 42 USC 233 (g)-(n). Visit HMS at http://hms-nm.org or call 575-800-1HMS.