Sound Anesthesia, the anesthesia division of Sound Physicians, named Emil Engels, MD, as chief physician officer on Oct. 28, 2026. The new role pairs physician and CRNA leadership at the top of the organization.
Dr. Engels will work alongside Noele Morse, DNP, CRNA, Sound Anesthesia’s chief anesthetist officer. He will partner with the company’s physician leaders and support operational and clinical quality initiatives across the specialty.
Dr. Engels is a cardiac anesthesiologist with more than 25 years of experience leading anesthesia practices and healthcare organizations. He most recently served as CEO of Aligned Orthopedic Partners. Before that, he was market president at Mednax, where he oversaw 12 anesthesia practices across four states. He also spent nearly two decades as a cardiac anesthesiologist at Falls Church, Va.-based Inova Health System. He has served on the American Society of Anesthesiologists board of directors and as president of the Virginia Society of Anesthesiologists.
“Our physician anesthesiologists and CRNAs care for patients together every day, and our leadership should reflect that,” said David Leachman, MD, CEO of Sound Anesthesia. Dr. Leachman said he expects Dr. Engels and Dr. Morse to build close collaboration between physician and CRNA perspectives.
“A surgical day runs well when physicians, CRNAs, surgeons, and OR staff work from the same plan,” Dr. Engels said. He said he wants clinicians to practice at the top of their licenses and wants hospital partners to see results in on-time starts and surgeon experience.
Sound Physicians employs more than 4,000 clinicians across emergency medicine, hospital medicine, critical care and anesthesia in 45 states.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
