Vaughn A. Frigon, MD, MMHC, FAAOS, brings over two decades of medical experience to help lead CURE’s growing network of charitable hospitals
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – August 23, 2023: CURE International, a Christian global nonprofit organization based in Grand Rapids, MI, that operates a global network of eight charitable pediatric hospitals around the world announces that Vaughn A. Frigon, MD, MMHC, FAAOS will serve as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) as of September 1, 2023.
Dr. Frigon is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and a graduate of West Point, the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, and the Vanderbilt University Graduate School of Management. In addition to practicing medicine for nearly two dozen years, Dr. Frigon is an experienced healthcare executive. He most recently served as Chief Medical Officer of TennCare, the state of Tennessee’s Medicaid program that provides healthcare for approximately 1.7 million Tennesseans and operates with an annual budget of approximately $14 billion.
“As Christians, I believe God calls us to serve those who the world has largely forgotten,” said Dr. Vaughn Frigon. “For over 25 years, CURE International has led the way for faith-based charitable impact on a truly global scale. I look forward to supporting this organization’s legacy of serving some of the most vulnerable populations on Earth by expanding access to surgical care.”
Dr. Frigon will be based in the United States and will regularly visit the hospitals in the CURE network. He will work closely with the Medical Directors of each hospital, provide clinical support services to the hospital network, and serve on the CURE Executive Leadership team.
“I am thrilled that Dr. Frigon has accepted our invitation to join CURE at this critical juncture in our organization’s history. Having known him for several years now, I am confident he will ensure the highest standard of care for each child that enters the doors of our hospitals,” said Justin Narducci, President and CEO of CURE International. “His orthopedic knowledge, organizational experience, and profound love for the children we heal around the world will make him an exceptional Chief Medical Officer of our organization.”
CURE International would like to recognize the tremendous impact that Dr. Rick Gardner, the organization’s outgoing CMO, has had on the organization since he was first introduced to CURE in 2009 as a surgical fellow at CURE Malawi. Dr. Gardner will remain involved at CURE as a member of the Board of Directors.
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About CURE International
CURE International is a Christian nonprofit organization that operates a global network of pediatric surgical hospitals, which serve one of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable populations – children with disabilities. Patients at CURE hospitals suffer from orthopedic, neurosurgical, and maxillofacial conditions that limit their mobility/functionality and opportunities for education and employment. In addition to world-class clinical service, CURE intentionally ministers to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients in its care and invests in training programs that aim to equip the next generation of health workers and strengthen national health care systems. Since inception, CURE has conducted more than 5.3 million patient visits and 330,000 surgical procedures around the world. For more information, visit https://cure.org/.
