James Burrell III, MD, Chief Medical Officer
As Chief Medical Officer, James Burrell III, M.D., is responsible for managing clinical operations and ensuring that Cigna Medical Group provides consistent quality care and service across the Phoenix metropolitan area. Burrell was named Chief Medical Officer in July 2007 plays a pivotal leadership role in ensuring that operations contribute as effectively as possible to our s goals.

Prior to joining Cigna Medical Group, Burrell served as Chief Medical Officer and President of the Covenant Medical Group in Lubbock, Texas. While at Covenant Health, he directed its Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Core Project team and maintained administrative oversight for all operations and physician practices.

Burrell graduated summa cum laude from Texas Tech University with a BS degree and received his medical doctorate from the University of Texas Medical Branch. He conducted his residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch — Galveston, and is a member of the American Medical Association and Texas Medical Association.

Andrea Houfek, MD, Medical Director, Primary Care and Pediatrics
Andrea Houfek, M.D., is the medical director for urgent and pediatric practice groups at Cigna Medical Group. and responsible for development, management and leadership of all aspects of the urgent care pediatric medicine departments. This includes quality of care programs, process improvement, project implementation, operational management and clinical oversight.

Houfek joined the practice in 1987 and was a practicing pediatrician for 15 years before taking on the role of pediatric department chair. She soon added the role of primary care medical director.

Houfek obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Wyoming and earned her doctorate of medicine with honors from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency with Phoenix Hospitals Affiliated Pediatric Program and served as chief resident prior to joining Cigna Medical Group.

Houfek is a Fellow with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a member of the steering committee for The Arizona Partnership for Immunizations (TAPI).

Arlene Polakof, MD, Medical Director, Specialty Care
Arlene Polakof, D.P.M., is the medical director of specialty care at Cigna Medical Group (CMG). She is responsible for management of all specialty departments within CMG, including ophthalmology, general surgery, ear, nose and throat, podiatry, cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology, rheumatology, pulmonology, anesthesiology, optometry and urology. In addition, Polakof is medical director of CIGNA Out-Patient Surgery and serves on several committees for both CMG and CIGNA HealthCare of Arizona. She is a member of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery.

Polakof has been with CMG since 1984, joining immediately after completing her residency. Prior to her medical training, Polakof taught science in the Phoenix area school systems and physics at Arizona State University. She obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Arizona State University and earned her doctorate of podiatric medicine from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine.

She is recognized for her work in the reorganization of CIGNA out-patient surgery and endoscopy, enabling the programs to meet state and Medicare accreditation guidelines.

Robert Flores, MD, Medical Director, Population Health Management
Robert Flores, M.D., is the medical director for population health management at Cigna Medical Group. He manages a department with responsibilities including quality initiatives for Cigna Medical Group, regulatory and quality oversight for Medicare, physician-specific excellence programs, Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) compliance, diabetes and health education programs, wellness strategies, care coordination, research and management of our hospitalist program.

Prior to joining the practice in 2001, Flores held positions as a private family and sports medicine practitioner, medical director for a major league baseball team, and as founder, president and medical director of a successful physician Independent Practice Association.

Flores earned his undergraduate degree from Arizona State University and his doctorate of medicine from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He completed his residency in family practice at Scottsdale Memorial Hospital.

Flores is Board Certified and a member of the American and Arizona Academies of Family Medicine.

Joseph Jasser, MD, Sr. Medical Director

Joseph Jasser, MD, is the Senior Medical Director of Adult Medicine, Radiology and Pathology for Cigna Medical Group. He is responsible for oversight and management of clinicians in the healthcare centers across the Phoenix Metropolitan area, including quality of care CMG's clinicians provide, improving the efficiency of practice and issue resolution. In his role, he is also responsible for development, management and leadership of all aspects of these departments, including clinician recruitment and retention, service enhancement, program development and Medicare bed-day management.

Prior to joining CMG, Dr. Jasser was regional medical director for Concentra Health Services in Houston, TX where he oversaw 25 clinics in South Texas, Houston and Louisiana. During his tenure at Concentra, Dr. Jasser was also corporate medical director for Bridgestone/Firestone in Akron, OH and the on-site medical director for BenVenue Laboratories in Bedford, OH. In these roles, Dr. Jasser was responsible for consulting with workplace safety committees, medical oversight of OSHA and regulatory compliance, and medical management of short- term disability and long-term disability.

A graduate of The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, OH, Dr. Jasser completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Summa Health System/Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Akron, OH. He is board certified in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Kristin Neal, MPH, PA-C, Clinical Operations Director

Kristin Neal MPH, PA-C is the Clinical Operations Director for CMG CareToday, CMG’s convenience care clinics. Kristin has oversight of all CareToday operations, including managing, recruitment and retention of clinicians, patient care quality and policy development. She is also responsible for the development, management and leadership of all aspects of care, including quality of care programs, process improvement, project implementation, and collaboration with operational management.

Kristin Neal earned her Physician Assistant degree at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona and her Masters in Public Health from the University of Utah. She was appointed by Governor Napolitano to the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants in 2007 and in 2011 was elected Vice Chair of this board. Ms. Neal received the recognition of "Arizona PA of the Year in 2004". She served for 7 years as PA in the Arizona Army National Guard and completed the Army Flight Surgeon Course in 2003.