Industry Insight

Former ONC National Coordinator Joins OpenNotes Advisory Board

The OpenNotes team is thrilled to announce Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, has joined the OpenNotes advisory board as of May 2018. In this role, DeSalvo joins a team of accomplished advisors providing counsel and informed guidance to the OpenNotes organization and its senior leadership. The board advises on strategy for research dissemination, discovery, measurement, patient safety, vulnerable populations, and other key tenets of the OpenNotes movement.

DeSalvo is a professor of medicine and population health at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. She served as acting assistant secretary for health and also the national coordinator for health information technology at Health and Human Services during the Obama administration. She was previously New Orleans Health Commissioner and Vice Dean for Community Affairs and Health Policy at Tulane School of Medicine.

“Dr. DeSalvo brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the advisory board, and will be a tremendous asset as we work to make note-sharing the standard of care,” says OpenNotes Executive Director Cait DesRoches, DrPh.

DeSalvo is a physician whose career has been dedicated to improving the health of all people, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations, through clinical practice and leadership, medical education, policy, and public service.

“Almost 30 years ago, I was introduced to the idea of open notes when I was a medical student and tried to practice with that in mind,” DeSalvo says. “I am excited about working with the OpenNotes team and leveraging this framework to spread meaningful consumer partnerships.”

Members of the Advisory Board are key to the continued success of the OpenNotes movement. The Board represents years of experience in patient care, HIT, health policy, and advocacy for the most vulnerable patients. Board members represent no fiduciary or decision-making roles.

— Source: OpenNotes

HIMSS Announces New Chief Technology and Innovation Officer

HIMSS is pleased to welcome Steve Wretling as chief technology and innovation officer. In this new executive leadership role at HIMSS, Wretling will strategically guide enterprise-wide initiatives around digital innovations and technology.

Wretling most recently served concurrently as the global chief technology officer for DaVita, Inc and CIO for DaVita Integrated Kidney Care.

As a demonstrated technologist, Wretling delivered key capabilities for DaVita initiatives, including a flagship mobile app for chronic patients, a telehealth platform, a health information exchange platform, a new EMR system for in-center kidney care, and various physician and clinical team tools.

As a supporter of standards, Wretling’s past teams have submitted numerous contributions to the Federal Health Information Model and Health Level 7/Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources in support of kidney care additions/extensions.

As a proven innovator, Wretling served in a number of progressive roles for nearly 10 years at Kaiser Permanente, the last as vice president of information services for care delivery. He delivered a number of groundbreaking capabilities and platforms for Kaiser Permanente consumers, teammates, and physicians including their first mobile consumer mobile application, web and multichannel architecture for KP.org, a health information exchange platform, a next-generation population care and disease management strategy and platform, and a telehealth/telemedicine platform.

“With more than two decades of technology and executive experience, Steve brings a broad range of technical and health care operations experience to his role as chief technology and innovation officer for HIMSS,” states Hal Wolf III, president and CEO of HIMSS. “His leadership, expertise, and knowledge will help our global organization drive thought leadership on technical innovation and best practices throughout the health ecosystem.”

— Source: HIMSS