For Immediate Release: April 17, 2014
Media Contact: Melissa Mansfield, 518-339-7769, mmansfield@skdknick.com
NYeC Appoints Four New Board Members, Builds on Board’s Deep Experience and Broad Expertise
ALBANY, NY – The New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) announced the recent appointment of four new members to the organization’s Board of Directors, expanding the board’s expertise and range of experiences. Jordanna Davis, President of healthcare consulting firm Rockingstone Group, Rochester Regional Health Chief Information Officer John Glynn, Onondaga County Commissioner of Health Dr. Indu Gupta, and HealthNow New York Inc. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Schenk will join the board as it continues to guide the advancement of the state’s health information exchange.
“We’re thrilled with the addition of these esteemed individuals to our board,” said David Klein, Chair, NYeC Board of Directors. “Their experience and background will bring new areas of expertise and complement the strengths of our existing board members.”
“As we work to enhance health information exchange in the state, our board’s varied experiences allow us to view the healthcare landscape in a holistic way, supporting our efforts to better serve New York’s patients, providers, and payers,” said Valerie Grey, Executive Director of NYeC. “With such diverse professional histories and interests, I look forward to continuing our work together to inform the growth of and vision for the Statewide Health Information Network for New York.”
The current NYeC board features a broad group of healthcare thought leaders with decades of experience in state and federal policy, hospital and health systems, advocacy groups, health plans, and patient engagement, to frame the enhancement and advancement of the State Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY). The SHIN-NY connects the state’s eight regional networks—Bronx RHIO, HealtheConnections, HEALTHeLINK, Healthix, HealthlinkNY, Hixny, NYCIG, and Rochester RHIO—to allow for real-time electronic health information exchange.
Jordanna Davis is President of the Rockingstone Group, a healthcare consulting firm in New York working with leading academic medical centers, hospitals, advocacy and member organizations, and technology companies. Prior to consulting, Ms. Davis worked in the Washington offices of U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). She served as Senator Whitehouse’s Senior Health Policy Aide during the drafting and passage of key pieces of legislation including the Affordable Care Act, the HITECH Act, and the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. She has also held positions at the Georgetown Health Policy Institute and the Greater New York Hospital Association.
“I’m honored to join the NYeC Board of Directors at such a critical time in the transformation of our healthcare system,” said Ms. Davis. “Improved data accessibility, use, and analytics are fundamental components of a higher-quality, higher-value, more patient-centric care model. I look forward to working towards these goals with my colleagues on the board and with NYeC’s talented leadership team.”
John Glynn serves as Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President of Rochester Regional Health. This past year, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) recognized Rochester Regional Health hospitals with the industry’s highest standard for electronic medical record adoption and implementation. He previously served as Chief Information Officer of Unity Health System and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Rochester RHIO.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the NYeC board and support the organization’s efforts to further advance health information exchange in New York State,” said Mr. Glynn. “The SHIN-NY and the state’s regional networks are key to providing healthcare professionals access to real-time information to coordinate care, improve patient outcomes, and reduce costs.”
As Commissioner of Health at the Onondaga County Health Department, Dr. Indu Gupta co-chairs the county’s Drug Task Force to address the opioid crisis. She is also involved in the local anti-poverty initiative, HOPE Greater Syracuse. She believes bridging public health and the healthcare sector is the key to improving health outcomes. She is board certified in internal medicine and was an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California at Los Angeles. Dr. Gupta is a board member of the New York State Association of County Health Officials and HealtheConnections. She has a volunteer faculty appointment as Clinical Assistant Professor at Upstate Medical University and courtesy appointment in the Department of Public Health at Falk College at Syracuse University.
“I look forward to working with my fellow board members to support the organization’s efforts to improve the health of communities in New York State,” said Dr. Gupta. “The electronic exchange of health information has transformed the medical community by providing connectivity in real time to keep patients safe and, ultimately, improve the health outcomes of every New Yorker, one patient at a time.”
A well-regarded community pediatrician, Dr. Thomas Schenk joined HealthNow New York Inc., the parent company of BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and BlueShield of Northeastern New York, in 2014 as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. He’s served as managing partner of Delaware Pediatric Associates and was a founding member of the Optimum Physician Alliance, a mirror independent physician association in Western New York. Dr. Schenk serves on the board of HEALTHeLINK, the Buffalo Pediatric Society, the Population Health Collaborative, the March of Dimes WNY chapter, and the West Buffalo Charter School.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to connect our region’s focus on clinical information sharing with the successes of other areas represented by my fellow board members,” said Dr. Schenk. “As both a pediatrician and health plan executive, I view the work being done through SHIN-NY as essential to elevating the quality, integration, and sustainability of healthcare in New York State.”
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About the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC)
NYeC is a non-profit organization working in partnership with the New York State Department of Health to improve healthcare by collaboratively leading, connecting, and integrating health information exchange across the state. www.nyehealth.org