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CHIME Welcomes Charles E. Christian as its 2015 Board Chairman
ANN ARBOR, MI, December 18, 2014 – The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is pleased to welcome Charles E. Christian, FCHIME, LCHIME, CHCIO, Vice President and Chief Information Officer at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Georgia, as its 2015 Board of Trustees Chair.
Christian brings over 40 years of experience in healthcare, including 26 in the CIO role. As Vice President and CIO at St. Francis, a free-standing, acute care, community hospital, he leads the development and implementation of innovative information technology strategies and activities. Before joining St. Francis in January 2013, he served over two decades as the CIO at Good Samaritan Hospital in Indiana. Prior to his position with Good Samaritan, Christian worked in healthcare IT for Compucare and Baxter Travenol, in both management and implementation roles.
Christian, whose term begins on January 1, 2015, will help lead the CHIME organization in its mission to educate IT leaders, policymakers and the industry at large about the benefits of digitized healthcare for increased safety, improved care and reduced costs. Other areas of focus will include shaping federal health IT policies, cybersecurity education, and extending support to a larger set of the healthcare IT C-suite.
“I’m humbled and feel extremely fortunate to lead CHIME during this critical and transformative time in healthcare,” said Christian. “The demands placed on our nation’s health IT leaders are expanding at an increasing rate, with the convergence of regulatory burdens and heightened job responsibilities. I look forward to working with the CHIME Board to foster leadership-development through our educational offerings, best-practice sharing, and continue to be a key resource for our members and federal agencies regarding regulatory issues.”
Christian is a Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO), Fellow and charter member of CHIME, and served on the CHIME Board from 2003 through 2004 before being elected to another term in 2012. Since 1992, Christian has served on numerous working groups and committees within the organization and is currently a member of the CHIME Healthcare CIO Boot Camp faculty. He is also an active member of both the CHIME Policy Steering Committee and Policy Leadership Council.
In 2010, Christian was recognized by CHIME and HIMSS with the industry’s most prestigious honor; the John E. Gall Jr., CIO of the Year Award. He also received the 2010 CHIME Collaboration Award for co-authoring “Make IT Known – Marketing Strategies and Case Studies in the Healthcare Environment” and was recently honored by the Indiana Chapter of HIMSS with an award in his name; the Charles E. Christian Leadership Award.
“Chuck has been a committed and valuable long-time contributor of CHIME and we could not be more thrilled for him to take the helm in 2015 and lead us through new growth and development opportunities,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell, FCHIME, CHCIO. “We congratulate our outgoing chair Randy McCleese for his dedicated service, as he guided CHIME through a year of immense progress. Chuck will no doubt build upon our successes in 2014 and continue to secure our voice in the industry, support the CIO profession at large, and advance the role of IT in healthcare. The board and I look forward to working closely with him in the year ahead to further CHIME’s position as an industry leader and collaborator.”
Christian started his career in healthcare as a Radiologic Technologist, serving in various Radiology roles. He studied natural sciences at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Lacrosse University.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 1,400 CIO members and over 140 healthcare IT vendors and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.chimecentral.org.Contact
Stephanie Fraser
Director of Communications and Corporate Relations
734.665.0000
[email protected]Posted 12.18.2014 -
Statement from CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell, FCHIME, CHCIO in Support of Congressional Letter to HHS for MU Flexibility in 2015
We are encouraged by the bipartisan letter, signed by 30 members of the House of Representatives, urging Secretary Burwell to take immediate action to shorten the Meaningful Use program reporting period in 2015. Data released today by CMS, indicating that roughly half of the nation’s physicians will receive penalties in 2015, only validate our calls for increased program flexibility. CHIME applauds the leadership Representative Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) and Representative Jim Matheson (D-UT-4) have shown on this important, bipartisan issue and are pleased their colleagues recognize how essential Meaningful Use is in the modernization of the nation’s healthcare delivery system.
Whether by regulatory changes or legislation, CHIME will continue to fight for policies to make Meaningful Use meaningful in 2015.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 1,400 CIO members and over 140 healthcare IT vendors and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.chimecentral.org.Contact
Stephanie Fraser
Director of Communications and Corporate Relations, CHIME
734.665.0000
[email protected]Posted 12.17.2014 -
Low 2014 MU 2 Attestation Numbers Validate Need for Shortened Reporting Period in 2015
CHIME reiterates call to HHS for immediate, sensible action
ANN ARBOR, MI – December 9, 2014 – As substandard Meaningful Use attestation figures for program year 2014 continue, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) reiterated its call to immediately shorten the reporting period for 2015.
According to the data, released today by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) during the Health IT Policy Committee meeting, less than 35 percent of the nation’s hospitals have met Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements. And while eligible professionals (EPs) have until the end of February to report their progress, just 4 percent have met Stage 2 requirements thus far.
“Despite policy efforts to mitigate a disastrous program year, today’s release of participation data confirms widespread challenges with Stage 2 Meaningful Use,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell, FCHIME, CHCIO.
Roughly 1 in 3 hospitals scheduled to meet Stage 2 in 2014 had to use alternative pathways to meet MU, administrative data current through December 1 indicate.
“This trend demonstrates how vital new flexibilities were in 2014 and again, underscores the need for the same flexibility in 2015,” said Branzell. “It is imperative officials take immediate action to put this critical transformation program back on track. Shortening the time frame for MU reporting in 2015 will help to ensure the program delivers on its promise to advance the transformation of healthcare in this country.”
CHIME and several other national provider associations have repeatedly told CMS that without more program flexibility and a shortened reporting period in 2015, the future of Meaningful Use is in jeopardy.
CMS data indicates that more than 3,900 hospitals must meet Stage 2 measures and objectives in 2015 and more than 260,000 EPs will need to be similarly positioned by January 1, 2015. Given the low attestation data for 2014 and the tremendous number of providers required to meet Stage 2 for a full 365-days in 2015, leaders in the Congress have pressed for a shortened reporting period in 2015 with the introduction of H.R. 5481, the Flexibility in Health IT Reporting Act, or Flex-IT Act.
“CHIME commends Representatives Renee Ellmers and Jim Matheson for their steadfast leadership and continued support for a 90-day reporting period in 2015,” said Branzell. “Swift passage of the Flex-IT bill before Congress adjourns will provide the certainty that healthcare providers deserve to ensure the safe implementation and use of their EHR systems.”
Representative Ellmers (R-NC-2) and Representative Matheson (D-UT-4) introduced H.R. 5481, the Flex-IT Act, in mid-September with resounding support from industry groups including CHIME, American Medical Association (AMA), American Hospital Association (AHA) and Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). The bipartisan bill has reached over 21 cosponsors since being introduced.
About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 1,400 CIO members and over 140 healthcare IT vendors and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.chimecentral.org.Contact
Stephanie Fraser
Director of Communications and Corporate Relations, CHIME
734.665.0000
[email protected]Posted 12.9.2014