(In presentation order)

Mr. Stithem is responsible for sales among health systems in the western and southwestern regions of the US. He joined Press Ganey in 1995. Since then, he has worked in a number of roles including customer service and sales. Mr. Stithem works with existing and prospective clients to determine which services meet their needs. He also provides onsite training for clients. He helps staff understand and effectively use patient data.

Prior to joining Press Ganey, Mr. Stithem worked with a public health care reform group, Californians for Health Security. Earlier in his career, he worked as an Account Executive with Astra Pharmaceuticals in its antiretroviral (AIDS drugs) division. Mr. Stithem has been in sales for more than 20 years.

Mr. Stithem received a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago in 1994. His emphasis was hospital administration and health policy. Mr. Stithem is Press Ganey’s ex-Winter Olympian.

 

 

Ms. Lyons, Product Marketing Manager for 3M corporation's Health Information system, is a practicing nurse with over 15 years of healthcare experience in hospital operations as well as hospital quality improvement and efficiency. She has extensive experience working on both the hospital and vendor side of the healthcare information system business designing and implementing enterprise level solutions. She has been involved in state level research projects and quality initiatives such as the State of Florida Potential Preventable Readmissions project as well as payment reforms. Her interests include embedding care improvement initiatives and technology into daily operations to support efficiences and improved patient outcomes.

 

 

Ms. Connors is the Chief Executive Officer of Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, a health care focused, utilization and quality of care review organization. Janice has served as CEO since 1982.

She graduated from Carroll College in Helena, MT with a degree in Health Information Management. Her background includes work in the field of health care data analysis, quality improvement in health care, health information technology, and corporate management and development. She has served on many local and national advisory councils concerned with the adoption of health information technology, health care access reform, health care payment reform, and health care effectiveness initiatives.

Under her leadership Mountain-Pacific has grown from its Montana beginnings, providing consultation and review services to Wyoming, Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas.

Janice is married to her husband of 32 years, Dan, a pharmacist with the Veterans Administration in Helena, Montana. They have three daughters.

 

 

Dr. Donald Hayes is an Epidemiologist in the Family Health Services Division at the Hawaii Department of Health returning to Hawaii in June 2007. Donald brings an innovative perspective that reflects his diverse background and training. Donald has a broad range of research interests focusing on disparate populations including topics ranging from infant mortality to chronic disease prevention. Previously, he worked in the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, obtained a Masters in Public Health degree in Epidemiology at San Diego State University, attended a Family Medicine Residency Program, obtained a MD degree from the John A Burns School of Medicine in Hawaii, and is a graduate of Punahou School. Donald will be talking today about using HHIC data to do Epidemiological research.

 

 

Mr. Miller serves as a Research Associate Professor at the New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice and as Senior Staff for the NH Citizens Health Initiative. He has worked on information technology projects for the NH Citizens Health Initiative, including the statewide NH ePrescribing project and the development of a statewide strategic plan for health information technology and exchange to support Governor Lynch’s Executive Order. He currently leads the Initiative's transparency reporting efforts focused on cost, quality, and patient safety. He founded the Regional All Payer Healthcare Information Council (RAPHIC) as well as the NH Purchasers Group on Health (NHPGH). Additionally he supports health policy initiatives for the NH Department of Health and Human Services, and teaches in the UNH Master of Public Health program. Patrick has spent the past twenty years working primarily in the fields of health care finance, operations, technology, public health, and policy. Prior to UNH, he was most recently the Executive Director of The Jordan Institute where he was responsible for program development and operational oversight. Patrick started his own healthcare consulting company in 1999, and previously held positions as Chief Information Officer and co-founder for the technology company Choicelinx Corporation, as well as senior management positions with Healthsource/CIGNA.
Patrick has a Master of Public Health with a focus on ecology and a B.S. in Health Management and Policy, both from the University of New Hampshire. He and his family live in an active and passive solar home in Campton, NH.