WEDI Honors Health IT Industry Leaders Through Annual Awards

Industry champions recognized for contributions to further association and health IT industry initiatives

WEDI, the nation’s leading authority on the use of health IT to create efficiencies in healthcare information exchange, announces the winners of its annual awards program. Each award recipient was announced during WEDI-Con 2016 in Reston, Va. on Tuesday, November 8.

“Our Board of Directors is incredibly thoughtful in determining the dynamic accomplishments of those within our association each year,” said Charles W. Stellar, president and CEO of WEDI. “We are grateful for each of these individual’s and organization’s dedicated contributions, tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to advancing efficiency in healthcare through the use of information technology. We are pleased to have the opportunity to recognize the hard work at our conference annually.”

Andrew H. Melczer Award: Excellence in Volunteerism – This award recognizes an individual who has provided exemplary service by giving their time to the association and healthcare IT industry activities on a national basis. The award aims to recognize the person whose business philosophy is to make the world a better place by sharing one’s time and talents and is named in memory of Andrew H. Melczer who exemplified these characteristics through his volunteerism with WEDI. Robert Tennant, director of health information technology policy at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) is the 2016 recipient of the Melczer Award.

Chair’s Award – This award is presented at the discretion of WEDI’s Chair to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to the advancement of specific WEDI initiatives. The 2016 recipients of this award include:

• Jim Daley, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina;
• Laurie Darst, Mayo Clinic; and
• Jay Eisenstock, Aetna.

Distinguished Service – This award recognizes individuals who have provided significant leadership to the fulfillment of the mission, objectives, programs and overall volunteer activities of WEDI through participation in committees, workgroups, PAGs, Board of Directors, among others. The 2016 recipients of this award include:

• Tammy Banks, UnitedHealth Group;
• Laurie Burchkardt, WPS Health Solutions;
• Jay Eisenstock, Aetna;
• Tina Greene, Mitchell International, Inc.
• Pamela Grosze, PNC Bank;
• Kathy Jonzzon, Delta Dental Plans Association;
• Debbi Meisner, Change Healthcare; and
• Robert Tennant, Medical Group Management Association.

Excellence in Health IT Award – Recognizing an individual or organization’s contribution to the advancement of health information technology and eCommerce technology in healthcare, the 2016 Excellence in Health IT Award recipient was Florida Blue.

HIT Government Champion Award – This award recognizes exceptional government personnel who have supported policy that advances the Health IT industry. The 2016 HIT Government Champion Award was presented to Lorraine Doo, senior policy advisor at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Doo has been an active ally of WEDI and has helped build government support on many new initiatives.

Louis W. Sullivan Award – Named in honor of WEDI founder and former HHS Secretary, The Honorable Louis W. Sullivan, MD, this award was first presented to Dr. Sullivan in 2001 and recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves through their leadership, vision and achievements in advancing the overall quality and efficiency of healthcare. The 2016 Sullivan Award was presented to Shana Olshan, director of the National Standards Group for the Office of Enterprise Information at CMS.

Outstanding Corporate Leadership Award – This award is given to a company that has served as a strong champion of progress in the Health IT industry through their continued commitment to WEDI’s sponsorship programs throughout the year. The 2016 awardee was Axiom Systems, an information technology solutions firm providing an array of information technology consulting services and products exclusively to the healthcare industry.

Outstanding Leadership Award – This award recognizes Workgroup/Taskforce or Subworkgroup Co-Chairs who have consistently contributed toward the growth, success and impact their group has made on the industry. The 2016 recipients of this award include:

• Adele Allison, DST Healthcare;
• Alison Armstrong, Anthem;
• Janice Bakos, Aetna;
• Rhonda Buckholtz, AAPC;
• Katie Johansen Taber, American Medical Association (AMA);
• Heather McComas, AMA;
• Jay Sultan, TriZetto; and
• Sherry Wilson, Jopari Solutions, Inc.

Volunteer Service – This certificate recognizes a leader in the making – someone who is making a real contribution and a real difference within WEDI. This award recognizes someone who has actively supported the efforts of their workgroup, sub-workgroup or taskforce through their commitment, leadership, team play and productivity. The 2016 recipients of this award include:

• Mark Cone, N-Tegrity Solutions Group Consulting;
• Durwin Day, Health Care Service Corporation;
• Rachel Foerster, Rachel Foerster & Associates;
• Priscilla Holland, NACHA; and
• Gale Scott, Tampa General Hospital.
• For more information on the 2016 awardees or on the WEDI-Con conference, visit www.wedi.org.

About WEDI
The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) is the leading authority on the use of health IT to improve healthcare information exchange in order to enhance the quality of care, improve efficiency, and reduce costs of our nation’s healthcare system. WEDI was formed in 1991 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and was designated in the 1996 HIPAA legislation as an advisor to HHS. WEDI’s membership includes a broad coalition of organizations, including: hospitals, providers, health plans, vendors, government agencies, consumers, not-for-profit organizations, and standards development organizations. For more information, visit www.wedi.org.