OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 1, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alameda Health System (AHS), a nationally recognized public health care provider, announced it has appointed leading healthcare executive Carladenise A. Edwards as Chief Strategy Officer. In her new role, Edwards will lead the development and execution of strategies to position AHS for long-term success as the Affordable Care Act is changing the healthcare landscape at the local and national level. She begins her new position August 1.
An expert in health policy, public and private health services, managed care programs and health information technology, Edwards has deep experience as an administrator, educator, researcher and as a policy and business analyst.
"Ms. Edwards' is an insightful thinker and an executive who produces positive results. She will play a key role in furthering our strategic vision for a system of care that promotes wellness, eliminates disparities, and optimizes the health of Alameda's diverse community," said Wright L. Lassiter III, Chief Executive Officer of AHS.
Edwards comes to AHS from a successful consulting practice that provides strategy and business development services to health care provider groups, health plans, technology companies, community-based organizations and state and federal government agencies.
Prior to her consulting work, Edwards was President and Chief Executive Officer of Cal eConnect, Inc., a non-profit public benefit corporation created to serve as the state governance entity for electronic Health Information Exchange in California. In that role, she created the organization and developed its programs and structure from the ground up.
Edwards served as the Interim Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health as well as Chief of Staff and State Health Information Technology Coordinator. In the early 2000s, she served as a Presidential Management Intern for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and later a Medicaid administrator in Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration.
Edwards is the recipient of many accolades including Modern Healthcare Magazine's "Up and Comers Award" for individuals who demonstrate significant promise and influence in the field of healthcare.
A sought-after speaker, Edwards has lectured nationally and internationally at academic and business conferences and universities on topics ranging from change management to health information systems and strategic planning and business development. She has also published numerous articles in business, professional and trade journals.
Edwards holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Florida and a Master of Science Degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology (with distinction) from the University of Pennsylvania.
About Alameda Health System
Alameda Health System (AHS), a major public health care provider headquartered in Oakland, California, is recognized as a world-class patient and family centered system of care. Its mission – caring, healing, teaching and serving all – sums up the AHS core objectives to promote wellness and eliminate disparities within the diverse communities it serves in Alameda County. As a regional and national leader in health care safety and excellence, AHS aims to optimize the health of all Alameda County residents by multiplying access points to its best-in-class care.
AHS creates positive patient experiences. Service and community engagement are a priority, and the system offers programs that deliver value to individuals across all patient populations regardless of their social or economic status. Quality, financial strength and development of the workforce are also system hallmarks that ensure continual improvement to every aspect of our reach in the community.
A major economic force in Alameda County, AHS employs 3,200 people, including over 500 physicians at seven facilities. These include Highland Hospital, a major regional trauma center and teaching hospital, John George Psychiatric Hospital, an acute and emergency care facility in San Leandro, California; Fairmont Hospital, an acute rehabilitation hospital and skilled nursing facility, also in San Leandro; and four ambulatory wellness centers in Oakland, Newark and Hayward, California.