ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwired - Nov 18, 2013) - Dr. Denise Hines has been named Executive Director of the Georgia Health Information Network (GaHIN), a public/private collaborative establishing Georgia's statewide health information exchange. Her company, eHealth Services Group, has also been engaged to provide the staffing needed to support the nonprofit's mission and activities.
As Executive Director, Dr. Hines will manage the day-to-day operations of GaHIN while continuing in her role as chief executive officer of eHealth Services Group. Dr. Hines has more than two decades of healthcare experience in a variety of healthcare settings, including health systems, physician offices, home health, technology vendors, consulting, state government, and revenue management.
"We are excited to have Denise at the helm. With her past accomplishments and vast HIT experience, the board is certain that GaHIN will continue to be an effective and successful organization," stated Dennis L. White, CEO of GaHIN.
GaHIN seeks to foster a healthier Georgia through the exchange of electronic health information. The nonprofit GaHIN works closely with the Georgia Department of Community Health and the Georgia Health Information Regional Extension Center to enable the statewide electronic health information network, providing governance; project management; policy development; business and financial planning; technical infrastructure development; marketing; and stakeholder engagement.
Dr. Hines, a nationally recognized expert in state government health information exchanges, was responsible for overseeing and managing the marketing and outreach recruitment of more than 5,200 healthcare providers and 56 critical access and rural hospitals, assisting these providers in meeting meaningful use requirements and qualifying for the CMS EHR incentive program.
She participated on Georgia's HIE Strategic and Operational Plan writing team and served as the co-chair of the HIE Governance Committee. She successfully launched Georgia's first comprehensive health information transparency and health information exchange website. Dr. Hines served as the first Executive Director for the GA HIT Advisory Board and created Georgia's two-, five-, & 10-year strategic plans for health information technology. She also created and implemented the Georgia Health Information Exchange Grants Awards Program that awarded $1,800,000 in grants in the first and second years.
As President of the Georgia Chapter of HIMSS, she was named the 2012 HIMSS Chapter Leader of the Year and GA HIMSS was named Chapter of the Year. She represents Georgia on the National HIMSS Public Policy Committee and is currently nominated as a candidate to serve on the National HIMSS Board of Directors.
She has a Doctor of Health Administration from the College of Health Sciences and Nursing, and a Master of Science-Health Care Policy & Administration from the Stetson School of Business and Economics. She received her Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration & Policy from the School of Allied Health in Albany, Georgia.
"Denise is an excellent choice to serve as Director of GaHIN. She has great credentials and an impressive health IT background. I am looking forward to working with her and I am confident that she will provide the leadership needed to ensure a successful future for the organization," Kelly Gonzalez, Georgia State Health IT Coordinator, said.
About Georgia Health Information Network
Georgia Health Information Network (GaHIN) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the use and exchange of electronic health information to foster a healthier Georgia, improve patient-centered healthcare, increase efficiency and promote the health status of the entire state population. GaHIN's purpose is to close the patient information gap across all care settings by electronically connecting disparate systems and data sources to support improved quality of care, better health outcomes, and reductions in cost. www.gahin.org.
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