Brown Recognized For State Policy Work

Geoff Brown, senior VP and CIO at Inova Health System, has earned CHIME’s fifth annual State Public Policy Award for CIO Leadership for his active involvement in state and national advocacy efforts.

In addition to educating officials on challenges relating to health IT and serving in appointed and volunteer roles to support policy initiatives, Brown has also advocated industry standards adoption through the use of technology as a key driver to achieve systemic improvements in healthcare delivery.

“I appreciate my efforts being acknowledged by this award and I’m humbled to receive it,” he said. “There are many other deserving CIOs within CHIME who are anxious to see healthcare information technology widely adopted, as a crucial step in achieving reform that improves health delivery, to the betterment of patients and families.”

Brown has organized panels of CIOs at the CHIME-HIMSS Annual HIT Advocacy Day in Richmond, Va., for the past three years, and has served as Virginia’s StateNet coordinator since the initiative was launched in 2009.

In recognition of his state level leadership, Brown was appointed by then-governor Timothy Kaine to serve as one of four appointees to the Health IT Standards Advisory Committee (HITSAC) from 2009 to 2010. He currently serves on the Virginia Health Reform Initiative Advisory Council (VHRIAC) as chair of its technology committee.

“Geoff exemplifies the kind of impact that knowledgeable CIOs can bring to the table at both the state and national level,” said Sharon Canner, CHIME’s senior director of public policy. “He is very committed to making a difference in healthcare, beyond just his expertise in the IT realm.”

Brown has been a CHIME member since 1999 and has served in several volunteer and advisory roles for the organization. He has fostered an exemplary relationship with federal executives, Canner said, noting that he has hosted two site visits by the ONC staff to view the implementation of Inova’s EHR system. In addition, Inova enabled an intern from ONC to work for six months to gain valuable first-hand experience of the process for implementing an EHR system.

The CHIME State Public Policy Award was created to honor a member for their demonstrated leadership at the state level in educating policy makers on the value of HIT towards improved patient care. Brown represents one of CHIME’s many dedicated members who have helped the industry by influencing governmental policy and energizing colleagues to follow suit.

He was presented with the award during a ceremony taking place as part of National Health IT week in Washington, D.C.