When it came time to present the CHIME Foundation Industry Leader Award, there was no one more deserving than Linda Hodges, who spent decades helping CIOs and other IT leaders advance their careers. During the CHIME16 Fall CIO Forum, the former SVP and IT practice leader at Witt/Kieffer received the award, along with a standing ovation from her colleagues.
“Linda has worked with thousands of CIOs and other health IT leaders, typically doing so one candidate, one client at a time,” said Chuck Christian, VP of technology and engagement, Indiana Health Information Exchange, and chair of the CHIME Foundation board of directors. “Her track record as an executive recruiter speaks for itself, but what really stands out is her passion for this industry, our profession and helping health IT leaders transform the delivery system.”
Prior to her time with Witt/Kieffer, Hodges was executive vice president for Hersher Associates for 16 years. She served on CHIME’s Foundation board of directors from 2009 to 2012, and was instrumental in
“Having the right leader in place, matching the corporate culture, the skill set and the right experience, are critical for healthcare IT to make a positive impact on the industry,” Hodges said. “The CIO role has grown into a critical executive position on the senior management teams of most organizations. CHIME has led the effort and education for today’s CIOs.”
Also honored was Randy McCleese, CIO at St. Claire Regional Medical Center, who received the 2016 Outstanding Service Award. A CHIME member since 1998, he has been active in several different areas, including Boot Camp, forum planning committees, and the certification program. McCleese was on the CHIME board of trustees from 2012-2015, serving as board chair in 2014 and chair of the CHIME Foundation board in 2015, and currently serves on CHIME’s Policy Steering Committee.
According to Branzell, McCleese has volunteered his time and energy “to virtually every part of the organization, from education and professional development to public policy,” and has been “extremely influential” in bringing the perspective of the small hospital leader to all of CHIME’s activities.
Other award recipients were as follows:
- The 2016 Transformational Leadership Award was presented to Pamela Arora, SVP and CIO and Children’s Health in Dallas, and Bryan Bliven, CIO at University of Missouri Health Care. Children’s Health has implemented a HITRUST program called CyberAid to find cost-effective cybersecurity solutions, and MU Health Care has partnered with Cerner to create the Tiger Institute for Health Innovation, which has helped the organization build out an IT infrastructure to support clinical goals.
- The 2016 Collaboration Award went to Steve Hess, CIO at University of Colorado Health, and analytics firm LeanTaas, which teamed up to develop iQueue, a cloud-based solution that has given patients access to life-saving treatments with far less wait times.
- David Higginson, CIO at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, accepted the 2016 Innovator of the Year Award for the organization’s groundbreaking work in patient engagement. As part of Connect Patient initiative, customizable iPads were put in rooms, enabling patients and their families to access a host of services, including clinical results, discharge instructions, educational resources about their treatment, and more.
- The inaugural CHIME Foundation Partner Award went to Philips for its work on forging collaborative partnerships to advance innovation and improve patient care. It was accepted by Sara Coulter, VP of industry relations and clinical innovation.
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