HOUSTON, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Healthcare and Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) will recognize executives from Healthlink Incorporated for their significant contributions to the society and to the industry at the 2005 Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition in Dallas, TX. Healthlink is a Houston-based, privately held, provider-focused healthcare information systems consulting firm with offices in Washington, D.C. and London. Vice presidents Marion Ball and Randy Thomas and principal consultant Cynthia McKinney will be recognized at an awards banquet on February 15. The Virginia Chapter of HIMSS, under the presidency of Healthlink Consultant Cathryn Stam, will also receive the Chapters Innovation Grand Prize.
HIMSS will present coeditors Dr. Marion J. Ball and Rosemary Nelson, president and CEO of Mdm Strategies, Inc., with the Book of the Year Award, which recognizes a book that offers outstanding practical guidance and/or strategic insight for healthcare information and management systems professionals. Dr. Ball and Ms. Nelson are the editors of Consumer Informatics: Applications and Strategies in Cyber Health Care, which was published by Springer in January 2004. The book explores the role of computers, technology, and telecommunications as enablers focused specifically on the healthcare needs of consumers.
HIMSS will also honor Randy Thomas with the John A. Page, FHIMSS Outstanding Service Award, which is presented to an individual who, in the judgment of the HIMSS Board of Directors, has made significant, commendable, and long-standing contributions to the Society. Ms. Thomas was a member of both the HIMSS and CHIM Boards and is immediate past Chair of the HIMSS Advocacy Committee. She is recognized for her visionary contributions on healthcare information technology to both organizations. Ms. Thomas was also the December 2003 recipient of the first monthly Spirit of HIMSS Award.
Cynthia McKinney will be recognized with a Board of Directors Service Award for her service on the HIMSS Board. In addition to her membership on the Board, over the years, Ms. McKinney has served on the Chapters, Publications, and Education Committees as well as on the Special Interest Groups in Warehousing and Project Management. She was also the founding President of the HIMSS Heart of America Chapter and maintains an active role in the local chapter board.
The Chapters Innovation Awards are designed to recognize innovation and quality practices in HIMSS chapters. Under the leadership of Ms. Stam during 2004, the Virginia Chapter merged with the Mid-Atlantic Health Initiative, a HIPAA educational group. The Chapter also conducted a national Web cast with HIMSS during an all day meeting on Six Sigma and created a reciprocal agreement with the local chapter of the Central Virginia Project Management Institute. During the last two years, the Chapter has worked to create a formal student chapter within Virginia Commonwealth University, which could serve as a model for other chapters.
“I commend the commitment of our recipients to participate in organizations such as HIMSS, and we are pleased to see their efforts recognized,” said Ivo Nelson, CEO of Healthlink. “Healthlink encourages this type of involvement knowing that it takes a concerted effort to achieve the goals we have set for the improvement of healthcare. We are very proud of the contributions of our team members and of our affiliation with HIMSS.”
This is the second consecutive year that the contributions of Healthlink executives have been so roundly recognized by HIMSS. Last year, Healthlink executives were also recipients of awards for Industry Leadership, Article of the Year, and Spirit of HIMSS.
About Healthlink
Since its inception in 1992, Healthlink Incorporated has dedicated itself to helping healthcare organizations achieve business and clinical performance improvement through the intelligent use of information technology and process redesign. Headquartered in Houston, Healthlink employs more than 400 consultants, serving clients throughout the nation, and opened offices in London and Washington D.C. in 2004. Throughout its 12-year history, the company has completed more than 2,000 client engagements exclusively for healthcare provider organizations. Healthlink distinguishes itself as the healthcare industry’s process expertise leader and was recently recognized as the Number One Professional Services firm in Clinical Implementations in a study conducted by KLAS Enterprises. With process redesign at its core, Healthlink provides IT strategy, selection, implementation, and optimization consulting services to help healthcare organizations realize exceptional value from their IT-enabled initiatives. The company delivers these services based on its Prolink4(TM) methodology -- a proven approach that addresses key issues with governance, alignment, operations, and technology, ensuring that projects achieve desired business results. From clinical systems to financial systems, Healthlink provides the expertise to help organizations optimize their technology investments. For more information on Healthlink and its services, visit http://www.healthlinkinc.com/ .
CONTACT: Nhora Cortes-Comerer Healthlink Incorporated 212.687.1148 nhora.cortes-comerer@healthlinkinc.com
Healthlink Incorporated
CONTACT: Nhora Cortes-Comerer of Healthlink Incorporated,+1-212-687-1148, or nhora.cortes-comerer@healthlinkinc.com