Session Description:

CMS currently defines value-based care as paying for health care services in a manner that directly links performance on cost, quality and the patient's experience of care. As purchasers of care the Federal health agencies seek to move beyond just paying volume of care, and shift payment structures provide more incentives for high quality care.  In this session we will ask leaders from the Military Health, the Veterans Health Administration, and CMS how they are applying these principles.

Speakers/Panelist:

Dr. Meredith Josephs
Chief Medical Informatics Officer
Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) program office (Confirmed)

Meredith Josephs, M.D., serves as the Chief Medical Informatics officer for the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) program office. She is responsible for executive oversight of clinical, business and clinical information technology activities impacting the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs federal EHR and the exchange of health data with private sector partners.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Prior to joining the Veterans Health Administration, Dr. Josephs served as Vice President of Clinical Informatics at Privia Health. She led the company’s clinical information technology strategic initiatives and served as the Medical Director of Privia Virtual Health, Privia’s virtual urgent care center. She collaborated with Privia Medical Group physicians and leaders to optimize Privia’s clinical technology platforms to ensure optimal delivery of healthcare services and success in value-based care programs. Before joining Privia Health in 2014, Dr. Josephs served as Chief Medical Officer at La Clinica del Pueblo, a federally qualified health center in Washington, DC, where she cared for patients since the completion of her residency training.

EDUCATION
Dr. Josephs is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Franklin Square Family Medicine Residency Program. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and is board-certified in family medicine and clinical informatics. Dr. Josephs received her master’s degree in public health from The George Washington University and a graduate certificate in biomedical informatics from the Oregon Health & Science University.

Dr. Francine Sandrow
Chief Health Informatics Officer 
Office of Community Care (OCC), Veterans Health Administration (Confirmed)

Dr. Francine Sandrow is the Chief Health Informatics Officer for Office of Community Care (OCC).  In this role, she is responsible for providing expert assistance with data analytics, population health, health information exchange, and data governance.  Dr. Sandrow will also oversee the Advanced Medical Cost Management System for OCC.

Prior to this role, Dr. Sandrow was most recently the Chief Health Informatics Officer at Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VAMC, as well the Clinical Lead on the Change Leadership team in VISN 4 and a practicing Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Sandrow is a clinical informaticist who spent 12 years in a number of leadership roles prior to coming to VA. These roles include Director of ED Information Systems at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pennsylvania and ED Director of Medical Informatics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  

Prior to her role as Chief Health Informatics Officer at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VAMC, she served as the Associate Chief of the Emergency Medicine Service. Dr. Sandrow completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Rochester, her master’s degree in systems management from the University of Southern California and earned her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College (now known as Sidney Kimmel Medical College). She was a recipient of Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VAMC Employee Engagement Award and the VA Secretary’s Honor Award for I CARE. Dr. Sandrow is board certified in Emergency Medicine and Clinical Informatics and is a Fellow in the American Medical Informatics Association.  She is also a Fellow of the Partnership for Public Service Excellence in Government Program.  

Jeff Coughlin
Senior Director, Government Relations
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

Jeff is the Senior Director of Government Relations at HIMSS.  In this position, he leads HIMSS’ efforts to build stronger relationships with federal agencies and facilitates the building of a nationwide network of advocates for state-based initiatives that impact all aspects of health IT.  

Before joining HIMSS, Jeff was the team leader for corporate accounts at the Marwood Group, where he worked with non-profit health systems, health IT vendors, professional societies, and trade associations, analyzing where they could most effectively influence legislative and regulatory processes and focus their advocacy efforts.  

His career also included several years in the health care non-profit advocacy world, where he led efforts in policy development, directed outreach to Congress and Executive Branch agencies, built advocacy coalitions with like-minded organizations, and created robust grassroots networks.  He also worked for the Department of Health and Human Services, where he was part of the team responsible for the development, implementation, and management of the Government Performance and Results Act within the Department.  

His educational background includes a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the College of William & Mary and a BA in Political Science from Providence College.



Moderator:

Kimberly Brandt
Partner
Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC

Kimberly Brandt is a Partner in the Washington, D.C. based policy firm Tarplin, Downs & Young, LLC where she advises the firm’s clients on a wide range of healthcare regulatory, enforcement and policy issues. Prior to her current private sector roles, Kim served as Principal Deputy Administrator for Operations and Policy of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).  In that role she supported the Administrator in overseeing all activities necessary for the operation and management of CMS’ $1.4 trillion dollar budget, 140 million beneficiaries and its programs, including, Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.  
Kim served as Chief Oversight Counsel and General Counsel on the staff of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee from January 2011 – August 2017.  Before joining the Finance Committee staff, Kim was a Senior Counsel at Alston & Bird in Washington, D.C. Her previous government service includes serving for seven years as the CMS Director of the Medicare Program Integrity Group.  Prior to her first tenure at CMS, Kim worked for five years at the HHS Office of Inspector General as a Senior Counsel and Director of External Affairs.