Each year during U.S. National Health IT Week (NHIT Week), HIMSS gathers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to recognize U.S. government officials for their outstanding leadership and meaningful contributions to the advancement of health information and technology. Please join us in congratulating this year’s talented group of awardees, recognized at the U.S. NHIT Week Partners Celebration on Wednesday, October 10.
HIMSS Congressional Leadership Awardees
Chairman Phil Roe, MD, House Veterans Affairs (VA) Committee
Dr. Phil Roe, Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC), is a strong advocate for the practical and responsible use of information and technology to advance healthcare delivery.
Since taking over the Veterans Affairs Committee in 2017, Chairman Roe has been dedicated to advancing legislation focused on improving healthcare access and outcomes for veterans. Roe has played an active role leading in leading oversight of the VA’s electronic health record (EHR) modernization project, working closely with the his colleagues and the leadership at the VA to ensure a smooth transition from the legacy health record to the new commercial solution. Through his leadership, the HVAC has had the foresight to establish a new technology modernization subcommittee, which has oversight and investigative jurisdiction over the VA’s enterprise technology modernization programs and projects.
As the co-chair of the House GOP Doctor Caucus, Chairman Roe has been adamant about health IT modernization advancing care coordination across the community. He has brought this philosophy to his oversight of the VA’s EHR modernization to ensure the VA prioritizes interoperability with the Department of Defense (DoD) and community providers. For these significant contributions and his willingness to work with HIMSS and our Tennessee Chapter, we congratulate Chairman Roe and are honored to award him the 2018 HIMSS Congressional Leadership Award.
Ranking Member Tim Walz, HVAC
HIMSS is also honored to award the 2018 HIMSS Congressional Leadership Award to Representative Tim Walz, Ranking Member of the HVAC.
During his time on the committee, Representative Walz has been also been vigilant in his stance that the VA needs to ensure that EHR modernization is done right, and in a way that ensures interoperability with the DoD and community providers. Walz worked closely with Chairman Roe on ensuring VA Committee oversight of the EHR modernization effort, after sponsoring H.R.4245, the Veterans' Electronic Health Record Modernization Oversight Act of 2017, which directed the VA to provide Congress with quarterly updates on their EHR Modernization Program.
HIMSS congratulates Representative Walz on being selected as a 2018 HIMSS Congressional Leadership Awardee. The bipartisanship exhibited by Representative Walz and Chairman Roe is truly exemplary. HIMSS looks forward to continuing the strong relationship between the HVAC and the health IT community to ensure advancements in digital health for all veterans.
Federal Leadership Award
Colonel Kevin Seeley, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Defense Health Agency
As the Deputy Chief Information Officer, Colonel Seeley leads a combat support directorate responsible for cybersecurity, emerging technologies, data and infrastructure standardization, functional integration, and health informatics. He also provides executive oversight, coordination and leadership of the U.S. Armed Forces medical technology. Colonel Seeley is a principal military advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the DoD and senior medical leaders on all health IT matters.
Over the course of his 20 years as a HIMSS member, Colonel Seeley has had a dramatic impact on his fellow health information and technology professionals and all of HIMSS. He is a certified HIMSS professional in health information and management systems who has worked to expand HIMSS’s chapter-level impact on local health information. He has served as a senior leader at several HIMSS chapters, including as a founding member of the HIMSS Nevada Chapter and board member of the Southern California Chapter. Most recently, Colonel Seeley just took over the responsibility as the Chair of the HIMSS Federal Health Community from July 2014 to July 2018. His tireless efforts have helped increase the visibility of the community among his federal colleagues and his wise counsel has been an incredible help to HIMSS’s broader agenda and our partners.
HIMSS State Official of the Year Award
Cynthia Green-Edwards, Chief Compliance Officer, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
The 2018 HIMSS State Official of the Year is Ms. Cynthia Green-Edwards, Chief Compliance Officer for the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. As the Chief Compliance Officer, Ms. Green-Edwards is responsible for leading enterprise compliance efforts of the Michigan HHS Department, designing and implementing internal controls, policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable state, local and federal laws and regulations, third party guidelines as well as internal policies and procedures – most notably the Michigan Medicaid Program, and Michigan compliance with HIPAA.
Ms. Green-Edwards is a long-time advocate for advancements in infrastructure improvements that aid care coordination and value-based care. Her commitment to the HIMSS Michigan chapter member and our members is evident in her enthusiastic approach to engaging in public discourse that expands access to care.
HIMSS extends our congratulations to all of our NHIT Week awardees, and thanks them for their significant contributions during NHIT Week and beyond. Together we collaborate and innovate in our efforts to transform healthcare through the application of information and technology in the U.S. and across the globe.