[January 29, 2015]

National Leader in Health Information Technology Named CEO of Health Sciences South Carolina

Health Sciences South Carolina (HSSC) has named Helga Rippen, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, FACPM, president and chief executive officer of the "first in the nation" statewide biomedical research collaborative composed of health systems, universities and medical schools. Rippen is a nationally recognized expert in health information technology (IT), having played a key role in creating the nation's health IT infrastructure, public policy, and clinical and industry applications.

Since 2004, HSSC has focused on improving the health status of South Carolinians through collaborative research and health system improvement. HSSC members include Clemson University, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and the University of South Carolina (USC) with its medical schoos in Columbia and Greenville; along with AnMed Health, Greenville Health System, MUSC Health, McLeod Health, Palmetto Health, Self Regional Healthcare and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System.

Commenting on the appointment, HSSC Board Chair and USC President Harris Pastides said, "Health information technology is the critical enabler of our aim to transform healthcare delivery and public health in South Carolina. Dr. Rippen's experience as an architect of the nation's health informatics system and her unique perspective as a physician make her the right person to advance HSSC's vision."

For over two decades, Rippen has been a leader in bridging technology and healthcare to maximize value to patients, clinicians and the healthcare sector. She was the chief health information officer and vice president of Westat's INSIGHT, Center for Health Information Technology, consulting with government and private sector clients; chief health information officer and vice president of health IT for Hospital Corporation of America (HCA); and served as a senior advisor for health IT for the Secretary's office at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she was involved with the creation of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

Previously, Rippen was director of the Science and Technology Policy Institute for RAND, supporting the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, director of health IT for Pfizer Health Solutions and founder of the HIT Institute for Mitretek Systems (now Noblis), a prominent Washington, D.C.-based non-profit group. Her medical specialties include Preventive Medicine and Public Health, as well as Clinical Informatics (News - Alert). A physician and biomedical engineer, Rippen is board certified in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine and holds a specialty board certification in Clinical Informatics.

"I'm honored to join an organization that is nationally recognized as a leader and a model to foster collaboration among leading healthcare stakeholders with the shared vision of improving health and wellbeing of South Carolinians," said Rippen. "I am proud that HSSC has provided and will continue to provide our members with the infrastructure, tools, and innovations they need to empower patients, healthcare providers and researchers to make good health possible. I will work to ensure HSSC continues to be instrumental in moving South Carolina forward as a leader in health care."

Rippen's appointment is well timed. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) recently presented HSSC with a 2014 AAMC Learning Health System Champion Research Award for the creation of the South Carolina Learning Health System.

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