Kansas Health Institute | Information For Policy Makers. Health for Kansans.

TOPEKA — Sixteen people have been tapped by Gov. Mark Parkinson to serve on the board of a non-profit corporation that will oversee implementation of a digital, statewide health information exchange.

The governor created Kansas Health Information Exchange, Inc. in June with Executive Order 10-06.

The corporation was created to help meet federal requirements for a statewide information exchange spelled out as part of the economic stimulus package approved in 2009.

“Moving the Kansas health care system into the 21st Century is one way to improve the care, cost and overall welfare of all Kansans,” Parkinson said in a prepared statement. “I am pleased to appoint these members to our state’s health information exchange to further this mission while also protecting the safety and security of Kansans’ private information.”

A spokesman for the Governor's Office said a 17th member of the board will be named later. That person will represent the interests of health care consumers.

The 16 board members named Thursday were:

Roderick Bremby, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Andy Allison, executive director of the Kansas Health Policy Authority.

Karen Braman, who over the past few years has served on various panels and commissions examining health information exchange, will serve as the governor's designee on the board.

Maren Turner, director of the American Association of Retired People (AARP) Kansas. Turner will act as one of two consumer representatives on the corporation's governing board.

Brian Black, public affairs manager for Spirit AeroSystems Inc. in Wichita, will represent employers.

Dr. Michael Atwood, chief medical officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas in Topeka, will represent payers.

Cindy Chrisman-Smith, administrator of the Kingman County Health Department, will represent local health departments.

Janet Stanek of Topeka's Stormont-Vail Healthcare will serve as an administrator of a critical care hospital.

Jackie John, vice president of resource development for the Great Plains Health Alliance in Phillipsburg, will represent hospitals.

Tom Bell, chief executive officer of the Kansas Hospital Association in Topeka will also represent hospitals.

Dr. Jennifer Brull, Plainville, a family medicine physician at Prairie State Family Practice with special interests in electronic health records and preventive medicine, will represent doctors.

Dr. Joe Davison of West Wichita Family Physicians, specializing in geriatric medicine and family practice, will represent primary care physicians.

Jerry Slaughter, executive director of the Kansas Medical Society since 1975, also will represent physicians.

Jonalon Smith, Mission, will represent pharmacists.

The board also will include two non-voting members:

Helen Connors, University of Kansas School of Nursing’s associate dean for academic affairs and the first executive director of the University of Kansas Center for Health Informatics.

Larry Pitman, chief executive of the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, Inc. in Topeka, will represent the Kansas Health Information Technology Regional Center.