EHNAC Appoints Four New Commissioners

Klein, Price, Root and Whicker join diverse cross-section of industry stakeholders

FARMINGTON, Conn. – April 27, 2010 – The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body, today announced the appointment of four new commissioners who will serve the organization through 2012. The new commissioners, Sharon Klein, Renae Price, Jan Root and Jim Whicker, join ten existing commissioners and consumer representatives from both private and public organizations.

“EHNAC commissioners bring diversity through both their market background and level of domain experience, which is of vital importance in ensuring that our commission fully represents a broad cross-section of healthcare stakeholders,” noted Debra Hopkinson, operations director of EHNAC. “It’s through their expertise that we’re able to establish sound electronic transaction standards and accredit organizations for security, confidentiality, accountability and efficiency.”

Sharon Klein, Esq. brings more than 30 years of legal experience in healthcare IT and medical banking to EHNAC’s criteria and marketing committees. She is a partner at Pepper Hamilton, LLP and the managing partner of the California office. Klein’s background includes regulatory work relating to healthcare privacy, security and data management. She is an editor of the Privacy and Security Law Journal and frequently speaks about these challenges within healthcare. Klein is a member of the California and Pennsylvania bars.

Renae Price is the corporate senior director of revenue cycle for the Kindred Healthcare Hospital Division and will join EHNAC’s criteria and marketing committees. Price’s experience in the financial services sector includes executive and leadership positions within one of the nation’s largest, publicly traded health benefits companies, along with experience in the provider sector. As a KPMG alumnus focused within the healthcare industry for more than 20 years, she has facilitated multiple revenue and process improvement initiatives.

With extensive expertise in the electronic health networks industry, Dr. Jan Root will join EHNAC’s criteria and marketing committees. Root’s career has focused on the business aspects of bringing electronic commerce practices into regional healthcare, reducing costs for the entire community. Dr. Root was integral to the development and implementation of many aspects of HIPAA at both local and national levels, and is the primary author of the HIPAA Professional Health Care Claim Implementation Guide. With more than 16 years of service to the Utah Health Information Network (UHIN), Jan now serves as the president and CEO of that organization.

Jim Whicker will leverage his background in information technology on EHNAC’s criteria, marketing and nominating committees. Whicker is responsible for implementing HIPAA transaction and code sets within the Revenue Cycle Organization at Intermountain Healthcare. In addition to being a certified patient account manager with the American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM) and member of the local MountainWest Chapter, he has held both local and national leadership positions, currently serving as national EDI Liaison for AAHAM.

About EHNAC

The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) is a voluntary, self-governing standards development organization (SDO) established to develop standard criteria and accredit organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data. These entities include electronic health networks, payers, financial services firms, health information exchanges and e-prescribing solution providers.

EHNAC was founded in 1993 and is a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. Guided by peer evaluation, the EHNAC accreditation process promotes quality service, innovation, cooperation and open competition in healthcare. To learn more, visit www.ehnac.org or contact info@ehnac.org.