ORLANDO, FL – Healthcare IT News has announced the results of its second annual HITMen and Women Awards, honoring top leaders in healthcare information technology.

Nine men and women have been chosen to receive these awards by Healthcare IT News readers. The honorees span the breadth and depth of the healthcare IT industry and include policymakers, healthcare providers, technology vendors and healthcare payers.

More than 2,000 readers voted. The top industry leaders were selected from dozens of nominations in each of three categories:

• Enhancing Patient Care through Health IT
• Shapers and influencers
• Innovators, Up and Coming

The following awardees will be honored at the 2nd annual HITMen and Women event at the Peabody on February 21 at HIMSS11:

Category: Enhancing Patient Care through Health IT

1. Noel B. Williams, senior vice president and CIO of HCA (Hospital Corporation of America) in Nashville, Tenn.
2. Aneesh Chopra, the first chief technology officer of the United States
3. Kelvin Baggett, MD, chief medical officer of Tenet Healthcare, Dallas

Honorable mention:

1. Adam Wright, instructor in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston
2. Benjamin R. Williams, senior vice president and CIO, Catholic Healthcare West, San Francisco
3. Phil Fasano, senior vice president and CIO, Kaiser Permanente

Category: Shapers and Influencers

1. John Glaser, CEO Siemens Health Services Business Unit and member of the Healthcare IT News Editorial Board
   [See also: John Glaser joins Siemens as CEO of health IT unit.]
2. Jonathan Perlin, MD, president, Clinical Services and chief medical officer of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA (Hospital Corporation of America); chair of the federal Health IT Standards Committee
3. David Blumenthal, MD, national coordinator for health information technology
   [See also: Blumenthal credited with building solid base for health IT.]

Honorable mention:

1. Nancy-Ann DeParle, deputy White House chief of staff, formerly director of the White House Office of Health Reform
2. Phil Bredesen, former governor of Tennessee, and co-chair of the State Alliance for e-Health of the National Governors Association.
3. C. Martin Harris, MD, CIO and chairman of the Information Technology Division, Cleveland Clinic, also HIMSS Board Chairman

Category: Innovators, Up and Coming

1. Sharon Stewart, vice president, clinical information systems, Community Health Systems in Franklin, Tenn.
2. Ashok Sudarshan, senior vice president of HealthSpring, a Medicare Advantage Plan, corporate offices in Franklin, Tenn.
3. Albert Oriol, vice president and CIO, Rady Children’s Hospital and Health Center in San Diego

Honorable mention:

1. Scott MacLean, CIO, Newton Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Mass., member of the HIMSS Board of Directors
2. Jennifer Whitmire, vice president, Information Technology, Emdeon, formerly WebMD
3. Joan Kennedy, president of Liberty Medical and Diabetes Solutions, MedCo

Healthcare IT News and event founder eMids, as well as deluxe sponsor Sprint, will celebrate this year’s HITMen and Women at a reception in their honor, Monday, Feb. 21, from 6-9 p.m. at the Peabody Hotel, Grand Ballroom P, during HIMSS11 in Orlando.