KANSAS CITY, MO – Outgoing MGMA President and CEO William F. Jessee, MD,  announced Thursday he is joining Integrated Healthcare Strategies, a healthcare consulting firm based in Kansas City, Mo. in October.

Jessee will serve as the senior vice president and senior adviser to the firm, and will continue to hold an academic appointment as clinical professor of Health Systems, Policy and Management at the University of Colorado School of Public Health.

“The addition of Dr. Jessee to our team of advisers will provide a wealth of knowledge and best-practice expertise, particularly related to physician leadership and the integration of delivery systems, which will be of paramount value to our clients during this time in healthcare when physician/hospital alignment will have a direct impact on organizational success,” said Bob Erra, president of Integrated Healthcare Strategies.

"As a long-term member of MGMA and a current board member, I have had the opportunity to observe Bill Jessee lead our organization with great success through difficult and transformative times.  His knowledge, strategic vision, and outstanding reputation within the healthcare community support his natural ability to now guide hospital and healthcare system leaders to successfully integrate physicians into an aligned system of the future.  Through my friendship with Bill, I know the personal satisfaction he receives from helping others succeed,” said Mickey Smith, CEO,  Oak Hill Hospital in Brooksville, Fla.

Susan Turney, MD, will succeed Jessee, who has served as the president and CEO of MGMA for 12 years.

“I have known Bill for about 10 years as he was a trustee for Exempla Healthcare, and in fact was my chair for 2007-2008," said Jeffrey Selberg, executive vice president, chief operating officer, Institute for Healthcare Improvement. "When I reflect on Bill’s innate capacity to learn and his broad range of experience over the years, I can’t think of anyone better suited to join Integrated Healthcare Strategies. Bill thinks strategically, and also has the operating experience to know the challenges involved to execute effectively.  He will serve virtually any type of client exceptionally well,”

Also on Thursday, the White House named Steven VanRoekel as the new chief information officer for the federal government. VanRoekel is currently the executive director of Citizen and Organizational Engagement at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

VanRoekel will succeed Vivek Kundra, who has been in this role for  the past two and a half years. Kundra is stepping down from his role to serve a joint fellowship at Harvard University this fall.

Kundra has been recognized in this position as a "cloud champion" and there has been much speculation about whether his successor would carry on the work he has done in this area. 

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