April 21, 2016
Technology leader Denise Webb will join MCIS, Inc., as Chief Executive Officer (CEO); and Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS).
Webb will move into these roles June 6 after concluding her position as executive policy initiatives advisor and Wisconsin eHealth Program director with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). Within DHS, she was the state's senior health IT strategist and leader, managing critical program and policy initiatives in health that promote statewide adoption and use of electronic health records.
"Denise brings a wealth of successful and focused IT leadership experience," said Dr. Susan Turney, MCHS CEO. "She has over 15 years as a CIO and senior health IT strategist and leader with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, managing critical program and policy initiatives promoting statewide adoption and use of electronic health records in health. Her primary job as she joins us will be making sure MCHS meets all its challenges with IT support."
According to Mary Schalow, interim MCIS director, "there is massive change occurring and MCIS is an integral part of all these initiatives. Denise will play a big role in moving us forward, taking a system-wide IT approach. She'll coordinate and bring people together, managing IT services for all of MCHS and managing the for-profit MCIS including commercialization of services. I'm very excited to have her join us."
Webb has worked and interacted with MCHS and MCIS leaders for the last seven years, having served on state-level boards with Turney and former MCHS and MCIS leaders. "I so admire Marshfield Clinic, so this was an ideal opportunity and good fit professionally and personally. Everything I've done before this prepared me well for this type of job," Webb said.
What will transform health care service delivery overall and allow for payment reform is to have the right tools, data and information.
"What MCIS does is absolutely critical, having these tools ready to provide quality care for individuals but also helping MCHS understand the population served and how the system can drive positive changes in health outcomes of that population," Webb said. "Without these tools, it's very difficult in this environment to manage the care of a patient throughout the continuum of care. This can't happen smoothly unless providers can seamlessly share health information for that patient.
"This is my vision, ever since taking over as the ehealth program director for the state. For patients, it's to have more patient-centric care, no matter who they choose to see for care. Their information should follow them and be available so they can receive better and safer care."
Webb looks forward to leading MCIS. "I enjoy being a servant leader, to be there to help people develop and perform at their highest potential. What's very important and exciting is to help with the organization's professional development and drive it as a business since we're actually providing business solutions, not just technology. There are many IT organizations with leaders more focused on the technology rather than on bringing solutions to the business. That is a theme for me, not just 'build it and they will come.' Ultimately, we're here to serve the customer's needs."
Webb, who was with the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, had hands-on IT experience with programming, as an analyst, management and then moved into executive-level management to commander/CIO/COO.
She has master's degrees in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, and in information resources management from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri. She has a master's certificate in project management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from Louisiana State University.
Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) was incorporated in October 2012 and implemented in 2014. MCHS oversees Marshfield Clinic, Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc., Marshfield Clinic Information Services, Flambeau Hospital in Park Falls, along with Ministry Health Care; and Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake.