CHIME Launches New Organization to Serve Professional Needs of Chief Security Officers in Healthcare


ANN ARBOR, MI, July 31, 2014 – The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) announced today the launch of a new organization to serve the education and professional development needs of healthcare executives in senior information security roles.

The Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security (AEHIS) is the first professional organization representing chief security officers (CSOs) in the healthcare setting. Formed to address an unmet need in the industry, AEHIS will provide educational resources on important healthcare security issues, as well as an environment where CSOs can communicate with, inform and educate one another.

“As patient data breaches and cyber security threats continue to rise, there has never been a greater need for accomplished and skilled professionals to safeguard our industry’s most sensitive information,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell, FCHIME, CHCIO. “The CHIME Board recognized our industry’s void in supporting the professional development and peer-to-peer needs of CSOs, and that educational resources for key members of the CIO’s executive team were lacking.”

“We are pleased to be able to assist in the establishment of this important new organization,” said CHIME Board Chair Randy McCleese, FCHIME, LCHIME, CHCIO. “With hundreds of data breaches being reported, and a shortage of security professionals with a background in healthcare, it has become increasing clear that this group could greatly benefit from the kind of opportunities that CHIME provides CIOs.”

AEHIS will operate as a separate membership association under the umbrella of CHIME, a professional organization dedicated to serving healthcare chief information officers (CIOs) and other senior IT leaders. AEHIS members will benefit from CHIME’s twenty-two year history in delivering valuable, high-quality executive education and networking opportunities.

“In light of today’s ever-changing digital world, chief security officers in healthcare are under immense pressure to protect their organization’s information assets and architecture, while adhering to HIPAA-related privacy and security mandates,” said CHIME Executive Vice President of Membership and Professional Development George McCulloch, MA, MBA, FCHIME, CHCIO. “Our goal is to help provide the education and collaborations necessary for CSOs to progress their knowledge, solve issues, and form meaningful, supportive relationships with their peers.”

Interested CSOs that apply and are accepted before December 31, 2014 will be recognized as AEHIS founding members and will receive a one-year complimentary membership. For more information, please visit www.aehis.org.

About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 1,400 CIO members and over 130 healthcare IT vendors and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.chimecentral.org.

Contact
Stephanie Fraser
Director of Communications and Corporate Relations, CHIME
734.665.0000
[email protected]

Updated: 7/31/2014 2:46:24 PM