The Department of Health and Human Services announced late Friday the resignation of David Brailer, MD as vice chair of the American Health Information Community.
Brailer, former head of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, has been a key part in building the prestigious healthcare IT advisory panel known as AHIC, according to a statement by HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt.
Brailer told Healthcare IT News that his resignation was "something that [he] did not want to do, but also something that [he] felt that [he] must do."
In his new venture, Health Evolution Partners, Brailer will advise and manage investments in healthcare. Brailer said in a June 7 resignation letter to Leavitt that the $700 million private equity fund "does not present any actual or potential conflict" with his public service position at AHIC. "However, "because avoiding even the perception of conflict is my utmost concern, I have decided to resign...," Brailer said.
"I applaud the courage and the perseverance that you demonstrate by your efforts to lead change in our healthcare system," Brailer told Leavitt.
According to a statement by Health Evolutions Partners, its mission is to realize value in healthcare by investing in innovative ways for care to be financed, organized and delivered.
"Health Evolution Partners will accelerate inevitable change that is underway in healthcare," Brailer said. "Our investments will have a beneficial impact on the healthcare system and will be seen as benchmarks for financial performance for healthcare companies in the future."
The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) has committed up to $700 million to Health Evolution Partners, according to Health Evolution Partners. CalPERS is the nation's largest pension fund with assets of more than $245 billion, and is the nation's third largest provider of health benefits.
Brailer was appointed the first National Health Information Technology Coordinator on May 6, 2004, by executive order of President Bush calling for widespread adoption of healthcare IT by 2014. Brailer resigned from that office in May 2006 but continued to be actively involved in HHS's effort to fulfill the advancement of healthcare IT.
According to HHS, "Brailer is recognized as a leader in the strategy and financing of quality and efficiency in healthcare, with a particular emphasis on health information technology and health systems management."
"I have truly enjoyed working with David to advance the President's health IT agenda and I wish him the best of luck," Leavitt said.