HIMSS Europe delivered its annual Leadership award to Dr. Jean Roberts, an English internationally renowned health IT professional "for her many years of service to eHealth in Europe and her extensive, multi-faceted experience in academic research and her ability to design and implement strategic health initiatives and manage complex programmes and projects in informatics and e-health business areas". Dr. Roberts nowadays works as an Independent Health Informatics Consultant in Phoenix Associates, Staffordshire, and is a member of the British Computer Society's Professional Development Board.
Dr. Petra Wilson, HIMSS Europe Government Council Member, who introduced the HIMSS Europe Award for eHealth Leadership, commented that with this award the Council wants to acknowledge Dr. Robert's "many achievements, among which three in particular should be pointed out: firstly, her work in driving professionalization in health informatics; secondly, her leadership in helping to grow the next generation of eHealth professionals; and thirdly her considerable research work on operational deployment of healthcare informatics into everyday healthcare services provision".
In receiving the award, Dr. Roberts underlined that the challenge for the "now" generation is to move eHealth from the back office to being an integral part of healthcare policy, development, delivery, management and research. "When we succeed, the "e" of eHealth will be subsumed ubiquitously into the term health. Then, the next generation will be more mobile, will practice IT and informatics more sensitively and will be a more agile workforce".
Dr. Jean Roberts obtained her first degree (honours) in Computer Science in 1971, through a doctorate by previous publication in Health Informatics (2005) with a subsequent Post-graduate Certificate in Research Supervision (2008). Ms. Roberts has been active internationally in health informatics since 1974, being involved in the inaugural UK Current Perspectives in Health Computing conference and exhibition and the initial Medical Informatics Europe congress, whilst working as the first ever local NHS District Computer Services Officer in the UK. She became a member of the British Computer Society in 1980 and amongst other collaborations, she became, in 2004, Founder Member UK Council for Health Informatics (HI) Professions.
About the HIMSS Europe Award for eHealth Leadership
The HIMSS Europe Award for eHealth Leadership recognises an individual who, in the judgement of the HIMSS Europe Governing Council, has demonstrated significant leadership in promoting the use of information technology in healthcare in Europe. This is the second time the award has been given - having been presented for the first time last year in Barcelona to Dr. Niels Rossing in recognition for his passion and dedication in planting the seeds of eHealth in Europe.
About HIMSS
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a cause-based, not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded 50 years ago, HIMSS and its related organizations have offices in Chicago, Washington, DC, Brussels, Singapore, Leipzig, and other locations across the United States. HIMSS represents more than 35,000 individual members, of which more than two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations. HIMSS also includes over 520 corporate members and more than 120 not-for-profit organizations that share our mission of transforming healthcare through the effective use of information technology and management systems. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy
through its content expertise, professional development, and research initiatives designed to promote information and management systems' contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care.