Forum Explores Role of Health Information Technology in Addressing Public Health Priorities

April 1, 2019

The St. John Fisher College Master of Public Health program will host a community conversation about the future role and potential of emerging health information technology as a critical resource for addressing patterns of basic health needs for both local and global populations. The event runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, in the Skalny Welcome Center Board Room.

Dr. Michael Mendoza, the ninth commissioner of public health for Monroe County, and Dr. Karen Bell, director of the Center for Health and Care with JBS International will lead the discussion.

Through unique glimpses into the work of different public health professionals, they will examine how different approaches to health information technology are integral to both defining then working to overcome current public health challenges.

Mendoza is an associate professor at the University of Rochester in the Departments of Family Medicine, Public Health Sciences, and Nursing. He joined the Health Department in 2016 with the goal of improving population health by strengthening the collaboration between health care and public health in our community.

He is board certified in family medicine, and in addition to his responsibilities as commissioner, Mendoza is an active clinician and educator practicing both ambulatory and inpatient family medicine. He is an award-winning educator who has published numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and books in the areas of primary care, chronic disease prevention and management, public health, and addiction medicine.

Prior to serving as commissioner, Mendoza was medical director at Highland Family Medicine, a post he held for over seven years.

Mendoza received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Chicago, his master’s degree in public health from the University of Illinois – Chicago, and his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Rochester Simon Business School. He completed his residency training in family and community medicine at the University of California - San Francisco, and served an additional year as chief resident.

Bell is currently the director of the Center for Health and Care with JBS International, a company leading the efforts to enhance the health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations. She served as the chair of The Certification Commission for HIT from early 2009 through December 2013, where she led the development of functionality standards for Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in support of patient care and public health.

Her work in the field of health information technology (Health IT) is informed by extensive experience in clinical practice, academic medicine, the payer sector, public health, and health policy. Between 2005 and 2008, Bell brought this experience to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT where she served as deputy for a time, reporting directly to HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt. While at ONC, she was instrumental in developing Health IT support to better manage chronic conditions, initiate syndromic surveillance, and conduct disaster management.