James D. Chesney, Ph.D.

Dr. Chesney has built and managed large scale demonstration projects that use research results to produce change in the delivery of health services. His projects have focused on health care information systems (tracking care for the uninsured and use of electronic medical records to improve patient care), hospital Prospective Payment System, hospital quality and efficiency measures, coverage and care for the uninsured, the allocation of block grant funds, regulation of health professionals, and financing for public health insurance programs (Medicare and Medicaid). Funding for these projects came from: W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Health Care Financing Administration (now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid), National Institute for Mental Health, and Department of Defense. His book, Taking Care of the Uninsured: a Successful Approach is under review at the University of Michigan Press.

As Director of the Office of Public Policy Initiatives at Henry Ford Health System, Dr. Chesney’s projects focused on two areas: safety net services and policy, and information technology initiatives in patient care. His major accomplishments include:
· Obtained for $42 million in Congressional appropriations resulting in funding for HFHS’ strategic initiatives.
· Led formation of the Voices of Detroit Initiative, a demonstration project that built a collaborative virtual health plan for 20,000 uninsured Detroit residents, funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
· Designed and implemented six Automated Clinical Practice Guideline Projects in partnership with the Department of Defense, which improved care for 50% of primary care patients at HFHS. The six guidelines were:
       1. Diabetes Care Management
       2. Tobacco Use Cessation
       3. Uncomplicated Pregnancy
       4. Preventive Services
       5. Cardiovascular Disease
       6. Medication Reconciliation
· Secured a Department of Health and Human Services grant that facilitated the creation of the Detroit Wayne County Health Authority, thereby improving access to care for uninsured residents.
· Implemented the HFHS Safety Net Access Process (SNAP) that improved care for uninsured patients.