The nonprofit Executives for Health Innovation (EHI), formerly eHealth Initiative, will be winding down operations in the coming months. Founded in 2001 to promote the adoption of health technology, the nonprofit convened thousands of health and technology executives, advocated for federal incentives, provided grant funding to communities, and conducted research.
Jen Covich Bordenick, EHI’s longtime CEO, announced recently that she would be leaving the organization this year. The EHI board of directors is now forming a committee to distribute EHI’s current assets to other nonprofits that align with its mission.
“Over the past 20 years, EHI has brought together stakeholders from across the health sector to share diverse perspectives, advance innovations to improve population health and build meaningful collaborations that are transforming healthcare delivery,” said Amy McDonough, chair of the board of directors and managing director of Fitbit, Google, in a statement. “I’m so proud of what this community has achieved. While the work is not done, we are confident in the power of the partnerships we've built to sustain and carry our mission forward.”
Through the years, EHI supported efforts for federal reimbursement for e-prescribing, electronic health records and most recently telehealth. “Looking back, our members, supporters and staff created a new reality in healthcare,” said Covich Bordenick, in a statement. “In the early 2000s, prescriptions were handwritten, less than 20 percent of physicians had electronic health records and telehealth was something you saw in movies.” In 2021, close to 94 percent of all prescriptions were electronic, EHR adoption is reported at over 90 percent and telehealth adoption skyrocketed over the last three years. EHI was known for convening groups of competitors and stakeholders who did not normally communicate. “Healthcare connects a variety of players who don’t always like to play in the sandbox together,” added Covich Bordenick. “We helped people recognize that collaboration improves the experience for both patients and providers.”
“EHI's unique strength lies in its ability to bring together multi-stakeholders and competitors in health and technology, fostering a spirit of collaboration. This collaborative approach was instrumental in driving innovation, breaking down barriers, and accelerating progress in health technology,” said Micky Tripathi, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in a statement. “Their legacy is a group of collaborative leaders who will boldly propel us into the future.”
EHI’s years of resources and information, including online events and reports, will continue to be available on its website,www.EHIdc.org for several months.
