Ann Mond Johnson has been named CEO of the American Telemedicine Association. She will officially take the reins March 5.
Johnson previously served as CEO of Zest Health, a Chicago-based digital technology company that helps patients navigate their benefits and the healthcare landscape. She was also a board chair and advisor to ConnectedHealth, which has since been acquired by Connecture.
The appointment comes after former ATA CEO Jonathan Linkous unexpectedly stepped down last August. He cited personal reasons for his departure from the role he had served in for two dozen years.
The association’s COO, Sabrina Smith, took over as interim CEO. Via email at the time, ATA board president Yellowlees said the search for a permanent CEO would likely continue for six months — meaning the hunt wrapped up in the amount of time initially predicted.
In her new role, Johnson will work to build up the Arlington, Virginia-based organization’s partnerships and alliances, according to a news release.
“Telemedicine is no longer just a specialty service, but a safe and cost-effective modality of care that reaches many different people,” Johnson said in a statement. “It represents the future of health and wellness, and I’m excited by the enormous opportunity in front of us.”
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
It’s heartening to see a female take over the CEO position at ATA. Since its inception in 1993, the organization was led by a man: Linkous.
The American Telemedicine Association isn’t immune to the problem of gender equality in healthcare leadership. Of the 18 past presidents of the ATA, only four have been women. That’s less than 25 percent.
In other ATA-related news, Gary Capistrant, the association’s chief policy officer, is departing from his role, reports Politico. He plans to “promote health technology to improve patient care, public speaking about leadership and the Presidents, D.C. tour guiding — and grandfathering,” he said, according to the publication.
Photo: cnythzl, Getty Images
