Global Partnership for TeleHealth Announces New Members to Serve on the Georgia Partnership for Telehealth's Board of Directors
(PRWEB) February 17, 2014 -- Global Partnership for TeleHealth (GPT) announces that Dr. Jean Sumner, a Wrightsville, Georgia Internal Medicine Physician, and Dr. Patrick Frias, Chief, Children’s Physician Group at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta were elected to serve on the Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth’s Board of Directors. The GPT Board of Directors is a select and highly respected group of individuals who are responsible for setting policies and overseeing the organization’s vision, mission and goals each year.
Dr. James Story, Chairman of the GPT Board of Directors stated, “The healthcare landscape is changing in Georgia and we have to prepare for the future and how we will support our patients, physicians, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, jails and other traditional and non-traditional health systems. It’s all about integration and interoperability in telehealth. The high level of experience and support that each board member brings to GPT and its mission adds value like no other telehealth organization in the country.”
Patrick Frias, M.D., is Chief, Children’s Physician Group, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He is the senior executive responsible for all physician practices employed or managed by Children’s and for growing Children's relationship with the private practice community. Children’s has two practice plans: an employed group model and a leased model that represents the pediatric faculty from Emory University School of Medicine. The combined total includes more than 350 physicians and 500 nursing staff, and represents more than 30 pediatric specialties ranging from primary care to the most highly specialized pediatric services. In addition to overseeing the clinical performance and management of the physician practices, Dr. Frias is responsible for working with our academic partners in the development and execution of Children’s academic mission.
Dr. Frias is an accomplished, Board-certified cardiologist who maintains a practice within Sibley Heart Center Cardiology and is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Emory School of Medicine. He is a Fellow, American College of Cardiology, Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics and Member, American College of Physician Executives. Prior to his role as Chief of the Children’s Physician Group, he served as Director of Outpatient Services for Sibley since 2005, and joined the Children’s professional staff in 2000. Dr. Frias currently serves as Co-Chair of the American College of Cardiology Coding Task Force and on the American College of Cardiology Adult Congenital and Pediatric Cardiology Advocacy Workgroup.
Dr. Frias holds a bachelor’s degree in Theology from Creighton University, and completed medical school at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. He completed his pediatric residency at Duke University Medical Center before completing his pediatric cardiology and electrophysiology fellowships at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Frias and his wife have a daughter and three sons.
Dr. Sumner, an internal medicine physician in Wrightsville, Georgia, has a long and distinguished history of public service to the people of Georgia. She has served as a member of several Boards including the Georgia Composite Medical Board, the Georgia Department of Human Resources, the State Medical Education Board, and the Georgia Department of Community Health. Dr. Sumner is listed as a Local Legend in the National Institute of Health National library of Medicine.
In September 2011, Dr. Sumner was appointment to the position of Medical Director of the Georgia Medical Composite Board. As the Medical Director, she provides expert medical consultation on medical and regulatory issues to the Board and the Executive Director.
Dr. Sumner is a strong advocate and champion for quality rural healthcare. Through her rural clinic in Wrightsville, telemedicine brings medical specialists to her patients with state of the art care that might not otherwise be available.
Paula Guy, CEO, GPT, states that these 2 additions to the board will bring added experience and value that will be needed as telehealth continues grow in Georgia. “TeleHealth is key to reforming healthcare. Georgia is leading the nation and will continue to lead with the addition of Dr. Frias and Dr. Jean Sumner!”
The current GPT board is comprised of: Dr. James Story, GPT Chairman, President Emeritus John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital of Thomasville, Georgia; Dr. Debra Lister, Medical Director, CRMC Walk-In Clinic & CRMC Telemedicine Program Coffee Regional Medical Center of Douglas, Georgia; Dr. Joseph Barrow, Superintendent, Fayette County Board of Education of Fayetteville, Georgia; Dr. Jack Chapman, Gainesville Eye Associates of Gainesville, Georgia; Jimmy Lewis, CEO, Hometown Health of Cumming, Georgia; Paula Guy, CEO, GPT of Waycross, Georgia.
About GPT:
Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc. is a charitable nonprofit corporation which was formed to promote improvements in healthcare and healthcare facilities in rural and underserved communities by assisting in the establishment of telemedicine programs. GPT is known as the leading agency in Georgia focusing on increasing access to healthcare through innovative use of technology. GPT is one of the entities that belongs to the Global Partnership for TeleHealth. The mission of the Global Partnership for TeleHealth is to deliver worldwide access to healthcare. Our unparalleled success in the United States in applying telehealth programs and services has assisted agencies in providing cost effective, efficient, and high quality healthcare.
Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth 5th Annual Spring Conference will be held March 19-22, 2014. This event brings together innovative speakers experienced in the field of telemedicine. This year’s event will conclude with exclusive Physician CME Special Presentations and hands on telemedicine lab with primary and specialty physician focused continuing medical education available on Saturday March 22, 2014. For more information about this event contact samantha.wainright(at)gatelehealth(dot)org.
Samantha Haas, Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc., http://www.gatelehealth.org, 912-285-0902, [email protected]
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