Western Pennsylvania Chapter HIMSS

WPHIMSS CHAPTER HISTORY CLOSELY LINKED TO FOUNDING
OF NATIONAL HIMSS

WPHIMSS was founded in Pittsburgh, a city which was one of the centers for hospital
Management Engineering in the early days of the hospital management systems
profession. As a matter of fact, the first hospital management systems department was
established in Pittsburgh in 1956 by Edward J. Gerner. As the profession spread in the
region and area hospitals were seeking ways to improve the quality and effectiveness of
their operations, it was only a matter of time for practitioners to seek a way to exchange
their experiences and knowledge.

The founding of WPHIMSS is unique in that it mirrored the genesis of the Hospital
Management Systems Society (now HIMSS) by co-founders Harold E. Smalley and Ed
Gerner in Pittsburgh (1956-1958). After serving as the Society’s first president in 1961
and 1962, WPHIMSS was formed in Pittsburgh in 1982 by Gerner along with Tom
Gentile, Al Allison, and Walt Ditmer. These individuals were engaged in hospital
administration and management engineering in Pittsburgh hospitals.

Tom Gentile served as the first president and Otto Salguero was the chapter’s second
president (1983). Supporting President Salguero was Vice-President Walter Ditmer
(Magee Womens Hospital), Secretary Ann Mullins (West Penn Hospital), and Treasurer
Steve Pikula. Other active participants were Harvey Ganong (Mercy Hospital of
Pittsburgh), Chuck Snyder (South Hills Medical Center), and Ed Gerner (Children’s
Hospital of Pittsburgh).

The first educational program was held at Presbyterian University Hospital, the flagship
of what was to become the University of Pittsburgh medical Center (UPMC). The
speaker at that session was Dan Stickler who was CEO of the hospital. Harvey Wolfe,
PhD of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh
presented to the chapter at a later session.

In 1996, HIMSS asked Barry T. Ross, LFHIMSS, to help establish the first student
HIMSS chapter. Serving on the Advisory Board of the Health Management Systems
program at Duquesne University, he worked with program faculty and students to create
this first student chapter which was to serve as a model for others.

In 2003, WPHIMSS did a self-reassessment of its viability since the Chapter was facing
the potential of losing its affiliated chapter status. Under the guidance of President Jay
Srini, FHIMSS, positive strides were made to allay this concern. A component of the
solution was the incorporation of the Tri-State Nursing Association into WPHIMSS.
This was mutually beneficial in that it provided the nursing organization a rooted group
with national ties and it increased WPHIMSS membership and expanded its composition
by adding those in nursing informatics.

In late 2006, WPHIMSS worked with HIMSS to develop a policy and procedure to deal
with the formation of new chapters in geographies in which existing chapters have
influence. Specifically, this document addresses the territory of newly formed or forming
affiliated chapters.

The Chapter sponsored scholarships for outstanding students enrolled in area related
healthcare academic programs. The scholarship program was renewed in 2007 and,
following his passing in May of that year, it was named the Edward J. Gerner Scholarship
in his memory. Scholarship recipients are:

Year	Name	College/University	Degree
1999	Susan Uhl	University of Pittsburgh	MHA
2000	Erika Sockaci	University of Pittsburgh	MHA
2007	Erik Frazier	University of Pittsburgh	MHA
2008	Kristen Goldstrom	Chatham University	MBA-Healthcare

In May 2007, the Chapter held the first annual Northeast U.S. Healthcare IT Trade Faire
& Conference in Pittsburgh. The event was done in cooperation with the Hospital
Council of Western Pennsylvania and involved participation of HIMSS, the Maryland
Chapter of HIMSS, and the Central and Southern Ohio Chapter of HIMSS. The first
HIMSS Healthcare IT Advocacy Day was hosted, in conjunction with Delaware Valley
HIMSS, in Harrisburg on May 12, 2008. Pennsylvania HIMSS HIT Awareness Day and
both chapters were recognized during a meeting of the State Senate in the Senate
Chambers.

Chapter recognition includes:

Recipient of the first runner-up chapter award in 2004

Recipient of the 2007 Chapters Innovations Grand Prize Award

Year(s)	President
1982	Tom Gentile
1983	Otto Salguero
1984*	Walt Ditmer
1984-1986	Steve Pikula
1987	Guy Hess
1987-1988	Charlotte Stevenson
1988-1989	Dave Einwag
1990-1994	Steve Pikula
1994*	Beth Berringer
1995-1996	Ron Forys
1996-1997	Guy Hess
1998-2000	Sharon Dorogy
2000-2001	Ellen Swoger
2001-2002	Sharon Dorogy
2002-2003	Jay Srini, FHIMSS
2003-2004	Sean O’Rourke
2004-2005	Rick Engel
2005*	Chuck Schuessler
2005-2008	Barry Ross, LFHIMSS

*Abbreviated term for which succeeding president began term early

HISTORY OF THE HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS SOCIETY

"In summer 2006, HIMSS Board Chair George Hickman, FHIMSS, asked for the creation of a Legacy Workgroup. This group of Lifetime Members was developed as a component of the Fellows Council because the Fellows represented the more senior members of the Society. More specifically, the Lifetime Members would be able to tell the legacy of HIMSS since its formation in the late 1950s, its inception as the Hospital Management Systems Society (HMSS) in 1961 and its affiliation with the American Hospital Association as a personal member group in 1966."

What follows is a compilation that tracks the history of HIMSS from its beginning years through present day and more importantly, details the work and achievements of those professionals who helped to bring into creation the National HIMSS Society and its benefits that we as members today regard with value to our professional lives.

Please click here to read about the colorful history of HIMSS and those founding members who helped to shape its destiny.