Rebecca Freeman, PhD, RN, PMP, is a second-career nurse with a focus on healthcare informatics, specializing in the implementation of enterprise electronic health records. Her first career was in the field of Information Technology; she specialized in networking and device management, analytics, and large-scale IT project management. Rebecca approaches EHR/HIT with a unique understanding of the key non-technical variables (i.e., training, culture, organizational excellence) that can derail the best-laid technical plans, especially with regard to the data acquisition and secondary use.
Rebecca is currently the Chief Nursing Information Officer for the University of Vermont Health Network. She has previously served as the Chief Nursing Officer for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and as an executive nurse informaticist in a variety of practice settings. She facilitates change, enhances practice, and integrates interdisciplinary practice and research in the medical record. She also advocates for the optimal use of computer systems to feed a learning health network, which can only happen when end users come on board with their practice. Her ultimate goal is always to enhance practice, care and satisfaction for the clinician, and optimize care/outcomes/satisfaction for patients, through the use of Health Information Technology.