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Alan D. Snell, M.D., M.M.M.

Dr. Alan Snell is a thought leader and pioneer in community-level health information exchanges. He conceptualized a community health information exchange (HIE) in the mid-1990s and later served as CEO of Michiana Health Information Network in South Bend, Indiana. MHIN was cited in January 2007 by Forrester Research as one of only nine fully-operational HIEs in the country. In that capacity he led the efforts to develop a community-wide repository, implement a clinical messaging system, and make low-cost EMRs available to physicians. He worked closely with the physician community which played an important role in funding the HIE, encouraging practice adoption, and obtaining health system commitment to the HIE.

While at MHIN, Alan served as the Chief Medical Information Officer at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center and assisted on the Cerner EMR Project for its parent organization, Trinity Health. He also led the efforts to install electronic medical records in over 120 physician practices in St. Joseph and Marshall Counties in northern Indiana.

In July 2007, Dr. Snell was appointed Chief Medical Informatics Officer for St. Vincent Health, the largest healthcare organization in Indiana and a member of Ascension Health. St. Vincent is a state-wide health system with eighteen acute care facilities and numerous practice sites in both urban and rural settings. St. Vincent is a member of Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE), one of the largest HIEs in the country. In his role, he is using the principles of health information exchange to develop an integrated network within the St. Vincent system as well as participate in data exchange with IHIE. Since coming to St. Vincent he is leading the development of electronic medical records, physician order entry systems and electronic documentation. He is currently developing a comprehensive Telehealth project in the rural areas and has introduced a web-based Personal Health Record to connect patients electronically with their physicians, hospitals, and other providers. He is currently representing St. Vincent in a state-wide ePrescribing initiative.

Dr. Snell graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1976, and then completed a Family Medicine Residency in South Bend, IN. He practiced Family Medicine and taught part-time in two resident training programs in South Bend for 27 years.

In May 1999, Dr. Snell completed a Masters Degree in Medical Management through the American College of Physician Executives and Tulane University School of Public Health in New Orleans. In addition to his passion for information technologies, Dr. Snell serves on several public health projects including Better Healthcare for Indiana and a state-wide patient safety initiative. He previously chaired the Healthy Community Initiatives of St. Joseph County and serves on the Executive Board of the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency. He continues to pursue his goal of making his home state smoke-free in all public places and to improve the health status of his fellow Hoosiers.