Quick Leonard Kieffer Places Leader for Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients and CRISP Shared Services
November 1, 2022 – Chicago-based Quick Leonard Kieffer has placed Craig Behm as president and chief executive officer of The Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP) and CRISP Shared Services (CSS) in Columbia, MD. CRISP is a non-profit organization that facilitates the electronic transfer of clinical information between disparate health information systems. CSS is a non-profit support organization that provides technology infrastructure and other core services to health information exchanges (HIEs) across the country. The assignment was led by Steve Lieber, who is a senior consultant and of counsel for Quick Leonard Kieffer, and Shay Owens, principal.
Mr. Behm replaces David Horrocks, who was president and CEO of CRISP since its creation in 2009. Brandon Neiswender returns to his role as VP and chief strategy officer after serving as acting CEO since February when Mr. Horrocks left to become CEO of the New York eHealth Collaborative.
Mr. Behm, formerly CRISP’s executive director, is charged with stewarding and growing the mission and impact of both organizations, executing on their strategic plan and annual goals and objectives, and ensuring strong financial oversight and high-quality operations and services, said Quick Leonard Kieffer. He will also be expected to foster collaboration among CRISP and CSS member HIEs, while preserving and advocating for the mission, vision, and values of both CRISP and CSS at the local and national levels.
“I am fortunate to be taking the helm of such a wonderful organization with so many talented and dedicated staff. We are eager to explore new opportunities to advance health and wellness,” said Mr. Behm. “Our stakeholders see our commitment to problem-solving through deep engagement around our region and across the country. This will continue to be the foundation of everything we do.”
Strong Experience
Mr. Behm, who has been instrumental in the success of HIE efforts throughout Maryland and the region, plans to expand partner and affiliate collaborations to advocate for local, industry-led solutions to interoperability and removal of public health obstacles. CRISP and its affiliate HIEs are expected to continue to build on strong relationships with providers, Medicaid and health departments, community organizations, and other HIEs. “Every affiliate should be an essential part of the healthcare continuum in their region, and we will continue to generate even more value over time by tapping our rich legacy of innovation and leadership across the data exchange industry,” said Mr. Behm.
Mr. Behm joined CRISP in 2015 as the program manager for reporting services, afterward progressing through the roles of director of hospital services, senior director of marketing and product development, and then executive director, assuming that terminal role at the start of 2019. As executive director, he was responsible for the operations, funding, and stakeholder engagement of the Maryland Health Information Exchange, as well as for government affairs, the onboarding of new members, provider relations, and population health. Mr. Behm successfully grew revenue and diversified revenue streams, grew service utilization, and demonstrated high achievement of difficult objectives during his tenure.
CRISP is a regional health information exchange serving Maryland, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, and the surrounding regions. A non-profit organization advised by a wide range of stakeholders who are responsible for healthcare throughout the region, CRISP has been formally designated as Maryland’s statewide health information exchange by the Maryland Health Care Commission.
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CRISP Shared Services’ primary motivation is to enable and support each local jurisdiction’s healthcare community so it can improve health outcomes for its patients. CSS works with local HIE leadership to implement solutions which best serve the needs of their unique communities, even if those solutions are deployed or built by external vendors.
Respected Recruiters
Founded in 1999, Quick Leonard Kieffer is a retained executive search firm with experience finding leaders for hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers, healthcare associations, life sciences companies, insurance companies and non-profits, among other clients. The firm has a track record of placing C-suite and other senior executives with leading, well-recognized healthcare organizations around the country.
Mr. Lieber assists with executive search and client consulting with special emphasis in the healthcare association and professional society as well as information and digital technology industry sectors. He is an internationally recognized association and healthcare leader drawing on his 35 years of leadership experience. Mr. Lieber is a frequent commentator on health policy, in general – and healthcare IT trends and issues.
Ms. Owens has over 15 years of health association, higher education, non‐profit management, community relations, and fundraising experience, serving in senior staff roles at the American Cancer Society, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and other organizations. She has a successful background as an executive and a consultant ensuring achievement of multi‐year goals through change management, strategic planning, and by recruiting outstanding leaders to serve in key organizational roles. Ms. Owens has partnered with executive leaders and boards of directors to develop operational structures, governance frameworks, and services, which advance mission fulfillment and improve business development.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
