Sunday, June 3, 2012

Institute Creates New Position

The West Wireless Health Institute based in San Diego, is a nonprofit institute focused on developing innovative technologies and more effective policies. The Institute has just named Roger Currie as their new Senior Vice President of Government Affairs. This is a newly created department that will focus on implementing non-partisan policy solutions needed to lower the cost of healthcare.  

Currie who will be based in Washington, D.C., has a long and distinguished career in governmental affairs and legislative policy relating to healthcare. Before joining the private sector, Currie served in several positions on Capitol Hill.

These positions included serving as majority counsel to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce where he advised the Committee Chairman as well as House leadership on federal healthcare programs and legislation. He was responsible for matters relating to FDA, CMS, and NIH. Also, Currie was counsel of record for the FDA Modernization Act as well as for the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance provision of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

“We are focused on thoughtfully disrupting the current unsustainable trajectory of growth in healthcare costs”, said Gary West, Chairman and Founder of the West Wireless Health Institute. “Rodger Currie’s extensive healthcare experience in Washington D.C., combined with the independent and non-partisan status of our institute, will help us bring a fresh rational voice in policy and regulatory discussions that will benefit patients and the country as a whole.”

The Institute’s four focus areas include:

  • Developing infrastructure independence through wireless technology
  • Provide for an efficient medical marketplace
  • Work to develop practical regulations for more efficient approvals of new technologies
  • Liberating data to help doctors and patients harness any or all relevant data

The Institute is part of the West Health Initiative which includes the West Health Policy Center and the West Health Investment Fund, all solely funded by pioneering philanthropists Gary and Mary West.

For more information, go to http://www.westwirelesshealth.org/.