Norberto Robles, HHC Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Corporate Chief Information Officer

New York, NY - The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) today announced the appointment of Norberto (Bert) Robles to the position of Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Corporate Chief Information Officer.

Robles will be responsible for developing a broad strategic vision and business plan for HHC's advanced and complex IT services. As an early adopter of electronic health records, HHC has more than 10,000 users online daily, has computerized physician order entry that allows medical practitioners to electronically input instructions for the treatment of patients under their care, and electronic patient registries that monitor and improve the health of diabetic and heart disease patients across the 11-hospital system.

"Bert Robles is a highly effective and innovative leader who will help spread and sustain technology improvement across our multi-hospital environment," said HHC President Alan D. Aviles. "I am pleased to have him join my senior team of advisors and look forward to his contributions to further advance HHC's role as a national leader in health information technology."

Robles will oversee implementation of information technology to advance health outcomes, and a data center consolidation program that is underway. He will also lead HHC's efforts to meet "meaningful use provider" technology standards to ensure New York City public hospitals, health centers and long term care facilities access maximum federal stimulus funding and other governmental financial support.

"I am excited to have the opportunity to lead and mold the future for HHC's vigorous and far-ranging IT programs and support clinical excellence to patients through technology," said Robles. "The use of health information technology will continue to dramatically change the patient to doctor relationship. I strongly believe in the power health IT can have to further improve treatment and clinical outcomes for patients, as well as operating efficiencies."

With a distinguished 30 year career in various areas of information services, Robles most recently served as Chief Information Officer for the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. He also served as a consultant for RC&A, Inc, and as a Practice Director for PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he focused on IT strategic planning, process transformation, and deployment.

Robles received a BA degree in Health Care Administration and Education from the City University of New York and a MPA Health Care Administration degree from Long Island University. His professional affiliations include the Health Care Information Management & Systems Society, the College of Health Information Management Executives (CHIME), and the Association of American Medical Centers.

Robles' appointment was effective March 1, 2010.

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.3 billion integrated health care delivery system with its own 350,000 member health plan, MetroPlus, and is the largest municipal health care organization in the country. HHC serves 1.3 million New Yorkers every year and more than 450,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 80 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc .