Solving Problems. Delivering Results. A N N U A L
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robust pipeline and strong proposal efforts that are ongoing.
As I reflect on the strides that Atlas Research made in 2010, I am reminded of how far we have come since the summer of 2008, when we brought together the team of professionals who would form the core of the company and help lay the solid foundation on which we stand today. It is that foundation, along with our singular focus on client satisfaction and our relentless pursuit of excellence, that have brought us to this point, earning Atlas a reputation for solving clients’ most daunting problems and delivering lasting results. Our strong performance and growing brand is particularly impressive for a young firm. We’ve seen an increase of over 50 percent in revenues and almost 100 percent in active projects compared to this time last year. We strengthened our senior leadership team, expanded our project management capabilities, added specialists (strategic communications, continuous survey readiness consultants, and field-based case managers), and welcomed a new class of research associates. We’ve bolstered our analytical and technical capabilities through both strategic hires and strengthened relationships with our partners, and we have a
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While our accomplishments may be deserving of some note, particularly when considered against the backdrop of one of the worst recessions in domestic economic history, we understand that we rest on what we have achieved to this point at the company’s peril. It is the commitment and drive that come from that understanding – that competitive edge – that give us great confidence that our best years are still ahead. We are humbled by our success and driven to outperform our own high expectations. Let me extend my sincerest thanks to the exceptional efforts of our staff, to our extraordinary partners, and to the clients that we’ve worked so closely with over the past year. We are committed to building greater corporate capacity, to strengthening our relationships with clients and partners, and to expanding our professional service offerings. We recognize that the road ahead will bring both challenges and opportunities, and I have every confidence that our dedicated and talented team will meet and seize them. Solving problems. Delivering results.
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To another great year!
Ryung Suh, MD, MPP, MBA, MPH Chief Executive Officer
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Contents
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The Atlas Story
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Solving Problems. Delivering Results. 4
Homeless Veterans
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Rural Health Care
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Quality Care
10 Women Veterans 12 Health Outreach and Education 14 Hospital Operations and Quality Improvement 16 Cultural Competence and Health Literacy 17 Specialized Expertise
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Community Engagement and Public Service
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Outreach and Accolades
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Atlas Leadership
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Executives in the Classroom
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Atlas Senior Fellows
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Partners
2010 Annual Report
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The Atlas Story A few months after its formation in the summer of 2008, Atlas Research won the foundational contracts that would foreshadow still greater things to come. The company’s founders had left successful careers as senior executives in prominent Washington firms and organizations, bringing together a collective track record of distinguished military and public service, and reputations earned through corporate success and academic accomplishments. They brought entrepreneurial drive, a penchant for innovation, and a commitment to excellence; and from that investment, after just two years, the company looks and functions as one would expect a company with many more years behind it. Atlas Research has earned a reputation as an indispensable resource to health systems leaders faced with the challenge of improving performance, accountability, and transparency in a period of increasing adversity and rapid change. In 2010, we continued to build on our solid foundation, leveraging commitment to innovation, close affiliations with leading academic institutions, and strategic partnerships with recognized providers of government solutions to support a growing portfolio of mission-critical projects. We distinguished ourselves in 2010 as we have from the company’s inception: by
taking on, and helping our clients solve, difficult problems. Whether with the Department of Veterans Affairs, where we helped establish, and provided policy and planning support to the Office of Rural Health; the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services, for whom we developed a visual analytics and decision support tool integrating multiple emergency department information systems into a single interface; or the Capitol Health Care Network, where we developed and implemented a homeless Veteran case management, outreach, and care coordination program; we have a proven track record of working in partnership with our clients to deliver evidence-based solutions to their most pressing problems. As our project portfolio expanded over the past year, so, too, did our revenues. Our annual revenues grew aggressively in 2010, and we are poised for continued growth as we prepare to fully tap our corporate expertise and experience working in and with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, and key civilian health care agencies. We have reinvested in the business, and we have supported the communities of need whose problems our business exists to help government solve. In 2010, we spearheaded a coat drive for homeless Veterans, sponsored a women’s wellness event focused on the needs of women Veterans, and adopted a homeless Veteran and her children for the holiday season. And so we look to 2011 with great anticipation and optimism, but also with an abiding sense of commitment and obligation to our clients, dedicated staff, and partners, as we continue to grow.
Photo: Atlas Research founders, President Mark H. Chichester and Chief Executive Officer Ryung Suh.
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Atlas Research www.atlasresearch.us
Solving Problems. Delivering Results. We distinguished ourselves in 2010 as we have from the company’s inception: by taking on, and helping our clients solve, difficult problems.
2010 Annual Report
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Veronica Jackson, Project Manager
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Our rural communitybased case managers are identifying homeless or at-risk Veterans and connecting them with valuable VA services.
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Solving Problems. Delivering Results for Homeless Veterans.
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Atlas Research www.atlasresearch.us
Establishing
HOMELESS PROGRAMS for Veterans living in rural communities
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reported that one in five homeless adults (one in three homeless adult males) in the United States is a Veteran.1 Although difficult to measure accurately, the number of homeless Veterans in 2009 was estimated to be 107,000, representing every war and generation, including current OEF/OIF operations.2 In its Strategic Plan FY 2010-2014, VA set an ambitious five-year goal to end homelessness among Veterans. As part of this effort, the agency determined that homeless services need to be based in rural communities in order to best assist rural homeless Veterans. In addition to their struggle to obtain shelter, food, and medical care, rural homeless Veterans also face significant challenges in simply arranging for transportation to get to a health care facility that may be hours away. The VA Capitol Health Care Network engaged Atlas in 2010 to oversee a pilot project to provide homeless and homeless prevention services in rural communities at four Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) within the Network. Atlas deployed VA-credentialed case managers who work as members of VA’s Health Care for Homeless team to foster partnerships among homeless programs, mental health service providers, CBOCs, and community stakeholders to determine ongoing service needs to supplement, rather than duplicate, existing efforts. The case managers collaborate with rural communities to identify homeless Veterans; enroll homeless Veterans into the VA system; complete mental and physical assessments; and focus on locating, reaching out to, and educating homeless Veterans on available health services. The program includes a unique partnership with correctional health care providers to provide early identification, mental health and substance abuse service, health education, re-entry planning, and homelessness prevention services to incarcerated Veterans as well. 1
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2010). Opening doors: Federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/docs/OpeningDoors2010FSP.pdf 2
Ibid.
2010 Annual Report
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Jeff Baetz, Vice President, Project Management and John Gilmore, Senior Vice President
Solving Problems. Delivering Results in Rural Health Care. 6
Atlas Research www.atlasresearch.us
Developing innovative programs and policies to enhance
RURAL VETERAN HEALTH CARE DELIVERY
Of the eight million Veterans currently enrolled in VA’s health care system, about three million live in rural areas.3 One of the biggest challenges rural Veterans contend with is how to get access to the health care services they need. Since 2006, the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Office of Rural Health (ORH), within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), has been charged with developing evidence-based policies and innovative practices to improve access and quality of health care for enrolled rural Veterans residing in these geographically remote areas. ORH’s primary objectives center on working collaboratively with internal VA offices and external rural health experts to refine current programs as well as develop new solutions to address the unique health care challenges rural Veterans face. Confronted with the daunting challenge of being a relatively new, high-profile national office within the VA, ORH awarded Atlas, in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, a $30 million IDIQ contract to establish the ORH Policy and Planning Group (PPG). Atlas undertook these responsibilities amid a period of intense Congressional scrutiny of VA, with the public questioning the agency’s ability to meet the needs of enrolled rural Veterans. From the PPG platform, the Atlas team implemented an impressive array of health care initiatives, including: • Providing program support in managing and monitoring 74 nationally implemented rural health projects by Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) and VHA program offices;
• Helping develop a new rural health performance metrics system to evaluate and report on program outcomes and impacts on rural Veteran populations; • Providing rapid response legislative support and assistance with Congressional reporting requirements; • Helping establish and provide planning and professional staff support to the federal Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee and providing research support to the Committee in drafting its inaugural annual report to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; • Producing a series of policy studies and a comprehensive multimedia Educational Symposium Series (available via live satellite broadcast and the VA content on-demand system); and • Supporting the development of a network of Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers and helping to develop guidance documents and strategic plans across a number of new ORH initiatives. The Atlas team’s development and dedicated oversight of these new national programs has significantly contributed to the ORH mission to expand and advance the rural Veteran population’s access to critically needed health care services. 3
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Office of Rural Health. About Rural Veterans: Common Challenges Faced by Rural Veterans. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/RURALHEALTH/About_ Rural_Veterans.asp
2010 Annual Report
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Atlas intimately understands the demands and challenges facing Veterans seeking quality health care because a number of our senior leaders are Veterans themselves. We are uniquely positioned to assist with ongoing initiatives designed to improve Veterans’ health care, which is why the VA Capitol Health Care Network chose to partner with Atlas for technical support of a portfolio of rural health programs. The Network provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care to eligible Veterans in 54 counties throughout Maryland, and portions of Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, as well as the District of Columbia. The Rural Health Initiative includes projects designed to improve access to and quality of care for rural Veterans. The projects span key focus areas for VA, including rehabilitative services, telehealth, transportation services, homeless Veteran outreach, Veteran reintegration, and women’s health. Atlas, in partnership with MedStar Research Institute and Georgetown University, has collaborated closely with Network leaders to provide evidencebased program development plans, coupled with implementation oversight and program evaluation. With servicemen and women returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, VA faces new challenges, as these Veterans often need intensive long-term physical and occupational rehabilitation. Providing expertise and other resources to meet the challenges, Atlas has helped expand physical and occupational services to Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in the Martinsburg, WV region. To help assess and monitor the incorporation of new rehabilitative services, we conducted an assessment of the physical and occupational therapy demand around Martinsburg. Our researchers identified the areas that were lacking in rehabilitative services, working with the Network to bring these specialized services to clinics in the field. Atlas has assisted the Network in bringing rehabilitative services to rural Veterans who would have previously lacked access to the care that they need. Another challenge faced by the Capitol Health Care Network is providing transportation for rural Veterans to get to VA facilities that are often located far from Veterans’ homes. To solve this problem, Atlas performed an analysis of the transportation needs of Veterans within the Network’s catchment area, and helped conceptualize an initiative to offer new transportation services to rural Veterans who may struggle to visit distant clinics and facilities. 8
Atlas Research www.atlasresearch.us
Solving Problems. Delivering Results in Health Care Quality.
The Rural Health Initiative
Providing ongoing education and training to facilitate continuous improvement in the
QUALITY OF HOSPITAL CARE In 2010, Atlas partnered with Joint Commission Resources to win VA’s national continuous survey readiness (CSR) contract to support VISN and facility efforts to improve quality of care. Atlas consultants informed and trained VA staff on Joint Commission standards, survey processes, national patient safety goals, core quality measures, and disease specific certifications; provided onsite and telephone consultations on standards compliance and best practices; and organized VISN Advisory Groups to strengthen CSR activities. CSR is a national subscriptionbased program between health care organizations and Joint Commission Resources (JCR) designed to provide direction and
Jason Ormsby, Senior Vice President and Chair of the Health Quality and Information Technology Group
support to enable organizations to meet Joint Commission accreditation standards. The program focuses on assisting hospitals to plan, achieve, and maintain a state of readiness for survey through targeted consulting and education services. Atlas CSR consultants are dedicated to improving VA understanding and compliance with Joint Commission accreditation standards and processes. Beyond the primary goal of accreditation for VA facilities, our consultants are committed to building meaningful and enduring relationships with VA to ensure Veteran communities benefit from the highest of health care standards.
Evaluating health workforce development strategies Atlas experts serve as evaluators for the Garrett Allegany Health Workforce Development Network, a program of the Western Maryland Area Health Education Center (AHEC). Through a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Network integrates the collective experience and expertise of members to develop and implement innovative, community-based educational and clinical health training programs that encourage the recruitment and retention of emerging health professionals in order to address the critical health workforce shortages in rural Western Maryland. 2010 Annual Report
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Hilda Heady, Senior Vice President and Chair of the Rural Health Research and Policy Group and Sarah Wenham, Project Manager
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Solving Problems. Delivering Results for Women Veterans.
Reaching out to
RURAL WOMEN VETERANS
to provide culturally competent, patient-centered health care Women Veterans comprise eight percent of the rapidly growing population of Veterans4, and this number is expected to increase as Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/ OIF) enrollment continues to rise. VA research has also determined that 81 percent of female enrollees are rural Veterans under the age of 65.5 In response to these findings, and in keeping with the VA commitment to provide all Veterans with the care they need, the VA Capitol Health Care Network undertook a comprehensive rural women Veterans health care initiative in 2010. The Network partnered with Atlas to design and implement the program in the Network’s rural communities to promote the health, welfare, and dignity of rural women Veterans by ensuring access to timely, comprehensive, and quality health care. The Atlas team, in partnership with the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET), conducted a baseline assessment and pinpointed barriers that prevent rural woman Veterans from accessing and better utilizing VA health care services. Among the barriers cited were geographical distance, financial limitations, lack of timely and convenient care, knowledge gaps and misinformation regarding VA services, misperceptions regarding the needs of rural women Veterans, trauma exposure, and the demands of childcare and
caregiving responsibilities.6 The findings from the baseline were used to design an evidence-based rural outreach program to increase enrollment and utilization among rural women Veterans in the Capitol Health Care Network region. The Atlas team identified professional groups to enhance rural outreach efforts; developed a competency-based training program for providers, administrators, and others involved in delivering care to rural women Veterans; developed performance metrics for outreach personnel; and designed health education programming for women Veterans. Atlas played an integral role in creating a comprehensive and proactive outreach program that prioritizes rural women Veterans’ needs, preferences, and expectations for culturally competent and patient-centered care within the Network. 4
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards. Women Veterans Health Care: Facts and Statistics. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.publichealth.va.gov/ womenshealth/facts.asp. 5
Veterans Health Administration. Office of Rural Health. VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans. (2009). Retrieved from www1.va.gov/ womenvet/docs/RuralHealth.ppt. 6
Atlas Research (2010). VA Capitol Health Care Network Rural Initiative VISN 5: Women Veterans Health Program – Outreach Program. Unpublished.
Training providers in women’s health care Rural health care providers often face challenges in accessing information and training regarding care techniques and best practices. To address those challenges, Atlas worked with the VA Capitol Health Care Network to develop a mobile mini-residency training program that takes the training on the road to the providers in rural communities. Through didactic and care-based instruction and training, the program enhances providers’ knowledge and skills in caring specifically for women Veterans. The mobile training sessions are taught by instructors at rural Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) across Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. 2010 Annual Report 11
Gary Filerman, PhD, has a consulting relationship with Atlas as Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Health Management and Policy Group.
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We can better understand patient needs and improve health care collaboration and coordination.
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Solving Problems. Delivering Results in Health Outreach and Education.
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IMPROVING ACCESS
to health care information and services Rural Veterans (and their families) residing in geographically remote areas are greatly in need of improved access to quality health care services. Although some Veterans choose to go to VA medical facilities, others prefer to use private health care providers, such as Community Health Centers (CHCs). By choosing one to the exclusion of the other, Veterans may be limiting their access to more comprehensive health care services. The VA Capitol Health Care Network initiated the Collaboration with Rural Community Health Centers Project in 2010, with an aim to increase coordination and collaboration between the Network and the privately run Community Health Centers (CHCs). Atlas and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) were selected to help conceptualize and guide the project, the primary goals of which are to identify CHC patients who are rural Veterans, encourage their enrollment, and better coordinate care between the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and CHCs. The project began with a baseline assessment of Veterans
participating in four rural CHC systems within the Network. Atlas and NACHC analyzed current CHC patient populations to determine the numbers of rural, homeless, women, and OEF/OIF Veterans served, and confirmed their enrollment status. Based on the results of the assessment, CHC sites were selected to participate in a four-month pilot project. Target Veterans include those who are eligible for VA services and use CHCs, in addition to or instead of VHA, and Veterans who use CHCs and who might be eligible for VHA services, but are not enrolled.7 Atlas contributions to this project will enable VHA to better understand the rural Veteran population’s health care needs, improve CHCVHA collaboration, enhance coordination of care, and increase VHA enrollment. The project will serve as a national model for VISN collaboration with CHCs. 7
Atlas Research. (2010). Collaboration with Rural Health Community Health Centers VISN 5 – Task 1. Analysis of Community Health Center Patient Population. Unpublished.
Strategic communications In 2010, Atlas experts developed communications and marketing plans for health system leaders, including the Capitol Health Care Network’s Rural Health Initiative, showcasing the Network’s positive impact on underserved Veteran populations. The plan was informed by a comprehensive baseline assessment, research on industry best practices, customized strategies, and evaluation data.
Wendy Opsahl, Communications Director
The Atlas strategic communications team is working at the leading edge of government 2.0, developing comprehensive, new media communications and marketing strategies and solutions for our clients.
2010 Annual Report 13
Connecting health care providers across large geographic areas was a challenge that the South Central VA Health Care Network faced. Without the ability to interact and engage with each other, vital information was being lost and providers were not learning about opportunities and services that might help their patients. An Atlas strategic communications team, in partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton, was brought in to address these challenges by developing the Rural Veterans Provider Network, a social media platform for health care providers across the Network, which covers 170,000 square miles and serves Veterans in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and parts of Texas, Missouri, Alabama, and Florida. This new resource will facilitate interactions among providers both internal and external to VA, who serve rural Veterans in the south-central United States, and increase their ability to build a community of meaningful relationships based on shared values and priorities. It will enable two-way communications and facilitate collaboration across the traditional barriers of geography, organization domain and hierarchy, and professional affinity. It will also afford opportunities for providers to learn and build new skills, share successes and challenges, and offer and receive expertise on healthrelated issues. 14 Atlas Research
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Solving Problems. Delivering Results in Hospital Operations and Quality Improvement.
Frontline to online: Connecting rural providers to improve Veteran care
Creating a tool to
TRACK NATIONAL HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TRENDS
The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), created the Emergency Care Coordination Center (ECCC) in April 2009 in response to Homeland Security Presidential Directive #21. The ECCC is primarily focused on addressing issues related to in-hospital emergency medical care, and is also tasked with advancing regional partnerships and promoting local, regional, and state emergency systems’ preparedness for and response to public health events.8 As part of its mission, the ECCC envisioned a system to capture, organize, and display data being collected by hospital emergency departments throughout the country. The system would be capable of integrating and graphically displaying hospital data for trend identification and analysis and providing near real-time surveillance information to support emergency personnel. The ECCC selected Atlas to develop the Emergency Department Situational and Tactical Awareness Tool (ED-STAT), a system designed to integrate near real-time information from a variety of emergency department information systems and display specified hospital administrative data to provide federal emergency planners and managers information on the stress and strain placed on specific emergency departments during major emergency events.9 During the pilot program, Atlas designed a web-based system to collect data from five hospital emergency department information systems in the National Capitol Region. The ED-STAT features an aggregation of hospital and other emergency department situational data in an easy-to-understand interface, with data normalized and propagated to a user-friendly dashboard tailored to its primary audiences: emergency responders, health care providers, and emergency decision makers. Atlas completed this project in August 2010 and created a system to assist ECCC in achieving its goal to improve the resiliency, efficiency, effectiveness, and capacity of daily hospital emergency care delivery as well as strengthen the state of readiness for public health emergencies and disasters. 8
Jason Ormsby, Senior Vice President and Chair of the Health Quality and Information Technology Group and Brent Gibson, Vice President, Medical Affairs
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Public Health Emergency. (2010). ECCC Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from: http://www. phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/eccc/Pages/faqs.aspx. 9
Atlas Research. (2009). Emergency Department Situational and Tactical Awareness Tool (ED-STAT). Unpublished.
2010 Annual Report 15
Solving Problems. Delivering Results in
Celia Szelwach, Program Manager for Women’s Health
Organizing CULTURAL COMPETENCE programs to increase medical staff awareness and improve patient-centered care In January 2010, The Joint Commission released a set of standards aimed at advancing effective communication, cultural competence, and patientand family-centered care practices in hospitals. The standards were recently published in the 2011 Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals: The Official Handbook. Spurred by a deep commitment to meet the health care needs of an increasingly diverse Veteran population, and in anticipation of its upcoming requirement to comply with the Joint Commission’s standards, the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center initiated a Cultural Competence Grand Rounds Series (CCGR) to increase awareness and educate the hospital community. The Medical Center engaged Atlas to provide planning, content development, and logistical support in the production of the Grand Rounds Series. The 16 Atlas Research
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events encourage the spirited exchange of ideas, promotion of community, and the provision of culturally competent, patient-centered care. Atlas also played an integral role in the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center Patient-Centered Care Innovations project. Sioux Falls VA Medical Center serves Veterans in eastern South Dakota, western Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota. Funding for this project came in the form of a grant to study the health care environment and make recommendations for creating a culturally appropriate facility for Native Americans. The grant was later expanded to include women Veterans, and, subsequently, re-focused to encompass general cultural competence to serve all Veterans.10 The Atlas team was asked to conduct a baseline assessment of cultural sensitivity, and make recommendations to address organizational areas of
Cultural Competence and Health Literacy.
Specialized EXPERTISE Investigating health care management education around the world Atlas, in partnership with the University of Scranton, received an award from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) to study how and where health care management education is being taught in 16 countries. The project was led by Gary Filerman, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chair of the Health Management and Policy Group, and a widely recognized authority on management systems and competency development for health systems. Analyzing health care reform As part of our collaborative work with The Commonwealth Fund, Georgetown University, and Solucia, Atlas was contracted to conduct a study of the effect Massachusetts health care reform efforts had on insurance markets and prices. The findings of the study will be used to inform discussions of health care reform in Massachusetts, a state that is closely watched as a bellwether for national health care reform. Strategic advisory services In early 2010, Atlas provided the Raytheon Corporation with strategic consulting services, including a strategic analysis of their vision, products, services, and capabilities; an assessment of health information technology opportunities; and recommendations to improve business best practices.
strength and areas that required improvement relating to changes in policy, patient assessments, and staff training. With the lessons learned from the Atlas assessment, the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center is well-positioned to continue the drive toward the creation of a more patient-centered and culturally competent organization. Atlas offers a comprehensive package of assessment, education, and training services to ensure that effective communication, cultural competence, and patient- and family-centered care initiatives are integrated into core health care delivery systems.
Scientific consulting Atlas offers clients strong experience in data generation and management in research settings, both basic science and clinical, from laboratory bench work to clinical trials management and multiple FDA premarket approval submissions. We contributed to a number of scientific manuscripts and articles in 2010, including the technical review and revision of a scientific manuscript for the Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine. Providing litigation support Through comprehensive research, expert opinion writing, and testimony, Atlas experts provided clients Welsh & Chapoton, LLP; Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP, and Expert Resources, Inc., with litigation support services.
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Atlas Research (2010). Cultural Competence Sioux Falls VAMC Baseline Assessment September 2010. Unpublished.
2010 Annual Report 17
Community Engagement and Public Service
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ommunity involvement and interaction, whether in the Washington, DC, region or beyond, are important parts of the Atlas mission. We are committed to getting involved in the communities that, by their needs, give us the opportunity to provide innovative solutions and to do well. In 2010, Atlas engaged in a number of community initiatives. We conducted health assessments in the United States and abroad, sponsored health-related events for underserved populations, and supported those who have bravely served our country. Peruvian rural health exchange In April, senior leaders from Atlas traveled to Peru with the West Virginia National Guard as part of a rural health exchange with the Peruvian Ministries of Defense and Health. The exchange was organized under the auspices of the National Guard’s State Partnership Program. Participants included national rural health experts from Atlas, Georgetown University, the National Rural Health Association, and the West Virginia National Guard. Sponsoring women’s wellness retreats Atlas partnered with the West Virginia University National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health to present the sixth annual Women on Wellness (WOW) Retreat in Fairmont, WV, in July. More than 100 women attended the retreat, which highlighted women Veterans and military family members.
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Atlas President Mark H. Chichester, and Senior Vice President Hilda Heady, were on hand and organized a cross-generational panel of women Veterans from the community. The WOW retreats help women lead healthier lifestyles through movement and exercise classes, discussions on patient/physician communication, financial management, aging, and other women’s health issues. Atlas was proud to be a partner and sponsor of this event and continues to work towards increasing services and care for women Veterans. Supporting Veterans through Honor Flights As part of Atlas’ ongoing commitment to Veterans, employees participated in several Honor Flight events during 2010. Honor Flight is a non-profit organization that honors U.S. Veterans by flying them to Washington, DC, to take part in public events and recognize them for their service and sacrifice. Atlas employees welcomed Veterans at Reagan National Airport, visited with their families, and thanked them for their service to the country. Teaching service learning at Georgetown University President Mark H. Chichester and CEO Ryung Suh serve as faculty preceptors for the Georgetown University Service-Learning Program and worked with two dozen medical students to address health disparity populations, to include women Veterans, homeless Veterans, and incarcerated Veterans. As part of Georgetown University’s Veterans Rural Health course, taught by Senior Vice President Hilda Heady
and CEO Ryung Suh, graduate students took a field trip to rural Petersburg, WV, to tour Grant Memorial Hospital. Dr. Suh and Ms. Heady are committed to educating and engaging students in support of Veterans health initiatives, and in particular, their work focuses on important health disparity issues faced by rural communities. This trip gave both students and Atlas staff the opportunity to experience firsthand the challenges rural hospitals and health centers face in serving their communities and Veterans. Donating coats to area homeless Veterans During the 2010 holiday season, Atlas donated over 175 coats and sweaters to benefit area homeless Veterans. The coats were received by ZIPS Dry Cleaners, and prepared and delivered to the Washington DC VA Medical Center. The coats were distributed at the Winterhaven Stand Down event on January 22, 2011. This annual event provided homeless metro area Veterans access to health care, employment services, housing support, and other services to help them improve their situations. Atlas efforts were complemented by the kindness of the Town of Fairmount Heights, MD, a suburb of Washington, DC, where residents donated more than 100 coats and sweaters. Continuing to serve and protect our nation Atlas CEO Ryung Suh and Vice President Brent Gibson deployed overseas as part of a military exercise to combat and eliminate weapons of mass destruction. Dr. Suh and Dr. Gibson serve in the U.S.
Army Reserve (USAR) Consequence Management Unit and serve as experts in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosive threats.
Photos, left to right: Peruvian rural health exchange: Some rural Peruvian health care settings were very different than rural health care settings in the US. Women’s wellness retreat: Hilda Heady speaks to Women on Wellness retreat attendees. Honor Flights: Leslie Rice, Natalie Grigorian and Sara Cherico greet Veterans as they arrive at Reagan National Airport. Teaching service learning at Georgetown University: Hilda Heady (second from right) and Georgetown University graduate students traveled to Grant Memorial Hospital in rural West Virginia to learn about health care and access issues faced by rural Veterans. Donating coats to area homeless Veterans: John Gilmore delivers more than 175 coats and sweaters collected by Atlas that were ultimately distributed to area homeless Veterans at the Winterhaven Stand Down event.
2010 Annual Report 19
Outreach and Accolades
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n 2010, Atlas leaders, scholars, and researchers made dozens of presentations across the United States and published several reports, articles, and research summaries to inform public and private sector decision makers, while also enriching and shaping discussion regarding prominent health services issues. Individuals also won awards, scholarly recognition, and were named to prominent national committees. Here, we offer a few highlights: Journal of Rural Social Sciences Guest Editor Senior Vice President Hilda Heady was named a Guest Editor at the Journal of Rural Social Sciences. Ms. Heady is an expert on rural Veterans and will be helping to develop and edit an issue of the journal specifically focused on rural Veterans. National Capital Healthcare Executives Roundtable Presentation In November, CEO Ryung Suh moderated a Health Care in Transition panel at the National Capital Healthcare Executives Roundtable. The panel featured senior leaders in various health systems, including William Schoenhard, James Cole, Michael Sachtleben, Adolph Edward, and Christine Candio, and focused on the impacts of health care reform. National Commission on Correctional Health Care Panel Presentation The National Commission on Correctional Health Care sponsored a panel on Veterans Behind Bars featuring Atlas CEO Ryung Suh, Jessica Blues-Howell, and Stephen Goldberg. Dr. Suh is a member of the NCCHC Board of Directors and presented on incarcerated Veterans and the challenges they face. Multiracial and Multicultural Health Conference Communications Director Wendy Opsahl presented on improving access to community based resources and on the importance of customized marketing strategies in reaching target populations at the National Rural Health Association’s Multiracial and Multicultural Health Conference in Tucson.
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Washington Business Journal Minority Business Leader of the Year CEO Ryung Suh was named a 2010 Minority Business Leader of the Year by the Washington Business Journal. Honored as one of the Washington area’s top minority business leaders who exhibited outstanding performance, Dr. Suh was profiled by the journal and honored at a reception. Rural Health Professions Institute In July, Senior Vice President Hilda Heady participated in the VA Rural Health Professions Institute. She was a featured speaker at the event and discussed rural health disparities in the United States. The event was held in Johnson City, TN, and featured rural health experts from across the country. NEA Foundation Atlas President Mark H. Chichester was voted Vice Chair of the NEA Foundation Board of Directors. Mr. Chichester has been a NEA Foundation board member for the past four years. New Textbook on Disease Management and Pharmacoeconomics CEO Ryung Suh and David Atkins published a chapter on pharmacoeconomics in disease management for a new textbook edited by Renee Arnold. The textbook includes chapters by leading authorities on economic evaluation and outcomes research. American College of Preventive Medicine Panel Presentation In February, CEO Ryung Suh and Vice President of Medical Affairs Brent Gibson presented at the American College of Preventive Medicine annual conference to address clinical preventive medicine services in the context of the access challenges facing rural America and to discern best practices and discuss findings from a number of ongoing and relevant rural health initiatives.
AcademyHealth Scholar Communications Director Wendy Opsahl was named a 2010 AcademyHealth Hersch Scholar for her research on the translation and implementation challenges of rural health services research and the development and dissemination of measures to close the gap. The Alice S. Hersch Scholarship recognizes distinguished and emerging health services researchers. International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research CEO Ryung Suh and Vice President Brent Gibson co-authored several chapters for a textbook for the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. Dr. Suh and Dr. Gibson contributed their perspective from their experience as health policy professionals as well as preventative medicine and public health physicians. The chapters they co-authored focused on real-time applications and electronic medical records. American Public Health Association Communications Director Wendy Opsahl, CEO Ryung Suh, and others presented at the American Public Health Association meeting in Denver on women Veterans issues, improving transportation options, and communications strategies for reaching rural Veterans. National Rural Health Association Rural Health Fellow The National Rural Health Association has announced its 2011 Rural Health Fellows, including CEO Ryung Suh. Twelve fellows were selected to participate in this competitive, yearlong, intensive program aimed at empowering leaders who can articulate a clear and compelling vision for rural America. Dr. Suh’s expertise in rural health is broad, with particular emphasis on rural Veterans and the policy and programmatic initiatives that support Veterans in rural communities.
Aberdeen Proving Ground Technology and R&D Showcase Atlas President Mark H. Chichester met with Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) customers and contract officers at the APG Technology and R&D Showcase. The event highlighted technology and science innovations that protect soldiers on the battlefield. National Rural Health Association Committee Appointment Atlas Communications Director Wendy Opsahl was selected to serve as a member of the National Rural Health Association’s Communications Committee. This Committee guides strategies for news impacting rural health and assists in keeping members connected and informed. CBRNE Presentation in Czech Republic Samuel Jang and CEO Ryung Suh presented on the impact of H1N1 on the safety and health of chemical workers at the International Chemical Weapons Demilitarization Conference in Prague, Czech Republic. Celia Szelwach to Serve on VA Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans Celia Szelwach, Program Manager for Women’s Health, was appointed by VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to serve as a member of the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. Professional Distinctions for Atlas Physicians Vice President Brent Gibson and CEO Ryung Suh were both selected as Fellows of the American College of Preventive Medicine to honor their contributions and accomplishments within their medical specialty society. MITRE Corporation Board of Trustees CEO Ryung Suh was asked to attend the MITRE Corporation Board of Trustees meeting to speak about health reform and to provide strategic advisory input on current innovative technologies.
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Atlas Leadership
A
tlas is led by a team of talented and accomplished professionals with a shared desire to build a mission-driven, customer-focused company defined by entrepreneurial drive, innovation, and commitment to excellence. Our value proposition is our people.
Ryung Suh, MD, MPP, MBA, MPH, Chief Executive Officer
Mark H. Chichester, JD, President
Gary Filerman, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Health Management and Policy Group
John Gilmore, MBA, PMP, Senior Vice President
(Consulting Relationship)
NOT PICTURED
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Hilda R. Heady, MSW, ACSW, Senior Vice President and Chair of the Rural Health Research and Policy Group
Jason Ormsby, PhD, MBA, MHSA, Senior Vice President and Chair of the Health Quality and Information Technology Group
Marie Minier, Senior Vice President
Jeff Baetz, Vice President, Project Management
Brent Gibson, MD, MPH, Vice President, Medical Affairs
Kate Lynch Machado, Vice President, Business Development
Joy Park, Vice President, Operations
Kyungsun Suh, PhD, Vice President, Clinical Research
Yono Suh, Vice President, Finance
Veronica Jackson, Project Manager
Celia Szelwach, DBA CCEP, Program Manager for Women’s Health
Sarah Wenham, MBBS (Hons), Project Manager
Brian Barclay, Web Developer
Victoria Harmon, LPC, Case Manager
Donna Johnston, RN, MPA, CPHQ, Continuous Survey Readiness Consultant
Wendy Opsahl, MA, Communications Director
Betty-Jo Lewis, LGSW, Case Manager
Amy McRae, JD, MHA, BSN, Continuous Survey Readiness Consultant Deborah Plumley, LGSW, Case Manager Kim Saberi, LGSW, Case Manager Jill Steinkogler, MHSA, Proposal Manager Megan Weibye, Graphic Designer Diane Whitworth, MIS, Social Media and Community Manager
Rachael Abednejad, Senior Associate Ellen Badger, Senior Associate Tony Cardona, JD, Contracts Manager Sara Cherico, Senior Associate Natalie Grigorian, Senior Associate Ria Muttukumaru, Senior Associate Leslie Rice, Senior Associate
Monika Henn, Research Associate Korisha Ramdhanie, Research Associate Rachel Urban, Research Associate
Executives in the
CLASSROOM
A
tlas is unique as a consulting firm in that it is firmly rooted in leading academic institutions. Atlas executives hold faculty appointments at Georgetown University and other institutions of higher education, where they share their expertise and experiences with students as part of an ongoing commitment to thought leadership and share of mind activities and involvements. Health Policy | CEO Ryung Suh and Senior Vice President Jason Ormsby understand the variety of issues and challenges that surround health care policy. In the Health Policy course they taught at Georgetown University, Dr. Suh and Dr. Ormsby leveraged their experiences across the field of health care to educate graduate students on the unique issues of health care policy. Veterans Health | CEO Ryung Suh and Senior Vice President Hilda Heady taught Veterans Rural Health: Issues and Perspectives to graduate students in the Health Systems Administration program at Georgetown University. The course focused on the unique challenges rural Veterans face when trying to access health care. Ms. Heady leveraged her many years of experience as a rural health expert to bring new perspectives on rurality into the course. Global Health | President Mark H. Chichester and Peter Belk taught the Global Health and National Security course at Georgetown University. The course examined globalization, its impacts on global health, and implications for U.S. national security. Health Care Consulting | CEO Ryung Suh and Senior Vice President John Gilmore have used their years of experience in health care consulting to bring unique perspectives to the Health Care Management Consulting course that they taught at Georgetown University. The course introduced graduate students to the field of health care management consulting and provided them with a background of the industry as well as information on how to become a management consultant. Biohazardous Threat Agents | CEO Ryung Suh and Senior Fellow John Jacocks taught a course at the Georgetown University School of Medicine entitled Defense Threat Reduction Initiatives. Both Dr. Suh and Dr. Jacocks have extensive experience in the military and working with biohazardous threat agents and our nation’s response to CBRNE threats. Marketing Management | Director of Communications Wendy Opsahl taught Marketing Management for MBA students at the University of Mary. This course introduced students to marketing and offered a thorough analysis of the marketing domain, including theoretical foundations, appeal to consumers, and the development of unique marketing strategies.
2010 Annual Report 23
Atlas Senior Fellows
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tlas Senior Fellows are noted experts and leaders from some of the most widely recognized and innovative consulting, research, and development organizations in the world. They each come to Atlas with a history of demonstrated achievement and a reputation for innovation and effectiveness. Senior Fellows work collaboratively across the company, have a systemic impact on work and client engagements, and may lead or engage in projects in their respective areas of expertise.
Farrokh Alemi, PhD, Professor of Health Systems Administration, Georgetown University Bob Carr, MD, MPH, FACPM, Senior Vice President and Corporate Medical Director, GlaxoSmithKline Jerry Coopey, MPH, Project Officer, (ret.), Office of Rural Health Policy, Department of Health and Human Services
Hugh Tilson, MD, DrPH, MPH, Adjunct Professor of Public Health Leadership, School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Gillings; Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Duke University
Fr. Rick Curry, SJ, Chaplain-in-Residence, Georgetown University, and Founder/ Artistic Director, The National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped
Constance (Connie) Walker, MS (CAPT USN ret), Founder and President, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southern Maryland; Vice President, NAMI Maryland
John Jacocks, MD, MTM&H (COL, ret), Chief Medical Officer, Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Siobhan Wescott, MD, MPH, Affiliate Clinical Professor, University of Alaska
Mark W. Legnini, DrPH, former Research Director, Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform, The Brookings Institution Dennis M. Lewis, MA, FACHE, Director (ret.), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20, Veterans Health Administration Neal Neuberger, CISSP, Director, Institute for e-Health Policy, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Foundation; President, Health Tech Strategies, LLC
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William Oetgen, MD, MBA, FACP, FACC, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine; Board of Directors, MedStar Health
John Wilt, JD, Strategic planner at the Pentagon; airborne ranger, special forces combat Veteran with DoD expertise Jay Wolfson, DrPH, JD, Distinguished Service Professor of Public Health and Medicine, Associate Vice President for Health Law, Policy and Safety, and Director of the Suncoast Center for Patient Safety, University of South Florida
We Remember Desmond Saunders-Newton Desmond Saunders-Newton, PhD, passed away November 29, 2010, after a brief fight with cancer. He graduated from Lawrence College, where he majored in physics and music composition. He earned a MPP in public policy from the University of Michigan and a PhD in computational policy analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Dez’s diverse career, straddling domestic and international policy arenas, exemplifies his boundless intellectual curiosity and energy. Dez was an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, worked at the National Defense University, and was the founding director of the Social Computation and Complexity Division at BAE systems, where he focused on human/ social complex systems theory and strategic intelligence and policy analysis.
One of Dez’s greatest strengths was his sense of humor, which he used often to enliven his courses and presentations. He was most committed to making complex subjects simple and accessible. Educational access and diversity concerned Dez greatly and he remained active throughout his life in several organizations dedicated to mentoring younger scientists, policy analysts, and career professionals from diverse backgrounds. Dez served as an Atlas Senior Fellow, starting in the early days when Atlas was founded. All will miss his tall tales, that special energy that often filled a room, and his generous spirit.
Atlas is proud to count among its partners these great organizations and institutions Altarum Institute
Health Research & Educational Trust
Northrop Grumman
Alvarez & Marsal
Joint Commission Resources
RAND Corporation
Booz Allen Hamilton
Managed Care Associates
Raytheon
Catapult Technology
MedStar Health
SAIC
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
MedStar Research Institute
Solucia
MITRE Corporation
Strategic Operational Solutions
The Nakamoto Group, Inc.
University of Scranton
National Association of Community Health Centers
West Virginia University National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health
Conmed Healthcare Management Deloitte Center for Health Solutions Dropfire EAI Technologies Ernst & Young Georgetown University
National Rural Health Resource Center NORC at the University of Chicago
Western Maryland Area Health Education Center
2010 Annual Report 25
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