On Monday, November 14, Robert Jensen officially took over as president and CEO of AAMI, becoming the third person in this role. He replaces Mary Logan, who is retiring after eight years as AAMI’s president and CEO; even so, Logan will stay on until the end of the year to help with the transition period.
Robert Jensen
Jensen spoke out about his new role in late September, commenting: “Most of my professional life has been dedicated to the service of others, and this will be a capstone in my career. Throughout the process of working with the recruiter and the search committee, it was clear to me that AAMI is a high-quality organization with a culture of teamwork and collaboration, and a community of members that cares a lot about the organization and its mission.”
Prior to joining AAMI, Jensen—a former U.S. Marine—worked for MITRE Corp. for 13 years. He most recently served as vice president and director of the CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare Federally Funded Research and Development Center. He conceived of and established the MITRE Center for Transforming Health, dedicated to improving healthcare nationwide through systems thinking, advancing technology, and providing transformative services for government health-related organizations.
AAMI Board Chair Phil Cogdill, who led AAMI’s executive search committee, was enthusiastic about the search process and the final selection. “We interviewed a number of truly extraordinary candidates, and I think that fact speaks to the respect and recognition that AAMI has earned in the healthcare technology world and in health care in general,” Cogill says. “I’m confident that we’ve chosen the right person to build on our recent success and take us to new heights.”
Even so, Logan will be sorely missed, officials for AAMI say. Logan discussed her departure in 24×7’s November Soapbox column, saying: “As I embark on retirement, it’s gratifying to look back and see how far AAMI has come to build bridges and elevate the HTM profession…”
She also addressed members of the HTM profession, thanking them for making “healthcare delivery safer for the patients you serve.” Logan added: “My final words of wisdom to each one of you are to get out of your comfort zone to show how indispensable you are to your organization! Learn something new each day, network, get involved with AAMI, and know how much we appreciate what you do.”
