Blanchard Valley Health System  welcomes James Wellman, CHCIO as the organization’s new Chief Information Officer (CIO). Wellman will be primarily responsible for overseeing the strategy and development of the information technology department and will join the other members of the BVHS Executive Steering Council.

Wellman began his education at the University of Louisville where he completed his bachelor’s degree in workforce leadership. He went on to achieve his master’s degree in healthcare administration at Oklahoma State University and eventually became a certified healthcare chief information officer (CHICIO) from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives.

For the past nine years, Wellman has been the chief information and compliance officer for a county hospital in Oklahoma. He has 30 years of experience working in health care information technology (IT), beginning his career at the University of Kentucky HealthCare and dedicating 21 years to the organization’s IT department.

Wellman has a passion for working in the community hospital environment and understands the great responsibility health care IT has on an organization and community. “I truly enjoy working with a team to help them grow professionally and personally,” he said. “I maintain an open-door policy and believe that all those who work in health care IT must understand and embrace the health care mission.”

“We are pleased to welcome James and his wife, Amy, to the BVHS family,” said Scott Malaney, CEO and president of BVHS. “James brings a unique skillset geared toward advancing IT departments in the health care setting. We are excited to see the positive impact he will have on our organization.”