Marc: Welcome, Cole! Happy to have you here with us today!
Cole: I’ve been so warmly welcomed into DVHIMSS in just the past month, and it’s been fantastic. I appreciate you inviting me to talk.
Marc: Where are you from? How long have you been in this area?
Cole: I was born in Maine near Acadia National Park, in the Bar Harbor, Ellsworth area. I lived there for 10 years, then moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. I attended Charlotte school, married my wife from upstate New York, and moved to Philly. I’ve been in Philly for about four or five years now, working for Jefferson. It’s been great!
Marc: How long have you been a HIMSS member or interested in HIMSS? What interests you about being a participant here?
Cole: Moving from the health system to the JHP side was a significant change. I needed more domain knowledge on the IT end and to build a network in informatics, going from an entry-level role to a senior individual contributor role on the payer side of healthcare. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to get involved and network more, and DVHIMSS was a great opportunity!
Marc: Maybe you could tell us a little about your schooling background? How did you get to where you are? And what exactly are you working on these days?
Cole: I started as a pre-med student, considered computer engineering and nursing, and finished my degree at Jefferson with a bachelor’s in health services management. Worked as a medical assistant at Jefferson Neurology during college. When I graduated, I moved to Enterprise Population Health, where I had the opportunity to work alongside executives in the organization. I completed my MBA and am now with the health plan, focusing on Medicare stars, specifically member perception and healthcare quality. I recently applied for a PhD in population health for healthcare quality at Jefferson.
Marc: Tell me more about your involvement with the American Journal of Healthcare Strategy.
Cole: The journal was started by Sayed Siddiqui, an administrator in facial plastics at Jefferson. We met each other on LinkedIn, where he wanted me to do some writing for him, and things just took off! We had investors come in, a board of directors who guided us tremendously to the point where we could get clients. I find the ability to impact people, especially students, fulfilling. We focus on educating and empowering people in healthcare administration, encouraging competition, and celebrating clinician leaders. We’ve grown significantly in followers and clients and now have dedicated podcasts for students, executives, and clinician leaders.
Marc: What’s your favorite hidden gem in the Delaware Valley?
Cole: I recommend Cleaver’s for cheesesteaks despite mixed opinions from my wife and friends. Another hidden gem is Baz’s for halal cart chicken, especially their chicken tenders.
Marc: Where can everyone reach out to get in touch with you?
Cole: Please get in touch with me via email at CLYONS@AJHCS.org or on LinkedIn. I’m always happy to meet and help!
