David Brailer

Most notably, he was the country’s first health IT czar, leading the national effort to digitalize healthcare.

In 2014, CalPERS cut off its funding to HEP after a record of poor financial returns.

In mid-2007, Brailer founded HEP, a private equity fund with a mission to “invest in things that can reduce the crushing costs of health care.” The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) invested $700 million in the fund. Notable HEP investments include Halcyon Home Health, Prolacta Bioscience, Optimal IMX, Mollen Immunization Clinics, Kisimul, Freedom Innovations, CenseoHealth and CambridgeSoft. On March 23, 2011, CambridgeSoft was acquired by PerkinElmer, Inc. in a $220 million deal.

In 2011, Brailer founded Health Evolution, an education and research firm. The firm is known for the Health Evolution Summit, an annual gathering of the nation's top health care leaders. Brailer remains Chairman of Health Evolution.

On May 6, 2004, Brailer was appointed by the administration of President George W. Bush as the nation's first 'Health Information Technology Czar'. Brailer's official title was National Health Information Technology Coordinator. In this role, he developed the nation's strategy for electronic records, information sharing, consumer empowerment and transformation of research and public health with the goal of widespread deployment of health information technology within 10 years.

On May 6, 2004, Brailer was appointed as the first National Health Information Technology Coordinator, pursuant to Executive Order 13335 by President George W. Bush on April 27, 2004, which called for widespread deployment of health information technology within 10 years.

Brailer holds doctoral degrees in both medicine and economics. He earned his Ph.D. in managerial economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and his M.D. from West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1986.

In 1992, Brailer left academia and founded a company spun out of his Ph.D. thesis, inventing ways to measure health-care quality. This became CareScience Inc., a Philadelphia software firm that helped hospitals improve efficiency and prevent errors. Under Brailer, CareScience established the nation's first health care Application Service Provider (ASP). Brailer led the company through several financings, strategic partnerships, an initial public offering in 2000, and sale to global software firm Quovadx in 2003.

After completing a general medicine residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1991, Brailer cared for patients at the University of Pennsylvania as a physician in general medicine and immune deficiency.

David J. Brailer (born July 16, 1959) is known for his leadership and advocacy for health information technology specifically founding and investing in leading health IT companies.