Meet the Changemakers: Alana Lerer

HIMSS serves the global health information and technology communities with focused operations across North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Our members include more than 80,000 individuals, 480 provider organizations, 470 non-profit partners and 650 health services organizations. The HIMSS staff is made up of changemakers who collaborate with members to reform the global health ecosystem through the power of information and technology.

Alana Lerer is Government Relations Manager at HIMSS.

How long have you been at HIMSS?

I have been at HIMSS for almost three years. I also interned for HIMSS within the same team four years ago.

How do you support our mission statement?

I work with and advise national, state, and local governments on the value of information and technology to transform health. I also educate HIMSS members on government affairs and how they can get involved and advance public policy.

How do you know your work at HIMSS makes a difference?

I am proud of the Government Relations team. Along with partners, we successfully advocated for $500 Million to modernize public health data infrastructure for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. state and local government in response to COVID-19. Further, telehealth has reached a tipping point in response to COVID-19. I know we are making a difference because we continuously advocate to improve telehealth access, and now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to make sustainable policy changes.

What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about the work you do at HIMSS?

The work I do excites me because I know my team and I can, and have a responsibility to, make significant positive change through public policies that impact each of us and generations to come. I also enjoy working with members and feed off their enthusiasm for advocacy. My background is in public health and I’m proud that HIMSS leads change not only in healthcare, in a traditional sense, but also in public health. Public health issues we work on include: increasing health equity by addressing social determinants of health; supporting public health information systems, such as state immunization registries; and advocating for increased funding for public health. It is critical, especially during times of crisis, that the healthcare and public health sectors coordinate around information and technology.

Join Us as We Reimagine Health Through Information and Technology

At HIMSS, our vision is to realize the full health potential of every human, everywhere. Be part of the community that’s transforming the global health ecosystem with courage, curiosity and determination.

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