Robert G Wones , MD

Bachelor's Degree: Northwestern University 1976 (Civil Engineering (With Honors))

Medical Degree: University of Cincinnati 1980 (AOA)

American Board of Internal Medicine (Certification Date: 09-14-1983 )

Internal Medicine

My current research is the study of the clinical care of patients with hyperlipidemia, and to study the impact of quality assurance on ambulatory health care.

1983 -1988 Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

1989 -1995 Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

1996 -To Present Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

1986 -1996 Director, Division of General Internal Medicine, The Division of General Internal Medicine was created as a division of the Department of Interanl Medicine in 1986 and I was appointed its first Director. The division had 6 faculty in 1986 and grew to 30 faculty by 1996. My responsibilities included budget, facutly recruiting, and faculty supervision and compensation. Significant accomplishments were: (1) growth, (2) financial turn-around (the division had a budget deficit and no reserves in 1986; it had a break-even budget and $250,000 in reserves by 1996), and (3) creation of a novel faculty compensation plan that minimized unintended cross-subsidization of research, teaching, and clinical activities thereby maximizing productivity in each area (see JGIM reference from 1999)., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

2001 -2006 Associate Chair for Clinical Affairs, Department of Internal Medicine, I assumed the role of Practice Manager for the UC Department of Internal Medicine in summer, 2001. In 2003, I also took on credentialing, comliance, and quality improvement duties and the titile of Associate Chair. My most important contribution was to change the practice support organization in order to reduce overhead while improving performance. I also oversaw remodling of all the ambulatory practice sites and opening of the University Pointe office. I conducted re-negotiations of the Department's principal managed care contracts achieving 5-15% increases in 2003 and again in 2005. Overall Departmental collections increased approximatley 20% per year during my tenure and support expenses decreased resulting in significant net improvements in financial performance., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

12-2011 -To Present Chief Quality and Medical Officer, UC Health is the system formed to replace the Health Alliance. It includes two acute care hospitals, a long-terms acute care facility, a psychiatric hospital, and a sizable emplayed physician group. The Chief Quality role is a continuation of the Health Alliance quality role. I took on significant new responsibility for informatics in December, 2011. The primary task initially was to implement the Epic electronic health record by all components of the sysytem. This was accomplished successfully in 2012. These positions were combined in part for practical reasons and in part because the organization wanted to make it clear that the primary goal for the electronic record implementation was performance improvement and patient safety., UC Health , Cincinnati, Ohio

2006 -2011 Quality and Patient Safety Officer, Health Alliance of Cincinnati (2006-2011) Vice President, Medical Affairs, University Hospital, The Health Alliance of Cincinnati was a group of 6 acute care hospitals and long-term care/rehabilitation hospital in Greater CIncinnati. The positon of Quality and Patient Safety Officer was created in 2006 and I was the first professional to fill that role. I was responsible initially for supervising the Quality Management Services directors and personnel in each hospital, for management of the data systems supproting utilization review and quality functions (MIDAS, Interqual, Zynx Health, and others), and for leading the organization's patient safety and performance improvement efforts. In early 2007, three of the hospitals left the system and there was a reorganization and reduction-in-force. My primary role changed to be the Vice President for Medical Affiars at the University Hospital (UH) with retained responibility at the system level for quality reporting to the Board. On August 10, 2009, THOMSON-REUTERS NAMED THE HEALTH ALLIANCE AS ONE OF THE TOP 1 HEALTH SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY BASED ON ANALYSES OF PUBLICLY-AVAILABLE DATA FROM 2006 AND 2007 FOR WHICH I WAS RESPONSIBLE: risk-adjusted inpatient mortality, a complex index, a patient safety index, core measure, and average length-of-stay. In addition to these roles, I served as infection control officer for the UH from 2007-2011 and was also responsible administratively for Risk Management, including serving as a Board member of the Health Alliance's captive insurance company. , Health Alliance of Cincinnati/University Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio

1996 -2006 CEO (1999-2006) and Medical Director (1996-2006), Alliance Partners (AP) was/is a 50/50 partnership of the Health Alliance, a group of greater Cincinnati hospitals that had over $1 billion in annual revenues, and Alliance Physicians & Surgeons (APS), a partnership of nearly 1,200 physicians. AP was responsible for negotiating managed care contracts for the Health Alliance and APS physicians, and for managing the health benefits plans for Health Alliance employees and their dependents (24,000 lives). AP also managed delagted risk contracts wtih United Healthcare, Pacificare, and Medical Mutual of Ohio (about 50,000 lives all together) though AP's risk contracts ended at the end of 2000. I was appointed Medical Director in 1996 and CEO/Medical Director in late 1998. CEO responsibilities included general direction of the company and supervision of negotiations with more than 20 managed care organizations. Medical Director responsibilities included benefit determinations and supervision of the company's utilization review, credentialing, and quality improvement programs. My major accomplishment as CEO was the financial turn-around of the company. AP had losses in it's first 3 years of operations (1996-1998). After I became CEO, the company had profitable operating operations 6 out of 7 years. The initial turn-around was due in part to the achievement of operating surpluses in 1999 and 2000 from better revenue and control of costs, and in part to achievement of net risk surpluses in AP's delegated risk agreements (United Healthcare and Pacificare). Later, profitability was purely due to achieving operating surpluses., Alliance Partners LLC, Cincinnati, Ohio

1991 -1996 Associate Administrator for Ambulatory Care, My primary responsibilities as Associate Administrator for Ambulatory Care was strategic planning, responsible initailly to the COO and later to the CEO. I developed several re-organization plans for the Univeristy Hospital ambulatory clinics (none enacted) and supervised the development of floor plans for a major new ambulatory building. My secondary responsibility was Medical Direction of the University Hospital clinics; budget and operations were the responsibility of an Assistant Administrator who reported to the Director of Nursing. My most significatn accomplishment was development of an outreach program to the CIncinnati Health Network that resulted in national recognition (Models That Work award recipient, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Also, I helped created University Primary Care Associates (later merged into Alliance Primary Care) and led the development of several community-based practices (Hopple Street Neighborhood Health Center, UCPA practices in Roselawn and Kenwood). The construction I planned was only partially completed because we shifted focus to development of pratice sites off-campus in anticipation of the Clinton health plan' s passage (oops). While serving as Associate Administrator, I served as Associate Chief-of-Staff responsible for quality improvement activities and as Assaciate Dean for Ambulatory Care., University of Cincinnati Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio

1990 -To Present Project Director, Fernald Medical Monitoring Programs, The Fernald Medical Monitoring Programs were/are two medical surveillance programs for workers and nearby residents, respectively, of a uranium processing facility ne Fernald, Ohio. The uranium processing facility was operated under the supervision of the United States Department of Energy from the 1950's until the mid-1980's. A significant amount of uranium dust and other pollutants were released into the environment. The medical surveillanvce programs were created as a result of settlements of class action lawsuits brought by nearby residents and by workers. The program for nearby residents enrolled about 9,700 and operated from 1990-2008. The examination program has ended but the database and frozen blood samples from the original exam continue to be used as a research resource. The program for workers has been in operation since 1995 and has involved more than 2,500 participants. These programs are among the largest medical monitoring programs in the nation resulting from a legal action (see publication in bibliography). My responsibilites included the initial program design, supervision of two project coordinators (nurses) and 20 employees, and regular reporting to the supervising federal district judge and trustees., Fernald Medical Monitoring Programs,

1990 -1994 Chairman, Board of Directors, The University Hospital and its affiliated facutly physicians created a not-for-profit HMO to serve Medicaid recipients in 1988. Later, this HMO also served commercial members including the faculty and employees of the University of CIncinnati. I assisted in the start-up palnning of the HMO and served on its Board of Directors during its 6-year life and as Chairman for the last 4 years. In addition to general Board activities, I was heavily involved in the sale of the HMO's assets to Medical Mutual of Ohio in 1994. During this process, we also recieved and evaluated offers from United Healthcare and Humana. The proceeds from the sale were used to fund the start-up of the UC Institute for Health Services Research., University Health Plan HMO, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio

Other Publications

Yaghjyan L, Mahoney MC, Succop P, Wones R, Buckholz J, Pinney AM. (2012. ) Relationship between breast cancer risk factors and mammographic breast density in the Fernald Community Chort. British Journal of Cancer., 1-8

Kidd F, Wones R, Lewis M, Momper A. From 51 to 100%: Achieving Mandatory Influenza Vaccination in a University Hospital. American Journal of Infection Control.,

Wones RG, Pinney SM, Buckholz J, Deck-Tebbe C, Freyberg RW, Pesce A. (2009. ) Medical Monitoring: A Beneficial Remedy for Residents Living Near an Environmental Hazard Site. J Occup Eviron Med, 51 ,1374-1383

Pinney SM, Freyberg RW, Levine GH, Brannon DE, Mark LS, Nasuta JM, Tebbe CD, Buckholz JM, Wones R. (2003. ) Health effects in comunity residents near a uranium plant at Fernald, Ohio, USA. Int Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health., 16 (2 ) ,139-153

Rouan GW, Wones RG, Tsevat J, Galla JH, Dorfmeister JW, Luke RG. (1999. ) Rewarding teaching faculty with reimbursement plan. J Gen Inten Med, June ,327-332

Luke RG, Wones RG, Galla JH, Rouan GW, Tsevat J, Dorfmeister JW. (1999. ) Development and implementation of a teaching practice plan in a Department of Medicine (1995-1998) : Relative Teaching Units (RTU's). American Clinical and Climatological Association., 200 ,

Redington TJ, Lippincott J, Lindsay D, Wones R. (1995. ) How an academic health center and a community health center found common ground. Acad Med, 70 ,21-26

Wones R, Radack K, Martin V, Mandell K, Pinney S, Buncher R. (1995. ) Do persons living near a uranium processing site have evidence of increased somatic cell gene mutations? A first study. Mutation Research (Environmental Mutagenesis and Related Subjects)., 335 ,171-184

Radack K, Martin V, Wones R, Buncher R, Pinney S, Mandell K. (1996. ) Intercorrelations and sources of variability in three cytogenetic assays of somatic mutations: A popultion-based study. Mutation Research (Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis)., 350 ,295-306

Wones RG, Deck CC, Stadler B, Roark S, Hogg E, Frohman LA. (1993. ) Effects of drinking water monochloramine on lipid and thyroid metabolism in healthy men. Env Health Persp, 99 ,369-374

Wones RG, Deck CC, Stadler B, Roark S, Hogg E, Frohman LA. (1993. ) Lack of effect of drinking water chlorine on lipis and thyroid metabolism in healthy humans. Env Health Persp, 1993 ,99 -375-381

Wones Rg, Stadler BL, Frohman LA. (1990. ) Lack of effect of drinking water barum on cardiovascular risk factors. Env Health Persp, 85 ,355-359

Wones RG, Kerman KM, Hissa DC, Meloy N, Stein EA. (1989. ) Comparisons of referral criteria for public screening of blood cholesterol levels. Pub Health Med, 104 ,425-432

Havas S, Greenland P, Wones R, Shucker B. (1989. ) Addressing unanswered questions about population cholesterol screenings: The Model Systems for Blood Cholesterol Screening Program. Am J Prev Med, 5 ,337-346

Wones Rg. (1989. ) Screenings, diagnosis, and treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Clin Prim Care, 16 ,63-82

Brady WJ, Hissa DC, McConnell M, Wones RG. (1988. ) Should physicians perform their own quality assurance audits? .J Gen Int Med, 3 ,560-565

Wones RG, Mieczkowski L, Frohman LA. (05-1986. ) Effects of drinking water chlorine on human lipid and thyroid metabolism. Proceedings of the 6th International Water Chlorination Conference.

Wones RG, Rouan GW, Bode RB, Brody TL, and Radack KL. (1987. ) An ambulatory medical education program for internal medicine residents. J of Med Educ, 62 ,470-476

Wones RG. (1987. ) Failure of low-cost audits with feedback to reduce laboratory test utilization. Med Care, 25 ,78-82

Wones RG, Glueck CG. (1986. ) Research in progress: Chlorinated drinking water and human lipid metabolism. Env Helth Persp, 69 ,225-258

2010 Richard M. Smith Leadership in Patient Safety Award Presented by the Greater Cincinnati Health Council.

1980-1983 Internal Medicine Residency, University of Cincinnati, , Cincinnati, Ohio

Selected Courses -Epidemiology -Biostatistics -Accounting -Economics -Business Law, University of Cincinnati , , Cincinnati, Ohio

Epic -Completed Physician Builder 150 and 160 courses,

Internal Medicine,Medical Care Organization

UC Health Primary Care - Clifton
222 Piedmont Ave
Cincinnati  Ohio, 45219
Phone: 513-475-7880
Fax: 513-475-8766
robert.wones@uc.edu