Integrators make health care moves

A pair of moves by large government contractors illustrates the growing importance of health care as an IT market.Computer Sciences Corp. has named a chief medical officer for its federal sector business, and Affiliated Computer Services Inc. has named a new leader of its government health care group.Both companies pointed to growing business opportunities in the federal and state and local markets for health care-related solutions.Dr. Robert M. Wah was named a vice president and chief medical officer at CSC. He will report to Raymond Henry, president of CSC's federal civil systems development division."Agencies responsible for federal health care systems are increasingly turning to information technology to improve patient care, eliminate inefficiencies and drive down costs," said James W. Sheaffer, president of CSC's federal sector business unit.Wah will lead CSC's federal health IT business, focusing on federal and state government agencies. He also will work with CSC's commercial and international business units that also serve the health care sector.Most recently Wah was acting deputy national coordinator for health IT at the Health and Human Services Department. He also has worked for the Military Health System at the Defense Department, serving as associate CIO on health IT and director of information management.At ACS, the company has elevated Christopher Deelsnyder to the position of senior vice president and managing director of ACS Government Healthcare Solutions."To reach our full potential in the government health care market, ACS is becoming a serious contender for the very large and complex health care contracts emerging in the federal government market," said Tom Burlin, ACS executive vice president and chief operating officer.Deelsnyder has been working in ACS' health care group since the beginning of 2006, mostly concentrating on the federal market. He'll now be responsible for both federal and state and local business.Before joining ACS, he was a senior vice president of a bioinformatics company and worked in the Medicaid practice at EDS Corp.CSC of El Segundo, Calif., ranks on Washington Technology's 2006 list of the largest federal IT contractors.ACS ranks on the list.