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Linkous Health

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Jonathan D. Linkous

Jon Linkous has spent much of his life working to make a better world.  He is recognized as an authority on the use of telecommunications and advanced technologies to provide health care services. He has lectured and written extensively on healthcare modernization, public policy affecting health technology, emerging applications and market trends in the U.S. and in over 40 countries around the world. He has been called upon to advise the federal government and a variety of national and international companies, health systems and investment firms. Author of many published articles and contributor to numerous books he has been interviewed by a variety of national, regional and trade press including New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Politico, NBC News, and CNN.  He has frequently lectured at George Mason University as well as the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Texas Tech University.

He currently serves as CEO of Linkous Health, providing consulting services to institutions and industry on the introduction of new innovations to improve the delivery of healthcare.  He is the Founder and CEO of the Transformational Healthcare Initiative, a private non-profit organization consisting of a small group of experts in advanced technology and medicine plotting new ways to use 21st Century technology to deliver healthcare.  He is also the past Editor-In-Chief of the journal Healthcare Transformation.

Under his 24 years of leadership as the founding Chief Executive Officer of the American Telemedicine Association, the association grew to be the foremost international resource and advocacy organization promoting the use of advanced remote medical technologies with 10,000 individual and 500 organizational members throughout the world.  Under his leadership, telemedicine grew from early experiments to a broadly adopted and commonly accessed vehicle to deliver patient care throughout the world.

Prior to ATA, Linkous served in a number of senior roles, fulfilling his goals to create positive change:

  • Executive Director of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, where he created the National Eldercare Locator helping thousands of caregivers get access to community services for distant relatives.
  • As a consultant in telecommunications technology, he led efforts that allowed universal access to 911 emergency services by all wireless consumers regardless of their phone service.
  • As a Director of Programs at the Appalachian Regional Commission for 10 years, Linkous led initiatives providing economic development and healthcare services to poor rural communities in Appalachia.
  • His life long interest in telecommunications and technology started with his time in television and radio in Columbus, Ohio working both behind and in front of the camera as well as on air in radio. His series of videocasts “This Month in Telemedicine” became a widely viewed source of news and information about the field.

Mr. Linkous holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the School of Government and Public Affairs at the American University in Washington, D.C.  Additional post-graduate studies were at the Public Executive Institute at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.

One of Jon’s passions is using technology to deliver health services to the poor and those most in need. He established the Human Touch Award at ATA, that was given to an individual or organization that employs telemedicine to help meet the needs of the poor. Past awardees include Jennifer Lopez, Carlos Santana and the Swinfen Charitable Trust.