Amy Blackwell

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Amy Blackwell

International Health Services Group

From April 2011 to September 2012 Amy served as a US Peace Corps volunteer in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Health District, Department of Health Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. As Project Manager for Revitalization of Primary Health Care, she managed 100 paid nurses and community health workers who visited clients in townships, informal settlements and community health posts. She joined the Peace Corps immediately after her retirement.

 

From June 2005 to January 2011, Amy lived and worked in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving WakeMed Health and Hospitals first as a Planning and Regulatory Consultant and later as the Director of Physician Relations.

 

As Consultant to the Mecklenburg County Medical Society in Charlotte, NC, Amy worked with member physicians to establish Physicians Reach Out, a system of care for the uninsured poor and near poor. She was responsible for all aspects of project including fund raising, provider recruitment, budget development, systems design, and implementation. This successful program was modeled after Project Access, a well-known program that has be modified and replicated throughout the country. This work was accomplished between April 2003 and June 2005.

 

In March 2001 Amy was asked to work at Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She was part of a team of professionals who were upgrading the military health care system. This acute care hospital served UAE armed forces, dependents and referral cases. There was an average daily census greater than 90. Daily clinic and emergency room visits were more than 1000. This unique assignment lasted 19 months. Amy supervised more than 50 multi-national employees serving in medical records, admissions and statistics departments. She developed systems for inpatient records management, clinical coding, statistical analysis, patient registration and filing.

 

From 1978 to 2000 Amy worked for Presbyterian Healthcare in Charlotte, North Carolina. During this time she continually increased her areas of responsibility, beginning as a Department Head, and in 1984 joining the administrative staff. She served as Vice President of Planning and Government Relations from 1992 to 1998, and Vice President of Government Relations from 1990 to 2000. Significant accomplishments include:

 

  • Facilitated $3.7 M purchase of new hospital site
  • Organized process that developed long range strategic vision and presented to internal and external stakeholders
  • Served as board member for physicians owned practices
  • Managed successful Certificate of Need application for new 102 bed hospital
  • Prepared many Certificate of Need applications for new services, and program and facility expansions
    Facilitated board retreats leading to physician acquisition and restructuring
  • Wrote and implemented business plan for Institute of Research and Technology

 

Amy has a Masters Degree in Public Health from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and an undergraduate degree in German and Psychology from the University of Kentucky. She completed a certificate program in Hospital Administration at the University of North Carolina, and a certificate program in medical record administration at the USPHS Hospital, Baltimore, MD.

 

Amy has two grown children and one grandchild. She enjoys traveling, reading and hiking, as well as spending time with family. She has always served as a community volunteer and has received recognition in the past from the Boy Scouts of America, the YMCA, Urban Ministries of Wake County and Raleigh Little Theater. Current volunteer commitments include a not for profit credit counseling agency, and a health and development agency in Honduras.