A healthcare game changer and warrior is no longer with us. Neal Patterson has been an icon and mentor in the industry and will always be remembered.

I have been in this challenging arena of healthcare IT for almost two and a half decades. I call it challenging because of the constant changes that forced all of us to adapt and re-invent ourselves. I have faced some of these challenges as an ally to Neal and some on the other side as a competitor. We won some battles and lost others, but the challenge is what made it fun, and Neal’s brilliance pushed us to think harder to stay in the game. The most important thing is that we were always driven by our shared mission and passion to do the right thing for our customers and the healthcare industry. Ultimately, the customers and the industry always won!

As we get older and wiser, we are all confronted by our own mortality and realize that we are at an inflection point, where the only way to transform healthcare is by leveraging our past experiences and joining forces with other game changers to make a difference. Today we should carry Neal’s torch and together execute on our shared vision. My friend, we thank you for making us better and joining your mission and vision.

We will not disappoint you!