Mark A. Farrow

Mark is the Chief Technology and Privacy Officer for Oak Valley Health.

Mark has over 36 years progressive experience in health IT, most of those years as the most senior IT person in the organization. He has run a small consulting practice helping healthcare organizations with IT strategy and was formerly Vice President, Health Information Technology Services (HITS) and Chief Information Officer for Hamilton Health Sciences.

Mark was the driver behind the formation of HITS, a revenue generating reimagining of the HHS IT department. As Vice President, HITS and Chief Information Officer for Hamilton Health Sciences, Mark oversaw a twenty plus million-dollar hospital operating budget with a staff of over a hundred and fifty. As well, Mark brought in over $40 million in revenue from outside contracts. Reporting to Mark was Client Services, Informatics, Medical Informatics, Technology Services, Security Office, Telecommunications, Business Operations and eHealth Office.

Mark has been involved with numerous projects at a regional and provincial level including developing ClinicalConnect, the largest federated electronic health record in North America, covering over 72 hospitals and half the population of Ontario.

Mark also held the role of eHealth Lead and Chief Information Officer for the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network (HNHB LHIN) where he oversaw the coordination and strategic development of eHealth solutions for the LHIN. He has also served previously as Chief Information Officer for St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton and Brant Community Hospital.

Mark was named a 2014 Premier 100 IT Leader by Computerworld for his IT leadership and vision. He was also awarded the 2011 Health Care Chief Security Office of the Year, by the Editors of SC Canada Magazine at the SC Canada Congress, Data Security Conference and Expo (June 2011).

Mark has written numerous articles and speaks at conferences and courses across North America on hospital information systems, Portfolio Project Management, Digital Health and the electronic health records.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and an M.B.A. in Information Management both from McMaster University.