Speaker Bios

Dr. Thom Mayer is the Founder and CEO of BestPractices and Executive Vice President of EmCare®. Emergency departments under his guidance have won awards from Press Ganey, PRC, Gallup, The Institute for Healthcare Improvement, The American College of Healthcare Executives, The Healthcare Advisory Board and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Mayer also serves as a Medical Director for both Studer Group and the National Football League Players Association.

He has published more than 60 articles, 60 book chapters and has edited twelve textbooks and has been recognized as Speaker of the Year by the American College of Emergency Physicians. He devised the Survival Skills course, one of health care’s most widely known customer service training courses. On September 11, 2001 Dr. Mayer served as one of the Command Physicians of the Pentagon Rescue Operation, coordinating medical assets at the site. The BestPractices physicians at Inova Fairfax Hospital were the first to successfully diagnose and treat inhalational anthrax victims during the Fall 2001 anthrax crisis and he has served on the Department of Defense’s Science Board Task Force.

Dr. Mayer’s academic appointments include Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the George Washington and University of Virginia Schools of Medicine and Senior Lecturing Fellow, Duke University School of Medicine.

Expert on Flow and Patient Safety

Dr. Kirk Jensen is the Chief Medical Officer of BestPractices and has spent more than 20 years in Emergency Medicine management and clinical care. He is one of the most widely respected experts in patient safety, performance improvement and patient flow, has held numerous leadership positions with The Institute for Healthcare Improvement and was named the 2010 - 2011 Speaker of the Year by the American College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Jensen also serves as a Medical Director for Studer Group.

Dr. Jensen is directly responsible for the coaching, mentoring and career development of Medical Directors for BestPractices. He has been involved in coaching and/or consulting with more than 200 hospitals nationwide and has developed some of the most innovative and creative solutions in emergency medicine.

Dr. Jensen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in biology from the University of Illinois (Champaign) and a Medical Degree from the University of Illinois (Chicago). He completed a residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Chicago and an MBA at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville).

Expert on Revenue Generation and Expense Reduction

Mark Hamm is EmCare Hospital Medicine’s Chief Executive Officer. He has an extensive background in the management of hospitalist programs, including developing and executing strategic plans, day-to-day operations and practice growth. He has expertise in both emergency medicine and hospitalist programs, including developing and executing strategic plans, day-to-day operations and practice growth. Mr. Hamm has contributed to a number of articles on the subject of decreasing boarding time and improving the patient care path from the E.D. to the inpatient floor.

Mr. Hamm is quoted in numerous journals based on his expertise in blending the objectives of the two hospital-based specialties. He has presented the concept at many lectures and meetings including presenting to over 2,000 participants at the Studer Group What’s Right In Healthcare annual event. Prior to joining EmCare, Mr. Hamm served as Vice President of Hospital Medicine and Emergency Physician Operations at HCA Physician Services. He has also served as a Senior Vice President of Operations in TeamHealth’s Hospital Medicine Division and their Emergency Medicine Division. Mr. Hamm earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Memphis and an MBA in Healthcare Management and Strategic Marketing from the University of Tennessee.