Leadership Team
Thom A. Mayer, M.D., FACEP, FAAP - Founder and CEODaniel G. Kirkpatrick, MHA, FACHE - Director of OperationsJohn Johnson - Director of Operations
Thom Mayer, MD, FACEP, FAAP
Founder and CEO
Dr. Thom Mayer is recognized as one of the nation’s foremost experts in leadership and management in emergency medicine. His work has been recognized by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) as well as the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).
Dr. Mayer has twice been honored by ACEP as its Outstanding Speaker of the Year. He has lectured on key clinical and leadership issues for ACEP for each of its past twenty-five Scientific Assemblies. He is the Keynote Speaker for ACEP’s Emergency Department Director’s Academy(EDDA) and is the Chief Editor of the landmark textbook, Emergency Department Management: Principles and Practices.
Dr. Mayer is one of only four Medical Directors for the Studer Group, a testimony to his deep expertise in customer service training and the level of respect in which he is held by Quint Studer.
Dr. Mayer is one of the nation’s foremost experts on sports medicine and has served for nearly ten years as the Medical Director of the NFL Players Association.
On September 11, 2001 Dr. Mayer served as one of the Command Physicians at 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 duringthe fall 2001 anthrax crises, and Dr. Mayer has served the Department of Defense on three separate Defense Science Board Task Forces on Bioterrorism, Homeland Security, and Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Dan Kirkpatrick, MHA, FACHE
Director of Operations
With more than 24 years of healthcare management experience in Consulting, Staff and Administrator roles, Dan directs and implements operational enhancements at BestPractices client sites. Dan manages the Operations Team which supports the BestPractices site Medical Director in meeting operational/financial goals, as well as enhancing Service, Leadership, Safety and Sustainability performance. Prior work experience in Public Accounting, Administrative roles in hospitals (for profit, not-for-profit, specialty medical-surgical and behavioral health) and extensive Practice Management for medical practices (primary care, specialty and hospital-based) provide him sensitivity to the complex issues confronting healthcare providers.
Dan holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology and an MHA from The Ohio State University. He has extensive experience in serving healthcare providers throughout the United States and is actively involved in managing and coordinating consulting services for BestPractices.
John Johnson
Director of Operations
John works closely with the executive and medical leadership teams to identify and follow through on strategic initiatives and day to day operational imperatives. He is also responsible for the analytical arm of BestPractices and leads the development and implementation of tools that turn raw data into actionable information. Prior to BestPractices, John was an Associate at Portfolio Logic, a healthcare-focused private investment fund. While at Portfolio Logic, John played a key role in taking private and then improving the strategic vision and operational performance of PSA Healthcare, Inc., where he remains a Board Observer. He holds a Bachelors in Physics from Cornell University.
Kirk Jensen, MD, MBA, FACEP - Chief Medical OfficerMichael Born, MD, MBA, FACEP - VP of Clinical Operations
Kirk Jensen, MD, MBA, FACEP
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Kirk Jensen is one of the most widely respected experts in patient safety, performance improvement and patient flow, and has held numerous leadership positions with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Dr. Jensen chaired, for many years, both IHI’s Learning Community on Hospital-Wide Patient Flow and the IHI Learning Community on Emergency Department Flow. He currently leads the innovative seminars Cracking the Code to Hospital-Wide Patient Flow and Perfecting Emergency Department Operations.
Dr. Jensen was on the expert panel and site examination team for Urgent Matters, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative focusing on reducing ED crowding. Dr. Jensen is the Capstone Speaker at the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Directors Academy, leading ED directors through process improvements in patient flow, error reduction and managing change. He is also a Studer Group Medical Director.
Dr. Jensen is directly responsible for the coaching, mentoring, and career development of each BestPractices Medical Director. Dr. Jensen has been involved in coaching and/or consulting with over 200 hospitals nationwide and has developed some of the most innovative and creative solutions in emergency medicine.
Michael Born, MD, MBA, FACEP
Vice President of Clinical Operations
Dr. Born is the Vice President of Clinical Operations for BestPractices, as well as the Medical Director of our High Impact Team (HIT). In Dr. Born’s earlier work with BestPractices, he served BestPractices as Medical Director of the emergency department at Northwest Community Hospital (NCH), facilitating the transition and transformation of this Emergency Physician Group. Prior to BestPractices, he was the Medical Director of a local group in the Midwest, as well as serving as Chief of the Medical Staff for a 500-person medical staff.
After three years of leading numerous improvements at NCH, and after close consultation with NCH, Dr. Born was promoted to his current role, with responsibility for new start-ups and the company-wide development and implementation of clinical quality, patient safety and operational initiatives.
