WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Health Benchmarks^® Inc. (HBI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Joe Kim to the Clinical and Research Development group. Dr. Kim will be involved with business operations and research and development activities. Dr. Kim will also work in coordinating all aspects of clinical product development.

“Dr. Kim’s addition to our team will strengthen HBI’s core services and allow us to expand our position in the marketplace,” said Antonio Legorreta, M.D., President and CEO of Health Benchmarks, Inc. “The combination of his background in health services research and strong clinical experience will be particularly valuable in his Clinical and Research Development position at HBI. HBI has consistently worked to offer clients the most innovative, yet academically rigorous analytic and consulting solutions, and Dr. Kim’s direction will guarantee that this continues to be the case.”

According to Dr. Kim, “To join an industry leader in applied health services research is extremely exciting. I look forward to helping carry on one of HBI’s goals to produce actionable information that will improve the quality of care in our health care system.”

Dr. Kim joins us from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he is currently completing a National Institutes of Health funded Health Services Research Fellowship. His research interests include Health Information Technology and clinical performance improvement. Dr. Kim is currently involved in the evaluation of the large-scale implementation of an electronic health system and its impact on the quality of chronic care delivery. He is also working with a large national health plan to identify and target racial and ethnic disparities in care. Prior to joining HBI, Dr. Kim worked at the Association of American Medical Colleges where he conducted research on the impact of managed care on health care markets.

Dr. Kim received his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University, his MD from George Washington University and completed his internship and residency at Yale. Prior to medical school, he earned his master’s degree in public health from the Columbia University School of Public Health with a focus on Community Oriented Primary Care and physician socialization. He is board Certified in Internal Medicine and is currently an Assistant Physician at UCLA with clinical responsibilities at Kaiser Permanente and Cedars Sinai.

Health Benchmarks^® Inc. (HBI) is an applied health services research company that specializes in transforming healthcare data into meaningful, actionable information for managed care organizations, pharmaceutical companies, large employers, and other health services organizations. Utilizing the company’s analytical assets, HBI conducts complex health outcomes research and analyses to facilitate evidenced based decision-making in an increasingly competitive marketplace. HBI is an industry leader in the development of physician and hospital pay-for-performance programs, and delivers real world business solutions that drive and sustain high quality and value in the healthcare industry. Please visit www.healthbenchmarks.com or call 1-800-465-6575 for more information.