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KO Alumni Receives Young Professionals Award for Work in Healthcare Technology Management
KO Alumni Receives Young Professionals Award for Work in Healthcare Technology ManagementJennifer DeFrancesco, chief biomedical engineer for the Indianapolis VA Medical Center and VISN 10, was selected to receive AAMI's (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation) 2016 Young Professional Award. This award is presented to a professional, under the age of 35, with a history of exemplary accomplishments and a commitment to healthcare technology.

Although DeFrancesco, has only been in the healthcare technology management (HTM) field for six years, she has already made a mark. At age 24, she became the youngest chief biomedical engineer in the VA system at one of its largest and most complex hospitals. At age 26, DeFrancesco became the youngest VISN biomedical engineering lead, with dual responsibilities at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center and VISN 11 (now VISN 10), which covered seven hospitals in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois.

Despite these tremendous responsibilities, DeFrancesco still finds time to be a mentor to local college students and a committed volunteer.

“Jenn, who goes by ‘JD,’ has boundless energy and enthusiasm that spreads to everyone she meets,” said Barbara Christe, PhD, director of the healthcare engineering technology management program at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). “Her sincerity and dedication to detail is impressive. No issue is too small. For example, she tracks the hours IUPUI interns put in, carefully mentoring them and outlining consequences if they fall behind. Despite her intense schedule, she found time to volunteer as an accreditation evaluator for ABET, a significant time commitment. No matter what else is happening, you always get the feeling she is focused on you—your email, your needs, your conversation—and she will give you what you need—accurate information, unwavering support, and a truly caring connection.”

DeFrancesco is also a member of AAMI’s Technology Management Council, co-chair of the American College of Clinical Engineering’s Education Committee, and a contributor to BI&T and TechNation.

“I am so humbled to be the recipient of the AAMI Young Professional Award for 2016,” DeFrancesco said. “I have the unique privilege of serving America’s veterans, day in and day out, which is so distinctively rewarding. I am grateful for the HTM field and the many people who have served as teachers and mentors for me, as well as the VA for continuing to be a leader in the healthcare technology arena and cultivating an environment where young biomedical engineers can learn, grow, and thrive. Thank you, AAMI, for supporting me and the other young professionals in this field.”
DeFrancesco will receive her award at the AAMI 2016 Conference & Expo, which will take place June 3–6 in Tampa, FL.
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AAMI is a nonprofit organization founded in 1967. It is a diverse community of nearly 7,000 healthcare technology professionals united by one important mission—supporting the healthcare community in the development, management, and use of safe and effective healthcare technology.
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