James H. Ford II, Associate Scientist in the Center for Health Systems Research and Analysis, earned his PhD in Health Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. I have over 30 years of healthcare experience working in both the acute and behavioral health fields. Prior to receiving my PhD in Industrial Engineering in 2004, I worked as a health systems engineer for the Baptist Healthcare System in Memphis, Tennessee using health systems engineering techniques to improve client services. My research focuses on the use of health systems engineering and quality improvement principles, tools and techniques to assist community based behavioral health and long-term care providers in efforts to implement and sustain organizational change. In 2000, I was part of the UW-Madison group that established NIATx (Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment). Research established NIATx as a proven and effective model to help behavioral health providers implement significant changes in business processes to improve wait time, retention and admissions and adopt evidence based practices. Since NIATx started, I’ve coached over 150 behavioral health providers. Recent projects seek to improve access to evidence based falls prevention practices, reduce the use of inappropriate antibiotic use in nursing homes, understand falls prevention in Assisted Living Facilities and help physicians implement practice improvements related to smoking cessation and alcohol medications. The experience in working with a variety of different healthcare systems gives me a unique perspective on the complexity of the systems issues facing these organizations and strategies to facilitate the implementation and sustainment of organizational change.