About

VitalSigns provides physicians with a unique, concise source of information on health reform and policy that has been specially selected to be both interesting and actionable. The goal of VitalSigns is to cut through the clutter by providing fewer (but very high value) postings, articles and links - and we welcome your thoughts and submissions.

VitalSigns features physician voices as often as possible - from rural family docs to U.S. senators - as we believe that physicians know best what is of value to their colleagues. Physicians created and oversee VitalSigns - and through our relationship with iMedExchange's physician community, we provide a unique window into what physicians are saying about the future of the health care system.

In addition to the VitalSigns blog, iMedExchange has launched the VitalSigns Resource Center for their physician members. The Resource Center provides iMedExchange's members with the tools to learn more, get involved in advocacy (wherever they come down on the issues), and most importantly catalyze and engage their colleagues.

iMedExchange is the fastest growing online community of physicians. iMedExchange empowers doctors to connect with their colleagues in an efficient, fun, and easy way. Along with social networking, iMedExchange offers value-added resources for the clinical, business and personal sides of a doctor's life.

Contributors

Robert M. Coppedge - Editor, Vital Signs

Rob has a long history of working with early stage and fast growing health care companies. Before joining iMedExchange as the Director of Corporate Development, he spent 13 years in health care venture capital, most recently launching Faultline Ventures. He spent more years than he cares to admit in Washington, DC, where he worked closely with policy makers, think tanks and interest groups. Now that he is in the "other Washington" (the one with the Space Needle and Salmon), he is working with iMedExchange to create a powerful, dynamic and unique online community for physicians. In his spare time, he writes about health care innovation on his own blog (www.nextthingsfirst.com) and occasionally tweets about it(@coppedge). Rob graduated from Georgetown University's College of Arts and Sciences, is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts.

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Charlotte Gee Graeber - Chief Contributor, Vital Signs

Charlotte has spent more than a decade focused on communications and public relations in the health care industry. She began her career at the Nashville Health Care Council, a trade association focused on education, networking and mentoring opportunities. Charlotte spent a total of seven years at the Council, acting as manager of membership services and then as director of programs and communications. She also was founding executive director of the spin-off group Young Health Care Leaders, now known as Leadership Health Care. She and Rob launched the Leadership Health Care's "Delegation to D.C.," which has now grown to become the largest national meeting of young health care executives. She is president of Charlotte Works, a public relations and communications firm based in Chicago. When not blogging at VitalSigns, she is working with a number of innovative early-stage and growth health care companies (and a few of her favorite veterinarians). Charlotte earned her bachelor's in English from Vanderbilt University. (Follow Charlotte on Twitter: @cgraeber)