Bill Augustine

Bill Augustine
Bill Augustine at HealthLink Incorporated
Born William Anthony Augustine
(1955-12-13)December 13, 1955
Jackson, Michigan, U.S.

William Anthony (Bill) Augustine is the founder and former CEO of HealthLink Incorporated, an information technology consulting firm later acquired by IBM. He is considered a pioneer in the advancement and optimization of healthcare information systems.

Early life

Augustine was born to Edward Adam Augustine and Margaret Marie Augustine in Jackson, Michigan. His father worked at Clark Equipment Company, a local tool maker, while his mother raised Augustine and his three siblings. He lived in Jackson, Michigan until he sought higher education at the University of Arizona.

Augustine began competitive golfing in his sophomore year at Lumen Christi Catholic High School in Jackson, Michigan. He received a golf scholarship from Jackson Junior College and competed in the national junior college championships in his second year there. He now golfs recreationally and competes in local tournaments.

After junior college, Augustine attended the University of Arizona and earned a bachelor's degree in accounting with a minor in business administration.

Early career

After college, Augustine worked as a computer programmer and analyst for multiple businesses. He worked with the administration of West Virginia University Hospitals, implementing automated computer systems to streamline access to patient information. It was there that he met his future wife, Sherry Lynn, an IBM sales representative. They married on May 30, 1987.

After leaving his job in West Virginia, Augustine become an independent consultant, specializing in streamlining hospital information systems and medical records.

In 1994, Augustine founded HealthLink Incorporated in Charlotte, North Carolina, with ten employees. From 1994 to 1998, the company experienced an over 3700% growth in sales.[1] By 1999, it had 107 employees in twenty-six states. As the second fastest-growing technology company in North Carolina, HealthLink Inc. was rated the No. 41 business on the 1998 Inc. 500 list.[2] Its clients included Mayo Clinic, Mercy Hospital, Baptist Hospital, and UCLA Medical Center.[3]

By 2000, HealthLink Inc. had 120 employees, and was the largest privately held information technology consulting firm to hospitals in the U.S. With revenues of $20 million, it was named one of the fastest growing companies in its sector by Healthcare Informatics and Inc.,[4] and achieved the No. 2 spot in the North Carolina Fast 50. Augustine, HealthLink's CEO, accepted an invitation to the World Economic Forum as a "pioneer in technology".

Merger with IMG

To accommodate its fast growth and continued expansion, HealthLink Inc. sought to purchase other businesses, including Insource Management Group Inc. (IMG). HealthLink and IMG eventually agreed to a merger, which took place in December, 2000.[5] The merger brought new clients such as Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Catholic Healthcare West. It raised HealthLink's combined revenue by 39%,[6], substantially increased its number of employees, and enabled it to gain international clients.[7] In the process of the merger, Augustine relinquished his title of CEO to Ivo Nelson, the CEO of IMG, and assumed the position of Senior Executive Vice President. The company's name was changed from HealthLink Incorporated to HealthLink, and its headquarters moved from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Houston, Texas.

Further growth

In its first fiscal year, the merged company had revenues of $33 million and more than 400 client organizations.[8] By 2003, it had achieved a 160% growth in revenue.

By 2004, the company had 625 employees, a 420% increase from its pre-merger number. It had many new major clients, including Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, St. Luke's Episcopal Health System, and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, as well as clients in the United Kingdom, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. It had also achieved government contracts with the U.S. General Services Administration and the U.K.'s National Health Service, and was named a member of Fortune Magazine's Global 500.

Acquisition by IBM

HealthLink's growth attracted the notice of other major players in healthcare IT, and IBM, which was expanding its presence in the sector, expressed interest in buying it. HealthLink's administration initially resisted the proposal, but further negotiations lead to the company's sale to IBM in April, 2005.[9]

Retirement

After HealthLink's sale, Augustine retired to Cornelius, North Carolina. He continues to golf there, and has worked part-time at the Community School of Davidson, which one of his sons has attended.

References

  1. ↑ Williams, Audrey. "HealthLink adjusting for more big growth".
  2. ↑ Williams, Audrey. "HealthLink adjusting for more big growth".
  3. ↑ "North Carolina Technology Fast 50". Triangle Business Journal. Triangle.Tech.News. August 20, 1999.
  4. ↑ "2000 North Carolina Technology Fast 50". Charlotte Business Journal. 21 August 2000. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Rothhacker, Rick (December 2000). "HealthLink Merges With Houston Firm".
  6. ↑ "HealthLink merges with IMG". bizjournals.com. Charlotte Business Journal. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "IMG and HealthLink to Merge; Combined Organizations Will Bring Unprecedented IT Expertise to Leading Healthcare Organizations Nationwide". PR Newswire. Cision. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  8. ↑ Quiana, Pennie (7 April 2002). "Strong link". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  9. ↑ "IBM to Acquire HealthLink, Nation's Foremost Healthcare Consulting Services Company". ibm.com. IBM. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
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