Name: James P. Walsh
Age: 54
Position: V.P., provider services, Hawaii Medical Service Association
First job: Delivering newspapers
Hobbies: Golf, tennis

Talking management to doctors

James P. Walsh heads the provider service department at the Hawaii Medical Service Association as it works with physicians.

"HMSA is trying to be more collaborative in helping them in their practice management," Walsh said. "We have a lot of data in the HMSA system on how to handle diseases. Some ways are more cost efficient than others."

Walsh worked 22 years for Straub Clinic and Hospital, most recently as administrator for clinical operations for its satellite clinics. He came from Brooklyn, N.Y. to Hawaii in 1964 to train for the Peace Corps, and later was its associate director in Thailand. He also worked for the Hawaii Housing Authority in the 1970s.

Walsh earned a bachelor's degree in English at Notre Dame University and a master's degree in business administration at the University of Hawaii.

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By Jerry Tune, Star-Bulletin