Former ChartLogic financial executive is elevated after merger of inpatient electronic health record and physician practice solutions providers.

Carlsbad, Calif.—Medsphere Systems Corporation, the leading provider of affordable and interoperable electronic health record (EHR) solutions and services, today announced that Rita Schaefer has been named chief financial officer (CFO). Schaefer was previously CFO for ChartLogic, a healthcare IT solutions provider for physician practices that Medsphere merged with this past June.

Schaefer joined ChartLogic in 2000, later becoming chief financial officer, and was a key participant in an acquisition, three rounds of investment and the merger with Medsphere. 

“When we began discussing the merger with ChartLogic, it was clear that Rita had brought significant financial discipline to the company when she came on board,” said Medsphere President and CEO Irv Lichtenwald. “I’m confident she will apply equally sound controls and discretion to Medsphere’s overall operations and continue our history of growing profitability and financial success.”

Schaefer’s broad understanding of healthcare finance is the product of extensive experience advising doctors and owners of medical practices. Earlier in her career, she owned a company that provided accounting and consulting services to medical practices and clinics.

 “I appreciate the relationship that [ChartLogic CEO] Zubin Emsley and I have developed over the years, and the faith that Irv demonstrated by offering me the CFO position,” Schaefer said. “With recent mergers, Medsphere is now a more diverse and exciting enterprise, and I look forward to the additional success we can create.”

Medsphere develops and implements the OpenVista EHR, an enhanced solution for acute and inpatient behavioral health facilities derived from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) VistA system. Through recent mergers with Phoenix Health Systems, MBS/Net and ChartLogic, the company now also offers comprehensive physician practice management solutions and a complete range of healthcare IT consulting and outsourcing services.