50 Most Influential Clinical Executives - 2021

Berner is responsible for HCSC’s clinical strategy, physical and behavioral care programs, quality and accreditation, and community health initiatives. Quality-improvement efforts she has overseen include increasing colorectal cancer screening through in-home test kits—23% of members participated in 2019 and better outcomes were reported for those who tested positive. The program was expanded to diabetes care in 2020. Another program sent care vans to children in vulnerable populations to increase immunizations. Data from that project were used to assist in COVID-19 testing. During the pandemic, she oversaw work to expand use of data to develop alerts for members who might be at high risk of contracting COVID. And she helped launch the first statewide health information exchange in Montana.