Karen Thomas is the president of Cardeum, a healthcare consulting company focused on reducing hospital readmissions, improving patient outcomes, and reducing health care costs through the use of transformative technologies and best clinical practices. Previously, Karen served more than 20 years as president of Advanced TeleHealth Solutions, a telemonitoring company, and Oxford HealthCare, a home care agency. Karen is also a member of the Loran Group, which is a collaborative between thought leaders with more than 150 years of combined experience in medicine; specialty pharmacy and home infusion; clinical technology; and post-acute alternate site care.

In 2004, Karen developed and secured funding for the first Medicaid-covered telemonitoring program within the Disease Management Department for the State of Missouri. Seeing the need that various industries had for cost-saving solutions that could provide improved health outcomes for patients, she began Advanced TeleHealth Solutions in 2011.

Karen is a nationally renowned speaker, using her expertise in telehealth and remote patient monitoring to educate hospitals, home health agencies, and other companies and organizations about the benefits of telemonitoring solutions. She was a speaker for Missouri State University’s Health Care Administration Master’s program regarding “The Capabilities of Home Health and Its Future,” a contributing author to “Home Telehealth: Connecting Care Within the Community,” published by Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd., and a speaker for numerous webinars and conferences providing education as to the benefits of home telemonitoring, generating enhanced clinical outcomes, patient engagement, and coordination of care.

Karen has co-hosted a long-running radio show to educate the public on the availability, accessibility, and desirability of home health and telemonitoring. She is a member of the Missouri Governors Innovation Task Force, a past board member of the National Association for Home Care and Private Duty Home Care Association, a member of the American Telemedicine Association and the American Society on Aging, and a past ex-officio member of the advisory board of HealthCare Technology Association of America, and locally, serves on the GYNCA board.

Karen holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting and an Master’s in Business Administration from Missouri State University and is a Certified Management Accountant. She has received the Missourian Award; commendations from the Governor of Missouri, Missouri Senate, and Missouri House of Representatives; was recognized as one of Springfield Business Journal’s Most Influential Women and one of 417 Magazine’s Women Who Mean Business; and has been a featured presenter at Springfield Business Journal’s 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes.