He is developing a new Electronic Health Record (EHR) Program at the state-level to support the first-time procurement and implementation of a state-wide EHR that he is also leading. He is fostering relationships with external partners (i.e. government, academic, and non-profit) to improve the capabilities of public health and inform policymakers and the public. He is an advocate for the combination of data, technology, and information science to improve efficiency, optimize public health efforts, and drive data-driven decisions.  Also, within the state, Dr. Palmer has served roles with the Georgia Data Analytics Center (GDAC) and the All-Payor Claims Database (APCD) which include data governance, use cases, and request reviews.

Prior to DPH, Dr. Palmer served as the Director of Advanced Analytics and Outcomes at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) where he oversaw clinical, operational, and research data teams that specialized in clinical quality, process improvement, root cause analysis, forecasting, research, and decision support. 

Dr. Palmer has spent 20+ years in healthcare by successfully fulfilling roles as a clinical nurse, engineer, quality manager, and healthcare program consultant. He has a proven track record of driving impactful results across clinical, finance, business development, research, and product development.  Dr. Palmer is a multiple year graduate of Vanderbilt University where he obtained a Bachelor’s of Engineering in both Biomedical and Electrical Engineering, a Bachelor’s of Nursing Equivalent, a Master’s of Nursing, and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering.