Goold Health Systems Hires New Associate Medical Director, Advancing Its Commitment to Quality Clinical Care and Cost Containment
Augusta, Maine — Goold Health Systems, a healthcare management company focusing on Medicaid services, recently hired Jeffrey S. Barkin, M.D., of Portland, Maine, as Associate Medical Director. Board certified in psychiatry, Dr. Barkin will specialize in mental health and medical prior authorization issues for the company as it aims to further contain health care costs.
Specifically, as an integral part of the clinical team already anchored by Dr. Timothy Clifford and Dr. Laureen Biczak, Dr. Barkin will oversee mental health medication treatments, which are a substantial part of State Medicaid systems. He will also lead the Medical Prior Authorization unit.
“Jeff is an outstanding addition to the Goold team,” said Jim Clair, GHS CEO. “He has a keen clinical and analytical mind, and his expertise in psychiatry is critically important to our clients’ ability to contain costs in a clinically effective manner.”
In addition to working for GHS, Dr. Barkin will continue his private practice, which he has run for more than two decades. Building on this success, Dr. Barkin was recently appointed to the State of Maine Board of Bar Examiners. He is interested in forensic issues in psychiatry and healthcare.
“I am very excited to work at GHS and to help its clients achieve excellent clinical care while keeping an eye on the budget,” said Dr. Barkin, who also chairs the Maine Psychiatric Work Group.
Previously, Dr. Barkin served as chairman of MaineCare’s Drug Utilization Review committee. He earned his bachelor’s of arts degree from Swarthmore College and his medical degree from Yale University’s School of Medicine.
Affiliated with the Waldron Group of Companies, Goold Health System is a health care management company that specializes in providing pharmacy benefit services, nurse assessing services, and business process outsourcing services to State Medicaid agencies, non-profit clients and private sector clients. Started in 1974, GHS has offices in Augusta, Maine, Atlanta, Georgia, Cheyenne, Wyoming and Des Moines, Iowa, and employs nearly 200 professionals. For additional information on the company, visit online at www.ghsinc.com.