Maria A. Friedman, DBA

Senior Consultant

Maria A. Friedman, DBA

Maria A. Friedman provides subject matter expertise for many Point-of-Care Partners (POCP) client projects using her knowledge of federal health care and HIT programs and regulatory processes in such areas as ePrescribing, electronic prior authorization, and meaningful use. She also has contributed heavily to project development and support, using her skills in writing, public relations, and marketing. This includes the development of white papers; testimony to Congress and federal advisory groups; proposals; final reports; and a variety of materials for industry briefings, including handouts, background pieces, talking points and PowerPoints.  

Maria has written many articles and publications, both for clients and under her own byline.  Publications include “Interoperable e-Prescribing in the United States: A Progress Report” (Health Affairs, 2009) and “E-Prescribing and the Medicare Modernization Act: Paving the On-ramp to Fully Integrated Health Information Technology?“ (Health Affairs, 2005). Maria retired as a senior advisor to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the US Department of Health and Human Services. While there, she advised CMS and HHS on ePrescribing, HIPAA transactions and code sets, and health IT issues, including standards, outreach, and implementation. She has held many other senior positions within CMS and the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research. Most notably, she was CMS’ public affairs director, overseeing all media relations, beneficiary outreach, publications, and consumer education. Maria held a similar position at AHRQ as head of the agency’s public affairs and research dissemination activities. After spending a year on loan as the Executive Editor for the journal Health Affairs in 2000, she returned to CMS to conduct special projects and analyses for the deputy director of the Medicaid program before turning to HIT issues and ePrescribing under Medicare Part D. 

Maria holds a Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) in English literature, a Master of Science in journalism, and a doctorate in business administration, with concentrations in management and strategy. In her spare time, she is a semi-professional singer of (mostly) classical music. She sings regularly with the National Philharmonic in Washington, DC, and has performed with groups all over the world.