Rena Sheehan, LICSW, MBA has joined Neighborhood as Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Implementation; Mark Lorson has been promoted to Vice President of Pharmacy
February 7, 2024 (Smithfield, RI) – Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (Neighborhood) today announced the appointment of two Vice Presidents to its Clinical Division:
Rena Sheehan, LICSW, MBA has joined Neighborhood as Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Implementation.
Mark Lorson previously joined Neighborhood in 2018 and has been promoted to Vice President of Pharmacy.
Both Sheehan and Lorson will play a significant role in the strategic development and implementation of Neighborhood’s clinical programs and services to ensure its members have access to high-quality, cost-effective health care.
“We are excited to welcome Rena and Mark to their new roles here at Neighborhood,” said Kristin Russell, Chief Medical Officer. “They are both experienced health care innovators passionate about serving their community, and they will play vital roles in enhancing the clinical services Neighborhood provides its members.”
In her role, Sheehan will develop clinical strategies and programs to drive positive health outcomes and reduce costs for Neighborhood members. She will also lead cross-functional initiatives within the Clinical Division and across the organization’s other business areas.
Prior to joining Neighborhood, Sheehan’s most recent role was with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI), where she developed and championed the organization’s youth behavioral health strategy to improve access to care. Sheehan also led the development and implementation of its Duals Special Needs care management program, insourcing behavioral health services, and designing behavioral health alternative payment models. As a community mental health leader, Sheehan led important initiatives such as integrating primary care within the behavioral health center, implementing open access, and transitioning to the Medicaid health home model.
Sheehan is a native Rhode Islander dedicated to giving back to the community. She serves on the United Way of Rhode Island Board of Directors and is the Vice Chair of the United Way of Rhode Island Community Advisory Board.
Lorson joined Neighborhood in 2018, taking on increasing responsibility within its Pharmacy department throughout his tenure. In his new role, Lorson will oversee the Pharmacy department, including regulatory pharmacy and operations as well as clinical strategies to improve access, cost, and quality of Neighborhood’s Pharmacy benefits for its members.
Most recently, Lorson served as Director of Clinical Pharmacy Strategies with Neighborhood, where he oversaw medication coverage and cost management and led the implementation of a customized Specialty Pharmacy Limited Network for Neighborhood’s Medicaid and Commercial Lines of Business.
Prior to joining Neighborhood, Lorson worked in oncology and infant care at Women and Infants Hospital. He also increased health plan STAR performance ratings in his role at Dovetail Health/UnitedHealthcare in Boston. During his time with CVS Health, Lorson supported internal and client-facing Medicare Part D operations and spent five years in a community pharmacy. Additionally, he initiated a transition of care program as a discharge pharmacist at Meriter Hospital in Madison, WI.
Lorson is dedicated to the advancement of the pharmacy profession and serves on the Rhode Island Pharmacist Association (RIPA) Board as its Government and Legislative Chair.
For more information about Neighborhood, visit nhpri.org.
About Neighborhood:
Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (Neighborhood) is a not-for-profit health maintenance organization (HMO) founded in December 1993 in partnership with Rhode Island’s Community Health Centers and the state to ensure everyone in Rhode Island has access to high quality, cost-effective health care. Neighborhood serves over 225,000 members in the state with 82 percent of its membership Medicaid eligible through its ACCESS and TRUST plans and 6 percent of its membership utilizing Neighborhood’s INTEGRITY Medicare-Medicaid Plan (MMP). More than 12 percent of Neighborhood’s members represents individuals, families and small businesses who select one of 15 Neighborhood commercial plans available through the health exchange, HealthSource RI. Of these members, about 85 percent qualify for federal subsidies to cover a portion of their costs. Today, Neighborhood—with nearly 650 employees and $1.8 billion in revenue—serves one out of every five Rhode Islanders. Learn more at nhpri.org.
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