2025 Excellence in Imaging Informatics Award Winner Don Dennison: Elevating Imaging Informatics Through Passion, Advocacy, and Vision
Don Dennison, Certified Imaging Informatics Professional (CIIP), FSIIM, didn't set out to be a leader in Imaging Informatics.
His first encounter with the field came unexpectedly, when he was recruited for his background in technical software product management.
A former manager recruited me to an imaging company after leaving our software firm," Dennison recalls.
"The blend of art and science instantly intrigued me—everything is so precise." He's been hooked ever since.
From Intrigue to Commitment
When Dennison was first exposed to the field, he had to learn quickly, and his approach was methodical:
"The great thing about informatics is that everything is documented," he says. "And when it's written down, it's something I can learn."
Dennison recalls reading the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Year Four Technical Framework in one sitting:
"I stayed in the office until 2 a.m. and understood barely any of it, but it helped me build a mental model of core systems, information models, and inter-system transactions."
That late-night deep dive laid the foundation for his understanding—and marked the start of a career built on curiosity, discipline, and a drive to master the unfamiliar.
A Life Devoted to the Community
Dennison's informatics journey began at Agfa Healthcare, where he created commercial tools like the XERO Viewer—enabling secure access to imaging data across departments and multiple sources in one view.
After nearly 15 years in a variety of roles, he stepped down as Director of eHealth and Regional Health Business to launch a consulting firm, aiming to broaden his impact.
Today, he champions informatics by focusing on patient identification, documenting best practices, building free shareable tools (like a hiring-focused career map), supporting providers, and educating informaticists.
Beyond his professional work, Dennison stays engaged with the informatics community through volunteer work with organizations like the American Board of Imaging Informatics (ABII) and the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM),
including the National Imaging Informatics Course (NIIC) subcommittee. He lectures, serves on panels and committees, and has authored several eBooks.
A Pivotal Career Milestone
Dennison earned the CIIP certification well into his established career. "I wish it had existed when I started," he says. "It would have provided an excellent framework for growth."
Still, the CIIP certification added meaningful value: formal recognition of the expertise he'd built through years of hands-on experience. "It also deepened my understanding of IT infrastructure—from networking and storage—as well as training methodologies," he explains.
Dennison sees the credential as a clear validation of a skill set uniquely suited to bridging clinical needs with technical solutions.
Informaticists as Problem Solvers
That same skill set, Dennison believes, is what makes informaticists powerful problem solvers. "Success," he says, "is when a radiologist can work more effectively." For Dennison, that vision isn't just aspirational— it's actionable.
He points to informaticists who are advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions through startups, driving innovations that continue to solve problems and improve quality—and most importantly, patient care.
Recognizing a Leadership Legacy
Adam Flanders, MD, FSIIM, CIIP, Vice Chair of Imaging Informatics at Thomas Jefferson University, one of several who nominated Dennison for the ABII Excellence in Imaging Informatics award, describes his contributions as "profound and enduring."
He adds, "He's not only a brilliant technologist and consultant but also a generous mentor and community builder."
Reflecting on the award, Dennison says, "You put in the years, try to do quality work for the right reasons, and keep grinding. Then something like this comes along and reminds you that those hundreds of hours mattered. It's incredibly rewarding."