As National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under George W. Bush, he was the first national leader to show the importance of health information technology to healthcare reform. His 2004 report, A Framework for Strategic Action, laid out a 10-year plan with objectives and parameters that remain relevant today. A physician turned-entrepreneur, Dr. Brailer founded CareScience, an early attempt at outcomes-based care management and information exchange; it was sold off in 2003. With capital from CalPERS and other pension funds, he now invests in growth companies through Health Evolution Partners. Also runs the influential, invitation-only conference series, Innovation.

"A key lesson for innovators is that heath care start-ups rarely see hockey stick growth. Experienced entrepreneurs who come into health care with the expectation that success will happen "right now" because of the stimulus funds will be disappointed. This is an industry that rewards steady growth – that's why our firm is named 'Health Evolution Partners,' because change in healthcare has to do with incremental change." —Dr. David Brailer