Our History
Inspired by…
At Cromford Health, we are inspired by our roots, to be specific Sir Richard Arkwright and the mill that sparked an industrial revolution, Cromford Mill. Exactly 250 years ago (nearly to the day) from Cromford Health’s founding (2018), in 1768, Sir Richard Arkwright, with two partners, John Smalley and David Thornley, began developing Cromford Mill and invented the technology that became the spinning loom. Cromford Mill was the first of many mills that used spinning loom technology across Europe and sparked the Industrial Revolution in England. To this day, Arkwright is recognized as the inventor and creator of the factory system thanks to his committment to technology and automation. Cromford Mill’s design, methods, and knowledge eventually spread to the US in 1791 when Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton hired Arkwright’s apprentice to implement Cromford Mill’s technology and design methods in the US.
Cromford Mill and the 1768 agreement stated the partners had ‘lately Invented and constructed an Instrument or Piece of Machinery for the more Expeditious and better Spinning of Cotton, Worstead, and Flax into Yarn’ and the three agreed to become ‘Joint Adventurers and Partners’.
Fast forward to today…
Now, 250 years later, Cromford Health’s founder and partners share a deep ancestral and passionate connection to utilize telehealth and digital health technologies to deliver healthcare ‘more expeditious and better’ for patients and providers worldwide. In 1768, society was struggling with low quality goods and inefficient processes. Sounds familiar for healthcare worldwide in the current state doesn’t it? A quarter millennium in the making, we are a new generation of adventurers focused on a different revolution, the digital health revolution.
We work through our research, sharing insights publicly as we publish and present at conferences, companies, and workshops.
Digital health educational courses and curricula are important to us, in addition to our involvement with higher education, we're focused on expanding to other education communities and settings. We believe it is important to educate the next generation of clinical providers, virtualists, administrators, inventors, and scientists at all stages of an individual’s education (school age STEM to advanced medical and graduate level courses).
Our Principles
1
BUILD WIN-WIN-WIN RELATIONSHIPS
Patients, employees, collaborators, customers, communities, and researchers must all win.
2
GENERATE SUCCESS THROUGH GROWTH
Sustainable growth involves adding value, rather than depleting resources.
3
Maintain High Integrity
Most decisions aren’t difficult with a commitment to doing the right thing and following the golden rule.
4
BE EXTREMELY RELIABLE
We do what we say we’ll do, when we say we’re going to do it. Without exception.
5
LEAD, THINK AND ACT LONG TERM
We are guided by what’s in the best long-term interests of patients and providers, and believe the future can thrive with a servant leader mentality.
6
OPERATE AUTHENTICALLY
Life is less complicated when you don’t have to remember who you are “supposed to be.”
Our Team
Bryan Arkwright
Founder & Chief Research Officer
A career digital health industrialist and servant leader, Bryan leads Cromford Health, specifically the research, education, and collaborations, while supporting CH’s long term vision to globally share valuable digital health knowledge and research. Bryan received his Bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and a Master of Health Administration from Medical College of Virginia / VCU and has a Six Sigma Black Belt certification from the American Society for Quality. Bryan serves on the Editorial Board for the peer reviewed Telehealth and Medicine Today Journal, is Adjunct Faculty with two leading universities; Wake Forest University School of Law and Ohio University College of Health Sciences and Professions, and is an Advisory Board Member for the Center for Telehealth and eHealth Law (CTeL the only agnostic legal and regulatory telehealth research institute). Outside of work, Bryan loves spending time with his wife, Mary-Forbes and their four boys, volunteering with faith based organizations, and international pro-bono projects.
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Robert Fowler
CO-founder & Chief financial officer
Robert advises on the financial aspects of the firm and assists with research and collaborations, primarily focused on data analysis and market research. Robert attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where his degrees include Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Accounting. He is a CFA charterholder. Throughout his career, Robert held roles at large and regional Public Accounting firms focused on auditing and M&A services, and major financial institutions focused on Treasury and corporate banking. Outside of work, Robert and his wife, Jenny, are busy raising three young kids, active members of a local church, and enjoy time on the waters of coastal Georgia (when time permits).
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Jason (Jay) Perlman, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Jay Perlman leads the strategic, clinical, and educational initiatives of Cromford Health. He has emerged as a distinguished leader and visionary in the development and deployment of digital health and telemedicine programs across the United States. As a well-recognized hospitalist physician, he has made significant contributions to the healthcare industry by revolutionizing the application of telemedicine throughout the entire healthcare continuum.
He began his career as an Associate Professor and Director of Hospital Medicine at Atrium Health. During his tenure, he not only established the hospital's first hospital medicine fellowship but also served as the Medical Director for the North Carolina Medicaid Program. In this role, he played a pivotal role in shaping healthcare policy and driving innovative initiatives to improve the quality, cost-effectiveness, and population health outcomes. Notably, Dr. Perlman's leadership as the Chief Medical Officer facilitated the successful implementation of one of the largest healthcare IT grants, focusing on leveraging technology to drive transformative improvements.
Driven by a relentless passion for innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, Dr. Perlman has founded several healthcare companies that have made a profound impact on the industry. His first venture, the Hospitalist Solution, addressed the critical need for short to medium-term staffing in healthcare institutions throughout the Southeast. Providing expert healthcare professionals, the company quickly gained recognition for its exceptional services.
Prior to joining Cromford Health, Dr. Perlman established a groundbreaking telemedicine company in 2017 that swiftly emerged as the largest post-acute care telemedicine organization in the nation. Guided by Dr. Perlman's visionary insights, the company focused on leveraging digital medicine and enhanced care coordination to create a nationwide physician group. This exceptional group of physicians was dedicated to improving quality, reducing emergency department visits, and preventing avoidable readmissions. Through the strategic deployment of telemedicine technology, Dr. Perlman transformed the landscape of post-acute care, revolutionizing patient experiences and outcomes.
Dr. Perlman's innovative contributions have garnered him national recognition and acclaim. His expertise and thought leadership have made him a sought-after in Healthcare and Digital Health. He continues to inspire healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs with his visionary approach to digital health and his unwavering commitment to driving positive change in the healthcare industry.
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
Jennifer Houlihan
Advisor
Jennifer’s experiences include responsibility for leading a health system’s transformation to value through improving quality and lowering costs. She has led a national Institute for Quality which includes analytics, community health teams, wellness, and quality improvement, along with patient safety and regulatory readiness within a large integrated health network. And prior to that as executive lead responsible for the development and implementation of value based initiatives and programs to support Wake Forest Baptist Health’s success in ACO and risk contracts. With 20+ years as an experienced healthcare leader in both payer and provider environments, Jennifer’s role is to understand and connect the health care continuum, data and operations which includes the development of organizational capabilities needed to implement and sustain population health management along with community engagement to minimize care fragmentation and reduce care costs.
Jennifer earned a Master's in Planning from Florida State University with an emphasis in Health Policy and a Master’s Certificate of Population Health program at Thomas Jefferson University.
Resides: Burlington, Vermont
Hometown: Venice, Florida
Jeff Stocker
Advisor
Jeff brings a wide range of healthcare expertise to Cromford, including solution design, interoperability, and business development and has had executive responsibility for sales and solution strategy at leading healthcare organizations. Throughout his career, Jeff has advised government agencies such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the Department of Defense, Veteran’s Affairs, and several state Medicaid agencies to develop their public and population health strategies. Most recently, Jeff worked with accountable care organizations, academic research institutions, and critical access hospitals to build their population health programs for a Fortune 500 company. His vision for the future of healthcare is to empower the individual through technology by bringing the person to the center of care.
Jeff earned a Bachelor’s as well as a Master’s Degree from the University of Kansas. His graduate research, focused on public health policy in Sub-Saharan Africa, was selected as the winner for the Centers for Global and International Studies fellowship and Federal grant award from the Foreign Military Studies Office of the US Army and University of Kansas. He is also a graduate of the London School of Economics Public Policy program, as well as the UMKC Bloch School’s Healthcare Leadership Institute.
When he and his family aren’t traveling the world, Jeff is usually tracking down rare records or teaching himself how to play the saxophone.
Resides: Leawood, Kansas
Hometown: Leawood, Kansas