He is also a faculty member of the CHIME Healthcare CIO Boot Camp, as well as a frequent conference speaker for both organizations, blogger and social media enthusiast. Marx has served as the Texas CIO Coordinator for CHIME StateNet since its inception in 2009 and in 2012 was awarded the organization's annual State Advocacy Award for his commitment to the growth and success of statewide initiatives to further the advancement of health information exchange and health IT adoption in his home state of Texas. Marx is also the governor-appointed chairman of the Texas Health Services Authority, a role he has served since 2010.

[See also: Rick Schooler: CIO of the Year.]

Under Marx's leadership, Texas Health Resources received the 2013 HIMSS Enterprise Davies Award, which recognizes the use of health IT and the electronic health record to improve healthcare delivery processes and patient safety, and achieve a demonstrated return on investment.

In addition, the 14 hospitals in the Texas Health system are either at Stage 6 or Stage 7 on the HIMSS Analytics/directory/analytics" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">Analytics Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model. Marx serves as reviewer for the conference education sessions and HIMSS Analytics on-site reviewer for verification of Stage 7 hospitals. And he continues to provide his expertise to others as a HIMSS Executive e-Mentor.

"As a HIMSS fellow and health IT leader throughout his career, Ed's contributions to HIMSS are noteworthy because he has given back to so many people and in so many different ways," said HIMSS Executive Vice President Carla Smith, in a statement. "All of us at HIMSS congratulate him on his accomplishments and earning this award."  

"We are very proud of Ed for receiving this significant national recognition," said Douglas D. Hawthorne, CEO of Texas Health Resources, in a statement. "Ed and his skilled team of information technology professionals are absolutely critical in helping our system serve North Texans' healthcare needs."

The boards of directors for CHIME and HIMSS annually select the recipient of the award, which is named in honor of the late John E. Gall Jr. who pioneered implementation of the first fully integrated medical information system in the world at California's El Camino Hospital in the 1960s.