Dr. Bernie Kerr is a Professor in Central Michigan University’s (CMU’s) Health Administration Division, School of Health Sciences, in The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions.   He teaches primarily in the Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) Program.   Immediately prior to joining the faculty, Dr. Kerr was a Colonel in the United States Air Force Medical Service Corps, serving as a professional health care administrator for over 20 years.   He has over 38 years experience in the health care industry, including positions in public health, academia and the military health system.   His academic credentials include a bachelor of science in health education and master’s degrees in public health (MPH), health administration (MHA), business administration (MBA) and information management (MIM).   He holds a doctor of education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction and the Instructional Process and a graduate interdisciplinary certificate in Gerontology.   He also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in managed health care.   Dr. Kerr’s experience includes leadership roles in medical resource management, patient administration, medical informatics, public health education, managed health care and medical readiness.   In the position he held prior to joining CMU, he was responsible for a $1.5 million budget and a staff of 13 professionals engaged in medical information systems design, development and deployment.   He has held faculty appointments at Baylor University and East Tennessee State University and served as a Fellow and Senior Fellow with the Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration.   His professional awards include two selections as Young Health Administrator of the Year, the Leader’s Award from the Washington University Information Management Program, three selections for the American College of Healthcare Executives Senior Leader Regent’s Award and a 2008 Service Award from the ACHE.   He was named a Distinguished Alumnus in Health Education by his undergraduate degree program at East Tennessee State University in 1989.   His honoraria include Eta Sigma Gamma, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma.   His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.   Dr. Kerr was a 2007 recipient of CMU’s Excellence in Teaching Award, the highest teaching honor bestowed by the university.   He is a board certified healthcare executive and a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.   He and his wife Sue, a retired Kindergarten teacher, have four grown children (Brian, Brad, Brent & Brittney) and four grandsons (Brice, Brady, Braxton and Brandon) and one granddaughter (Brenna).

  Professional Organizations

• Fulton, L., McMurry, P. & Kerr, B.J. (2009).  A Monte Carlo Simulation of Air Ambulance Requirements During Major Combat Operations.  Military Medicine, 174, 6:610-614.

• Kerr, B.J. (2007). The Joint Military Medical Executive Skills Initiative: An Impressive Response to Changing Human Resource Management Rules of Engagement. Military Medicine Vol. 172, No 1.

• Coppola, M.N., Harrison, J., Kerr., B.J. and Erckenbrack., D. (2007) The Military Managed Care Health System, in Essentials of Managed Care, 5th Edition: Edited by Kongstvedt P.R., Boston: Jones and Bartlett. ISBN 0-76373-983-9

• Ledlow, G.; Kerr, B; & Cwiek, M. (2006). Leveraging the Healthcare Supply Chain as a Strategic Business Unit: The Vertically Integrated Model, Global Business and Technology ssociation (GBATA), Moscow, Russia, June 27-July 1, ISBN: 1-932917-02-0

• Kerr, B.J. (2006). Cancer information on the Internet, in The Handbook of Communication and Cancer Care, O'Hair, D., Kreps, G. & Sparks, L., Editors, Cresskill NJ: Hampton Press ISBN : 1-57273-683-6

• Kerr, B.J. Coppola, M.N. & Diana. M. (2005). Decreasing Disability Processing Days for Soldiers in the U.S. Army through Initiatives in Human Resource Management Support System: A Two-Tiered Three Year Evaluation. Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics & Informatics, Vol. 3, no 6.

• Johnson, J.A., Ledlow, G.R., & Kerr, B.J. (2005). Organizational development, training and knowledge management. In Human Resources in Healthcare, Johnson, J. and Fried, B., Editors, Chicago IL: Health Administration Press. ISBN: 1-56793-168-5