The American Health Council has cordially appointed Mr. George Kitchens as “Best in Medicine” in recognition of his 25-year service to the healthcare sector. Mr. Kitchens, from Tallahassee, Florida, has gained notable acclaim for his role as President of Artia Solutions.

Mr. Kitchens’ accomplished career was sparked by his love for mathematics and chemistry at a young age. Mr. Kitchens’ neighborhood pharmacist was particularly inspiring to him; the pharmacist was accessible to their patients and provided exceptional service in patient care.

Having attained his BS in Pharmacy from Samford University in 1982, Mr. Kitchens has enjoyed many successes through hard work and gained credibility within the industry. He served the company, Eckerd Drug, for nineteen years and held various managerial positions during his time there. He served as the Medicaid Pharmacy Bureau Chief in Florida and developed a multi-state pooling initiative called “Top $”. In 2001, Mr. Kitchens implemented the first Preferred Drug List in the country. Through his passion and drive, he continues to make strides in pharmaceuticals. After many years working as a pharmacist, he decided to venture out in opening his own business— Artia Solutions.

Artia Solutions, LLC, was founded in 2005. For more than a decade, Artia Solutions has provided top-notch consultation services to clients needing assistance in operating within the Medicaid pharmaceutical environment. Key services include: Medicaid Monitoring, Strategy Development, Financial Modeling & Analysis, Drug Launch Strategy and Clinical Modeling & Support.

Specializing in Medicaid consulting, on a day to day basis, Mr. Kitchens consults in the Medicaid Marketplace. His expertise lies in managing pharmaceutical access to patients. He works to develop new drug launch strategies and assists with access. Mr. Kitchens is diligent in refining and making notable changes in the rebate model and assists in clinical reimbursement issues. He also works to develop new drug launch strategies and assists in maintaining and/or improving access for client medications. Lastly, he continually looks to ensure that his company is well positioned for the future in order to anticipate client needs.

The success and credibility that Mr. Kitchens has relished throughout his career has been largely due to his passion and drive. Mr. Kitchens strives to be the best at what he does and seeks out new information to stay current on policies and practices within healthcare. He has also been blessed with many excellent mentors including Jan Davis, Juan Mora, Tom Kaplan, and Ernie Zost, who inspired him to be the best while at Eckerd Corporation. In addition to the mentors in the work environment, his father, Orman Kitchens, was his life-long mentor who provided invaluable insight and support throughout his career.

As the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Mr. Kitchens was co-recipient of the APHA Pinnacle Award as a former employee of Eckerd. He has also served on the Benchmarking Steering Committee and the STAT Committee for the American Pharmacists Association, and is a member of the Florida Pharmacists Association, the Rho Chi Honor Society, and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy.

The next undertaking Mr. Kitchens is preparing for is Crossroads: An Artia Solutions Conference. His company is pioneering an unprecedented conference, and Mr. Kitchens is diligently preparing to facilitate necessary conversations, as well as generate viable solutions and innovations regarding Medicaid.

Looking back at his many achievements, Mr. Kitchens is extremely proud of his four children. His son, Greg Kitchens, serves as Artia Solutions’ Vice President, landing his focus on clinical trials and technological services. Mr. Kitchens’ daughter, Melody Kitchens, is the manager of marketing and events and excels in her position. Jenna Doerr is a gifted and compassionate postpartum registered nurse, and Callie Kitchens obtained her Master’s Degree at Lee University and is a guidance counselor at Atlantic High School in Delray Beach, Fla.

Keen to contribute charitably whenever possible, Mr. Kitchens supports the Women’s Pregnancy Center in Tallahassee, Florida, and Celebration Baptist Church.