Rich Almeida is a seasoned executive and software engineer dedicated to advancing the quality of healthcare through technological innovation. As Vice President of Product Strategy & Compliance at Firely, he plays a central role in shaping and advancing the company's product strategy. Currently, his primary focus is on implementing quality initiatives in FHIR® using CQL and ensuring continuous compliance with CMS regulations across Firely's product suite.

Rich’s distinguished career in Health IT spans nearly two decades, with his passion for quality improvement sparked by the passing of the HITECH Act. Before joining the Firely team, he served as a Director of Technology, demonstrating a unique blend of leadership and hands-on expertise. He not only led strategic quality initiatives, but also actively contributed to the development of software products tailored to meet the diverse requirements of CMS quality measurement programs, CMS public health programs, TJC, HEDIS® and more.

As an early adopter of CQL through CMS quality programs, Rich brings his wealth of experience with enthusiasm to the community. He’s an advocate and active participant in the open-source .NET CQL SDK collaboration between Firely and NCQA.As an early adopter of CQL through CMS quality programs, Rich brings his wealth of experience with enthusiasm to the community. He’s an advocate and active participant in the open-source .NET CQL SDK collaboration between Firely and NCQA.