SG

Steve Gold, JD, MPH

Co-Founder & Former CEO, Refresh Mental Health

Contributing Editor at EHR Source

LinkedIn Profile

About

Steve Gold co-founded Refresh Mental Health and served as its CEO, scaling the organization to more than 300 outpatient behavioral health locations across 37 states with over 3,000 clinicians. In 2022, Refresh Mental Health was acquired by Optum for approximately $1.2 billion.

Gold holds a BA in History from Yale College, a JD and MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Florida, and a Master of Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania. Before building Refresh Mental Health, he co-founded RiverMend Health and served as Deputy Solicitor General of Florida.

He is now building Sero Mental Health, his next venture in the behavioral health space. He serves on the boards of K9s For Warriors and The Bolles School.

At EHR Source, Steve draws on his direct experience running large-scale behavioral health operations to write about enterprise EHR governance, healthcare M&A implications for technology decisions, and strategic planning for multi-site provider groups.

Credentials

  • JD, University of Florida
  • MPH in Epidemiology, University of Florida
  • Master of Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania
  • BA in History, Yale College

Expertise

Behavioral Health Operations Healthcare M&A Multi-Site Practice Management Value-Based Care Strategy Enterprise EHR Governance

Articles by Steve Gold

strategy 18 min read

Cloud EHR vs. On-Premise EHR: The Definitive Comparison for 2026

Cloud vs. on-premise EHR compared: cost, security, scalability, and compliance differences that determine the right fit for your organization.
strategy 16 min read

EHR Interoperability in 2026: FHIR, TEFCA, and the End of Data Silos

EHR interoperability decoded: FHIR, TEFCA, and information blocking rules explained with actionable strategies for healthcare organizations.
strategy 17 min read

AI in EHR Systems: How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Clinical Documentation

How ambient AI, clinical decision support, and predictive analytics are reshaping EHR workflows — with vendor comparisons and practical adoption guidance.
selection 20 min read

The 10 Largest EHR Vendors in 2026: Market Share, Pricing, and What Sets Them Apart

10 largest EHR vendors ranked by market share, real pricing, KLAS ratings, and deployment models. Honest pros and cons for each.
strategy 20 min read

Private Equity Is Reshaping Behavioral Health EHR: What Providers Need to Know (2026)

Private equity is buying up behavioral health EHRs. See which vendors were acquired, how quality changed, and what to ask before signing.
strategy 12 min read

Enterprise EHR Governance Operating Model for Large Provider Groups

EHR governance blueprint for multi-site provider groups: decision rights, committee structures, and optimization across specialties.
selection 13 min read

Enterprise EHR RFP Template and Weighted Scoring Model

Enterprise EHR RFP template with weighted scoring model: evaluate vendors on governance, interoperability, security, and total cost.
implementation 12 min read

Post-Merger EHR Consolidation Playbook for Multi-Site Provider Groups

Post-merger EHR consolidation playbook: target-state decisions, phased migration, risk controls, and governance for multi-site groups.
implementation 26 min read

How to Run a Clinic: The Complete Operating Playbook (2026)

Step-by-step clinic operations guide: legal setup, staffing, scheduling, billing, compliance, and growth strategies for new practices.
strategy 14 min read

Information Blocking Complaints and Enforcement Playbook (2026)

Information blocking enforcement is real in 2026. Learn how complaints work, what penalties look like, and how to reduce risk.
strategy 14 min read

AI Governance Playbook for Large Provider Groups (2026)

AI governance framework for healthcare: NIST AI RMF alignment, ONC HTI-1 transparency, and HIPAA controls for clinical AI deployments.
strategy 15 min read

AI Clinical Decision Support Governance Framework (2026)

AI clinical decision support governance: safety controls, performance metrics, and accountability structures for enterprise deployments.
strategy 19 min read

EHR Security and HIPAA Compliance: Protecting Patient Data in 2026

EHR security and HIPAA compliance: 2025 Security Rule changes, zero trust architecture, ransomware defense, and vendor evaluation.
strategy 15 min read

EHR Market Consolidation in 2026: What the Platform Wars Mean for Your Practice

EHR market consolidation analysis: market share shifts, M&A activity, and what Epic, Oracle Health, and MEDITECH moves mean for you.
strategy 15 min read

Configuring Your EHR for Value-Based Care: From Fee-for-Service to Outcomes (2026)

Configure your EHR for value-based care: risk stratification, care gap tracking, SDOH capture, and vendor VBC feature comparison.
rcm 17 min read

In-House vs. Outsourced RCM: Decision Framework for Healthcare Organizations (2026)

Outsource or build in-house? Cost models, performance benchmarks, contract structures, and hybrid approaches for revenue cycle management.