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Better health care through technology
Conference
focuses on building health
care partnerships, technology transfer
opportunities in Southeastern Ohio
Sept. 12, 2008
By
Richard Heck
The
impact of health information technology
on rural clinical and community settings
and the way health care affects economic
development are among the topics
featured in an upcoming conference at
the Ohio University Heritage College of
Osteopathic Medicine.
Building upon efforts begun last fall,
OU-HCOM will sponsor the
2nd annual RHIOhio conference
Oct. 13 and 14 at Baker University
Center.
Participants at this year’s conference,
“RHIOhio: Building Partnerships for
Change,” include health care providers
and professionals, biotechnology
researchers and administrators,
government officials, policy makers and
representatives. The focus of the
two-day event includes discussion about
the integration of health information
technology into clinical and community
environments, and the impact information
technology can have on economic
development and job creation.
“RHIOhio 2007 was an overwhelming
success, and our expanded program for
2008 will provide additional
opportunities for practitioners,
technologists, researchers and policy
makers to explore new partnerships in
health information technology,” said
Brian Phillips,
chief information officer for OU-HCOM and
chairman of the conference.
“This
year’s program will focus on building
partnerships to explore the challenges
and opportunities of health information
technology, including deploying
information exchanges, rethinking
workforce development and contributing
to economic development through
technology transfer opportunities,”
Phillips said.
“In
many rural and small communities, health
care facilities such as hospitals often
are the largest employer,” Phillips
noted.
The
region’s unique aspects make the area
ideally suited for economic development
of the biotechnology industry because of
ongoing research into the field and of
already well-established biotechnology
businesses, such as Diagnostic Hybrids
based in Athens, said Phillips.
New to
this year’s conference is a concurrent
clinical diabetes track organized by the
ARHI Diabetes Center @ OU-HCOM for
diabetes physicians, nurses, educators
and community health professionals. The
intent of the clinical track is to
provide information concerning barriers
to diabetes care in rural Appalachian
Ohio. The diabetes track will be held
Oct. 13, only.
Keynote
speaker for this year’s conference is
Aneesh Chopra, secretary of technology
for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Chopra
leads the Commonwealth’s strategy to
effectively leverage technology in
government reform, promotes Virginia’s
innovation agenda, and fosters
technology-related economic development
with an emphasis on entrepreneurship.
The
conference registration fee is $150, or
$50 for students, and includes admission
to both days of all general and breakout
sessions, conference meals and the
vendor exhibition area.
A
limited number of scholarships have been
generously provided by the Foundation
for Appalachian Ohio. ”On-line
registration is available at
www.oucom.ohiou.edu/rhiohio/registration2008.htm.
For
additional information, contact Elissa
Welch at (740) 597-3367 or at
rhiohio@oucom.ohiou.edu. |
