10 health IT conferences you shouldn’t miss in 2017
By Sarah K. White as written on cio.com
From 3D printing to digital records, technology has changed the healthcare industry. If you want to keep up to date on the latest emerging trends in healthcare, there is no shortage of events that will keep you in the loop. Here are 10 health IT conferences you can't miss whether you're a doctor, nurse, health IT pro or C-Level executive.
SX Health & MedTEch Expo
Part of the popular annual SXSW festival, the SX Health & MedTech Expo focuses on latest technologies in healthcare. Covering everything from startups to large corporations, this conference offers the latest innovations and emerging trends in healthcare. While this year's speakers haven't been announced yet, past years have included Bakul Patel, associate center director for digital health at the FDA, and Stanford and Harvard trained physician-scientist, inventor and entrepreneur, Daniel Kraft from Singularity University.
The SX Health and MedTech Expo takes place during the SXSW festival between March 10 and 18 in Austin, Texas, and registration fees vary depending on what level badge you purchase.
TEDMED
Affiliated with the popular TED conference, best-known for its Ted Talks, TedMed operates under a similar format with a focus on healthcare innovation. The conference promises to bridge "the gap between science and the public," through shared stories that help "inform, inspire, engage and provoke action."
This year's TedMed conference takes place in Palm Springs, California, from November 1 to 3, and registration costs $3,450. However, if you register before January 15, you will receive $1,500 off the cost of the registration process.
iHealth 2017 Clinical Informatics Conference
The iHealth Clinical Informatics Conference, held by the AMIA, is targeted at clinicians and informatics professionals, with a focus on innovations with health data and mobile health initiatives. The iHealth 2017 Clinical Informatics Conference takes place in Philadelphia, from May 2 to 4 at the Lowes Philadelphia Hotel. Registration is currently open, and starts at $430 for students, $745 for members and $1,120 for nonmembers; rates go up if you register after March 15.
HIMSS Conference
Targeted at health IT professionals, executives, vendors and clinicians, the HIMSS17 conference promises to offer educational programs, keynote speakers, thought leader discussions, workshops and networking opportunities. This year's keynote speakers include Ginni M. Rometty, chairman, president and CEO of IBM as well as former speaker, John Boehner.
The 2017 HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition takes place in Orlando, Florida, in the Orange County Convention Center February 19-23.
Health 2.0
Health 2.0 conferences, areaimed at everyone from digital innovators to nurses to CIOs. These conferences focus on innovation, networking, emerging trends and you'll find no shortage of impressive keynote speakers at any event. You can find conferences in San Francisco and Santa Clara, California; Barcelona, Spain and Hyderabad, India. Dates and registration fees vary depending on the conference you choose. Unlike other annual conferences, you don't have to worry if you can't make one Health 2.0 event, because it's likely there is another just around the corner.
Connected Health Conference
Formerly the mHealth Summit, the Connected Health Conference heavily focuses on the digital aspect of healthcare and facilitating healthcare access around the globe. While the 2017 conference hasn't been announced just yet, last year's conference included the chief health officer at IBM, Kyu Rhee, and the vice president of digital health at Fitbit, Adam Pellegrini.
This year's Connected Health Conference doesn't have a date yet, but the last conference took place during December in Washington, D.C. The cost of registration will vary depending on how many sessions you choose to go to, how early you register and how many ad-on sessions you opt for.
Health IT Summit
The Health IT Summit consists of multiple events held throughout the year in 11 states. With events from San Diego to Boston, it's likely there will be one relatively convenient to where you live. Each event consists of keynote speakers, thought leaders, networking and open discussions on the latest trends in healthcare technology.
The next three events in San Diego from January 24 to 25; Cleveland from March 23 to 24 and San Jose from April 13 to 14. Registration fees for government workers or educators start at $995, while the fees for vendors and consultants start at $1,995.
Health Datapalooza
Data is playing a huge part in healthcare IT, and the Health Datapalooza conference is aimed at C-suite leaders in business and government dealing with the changes that data has brought. The conference hopes to start a discussion on privacy, data usage and how to leverage healthcare information to improve systems.
The conference takes place in Washington, D.C., at the Washington Hilton this April 27 to 28. Registration is currently open and rates vary depending on your industry, title and how many days you want to attend. But if you register before February 24, you can save $200 on the fee.
Home Healthcare Leaders' Summit
This conference is exclusively for C-Level executives working in the home-healthcare industry. The conference promises to bring these leaders together to "combat the strategic challenges" that senior management can face in the home-healthcare industry. One major focus of this conference includes the growing amount of technology in the home health industry, and the implications around these digital advancements.
The Home Healthcare Leader's Summit takes place in Los Angeles, CA but the date and registration are currently TBA.
Stanford MedX
The MedX conference takes place on Stanford University's campus each year, focusing on the newest and best technology impacting healthcare. On it's website, Stanford calls the event a "medical education conference designed for everyone," combining "people, technology and design."
This year will only the second annual event, taking place on the Stanford University campus from April 22 to 23. Registration isn't open yet, but you can subscribe to receive updates as the date gets closer.
By Nancy Brinker as written on techcrunch.com
The complexity of seeking a cure for cancer has vexed researchers for decades. While they’ve made remarkable progress, they are still waging a battle uphill as cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
Yet scientists may soon have a critical new ally at their sides — intelligent machines — that can attack that complexity in a different way.
Consider an example from the world of gaming: Last year, Google’s artificial intelligence platform, AlphaGo, deployed techniques in deep learning to beat South Korea Grand Master Lee Sedol in the immensely complex game of Go, which has more moves than there are stars in the universe.
Those same techniques of machine learning and AI can be brought to bear in the massive scientific puzzle of cancer.
One thing is certain — we won’t have a shot at conquering cancer with these new methods if we don’t have more data to work with. Many data sets, including medical records, genetic tests and mammograms, for example, are locked up and out of reach of our best scientific minds and our best learning algorithms.
The good news is that big data’s role in cancer research is now at center stage, and a number of large-scale, government-led sequencing initiatives are moving forward. Those include the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ Million Veteran Program; the 100,000 Genomes Project in the U.K.; and the NIH’s The Cancer Genome Atlas, which holds data from more than 11,000 patients and is open to researchers everywhere to analyze via the cloud. According to a recent study, as many as 2 billion human genomes could be sequenced by 2025.
There are other trends driving demand for fresh data, including genetic testing. In 2007, sequencing one person’s genome cost $10 million. Today you can get this done for less than $1,000. In other words, for every person sequenced 10 years ago, we can now do 10,000. The implications are big: Discovering that you have a mutation linked to higher risk of certain types of cancer can sometimes be a life-saving bit of information. And as costs approach mass affordability, research efforts approach massive potential scale.
A central challenge for researchers (and society) is that current data sets lack both volume and ethnic diversity. In addition, researchers often face restrictive legal terms and reluctant sharing partnerships. Even when organizations share genomic data sets, the agreements are typically between individual institutions for individual data sets. While there are larger clearinghouses and databases operating today that have done great work, we need more work on standardized terms and platforms to accelerate access.
The potential benefits of these new technologies go beyond identifying risk and screening. Advances in machine learning can help accelerate cancer drug development and therapy selections, enabling doctors to match patients with clinical trials, and improving their abilities to provide custom treatment plans for cancer patients (Herceptin, one of the earliest examples, remains one of the best).
We believe three things need to happen to make data more available for use for cancer research and AI programs. First, patients should be able to contribute data easily. This includes medical records, radiology images and genetic testing. Laboratory companies and medical centers should adopt a common consent form to make it easy and legal for data sharing to occur. Second, more funding is needed for researchers working at the intersection of AI, data science and cancer. Just as the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation is funding new tool development for medicine, new AI techniques need to be funded for medical applications. Third, new data sets should be generated, focused on people of all ethnicities. We need to make sure that advances in cancer research are accessible to all.
Revolutionizing Patient Care: How Microsoft Teams Empowers Healthcare Providers
In the fast-paced world of modern healthcare, healthcare organizations are constantly seeking innovative solutions to improve patient outcomes, streamline operations, and safeguard sensitive data. As the industry continues to evolve, one platform has emerged as a game-changer – Microsoft Teams.
Designed to empower collaboration and communication, Microsoft Teams is transforming the way healthcare providers connect with their patients and deliver exceptional care. By harnessing the power of this cutting-edge technology, healthcare leaders are redefining the patient experience and driving tangible improvements across their organizations.
Enhancing Patient-Provider Connections
Effective communication is the lifeblood of any healthcare system, and Microsoft Teams is revolutionizing the way providers interact with their patients. The platform's real-time collaboration and video conferencing capabilities enable healthcare teams to coordinate care seamlessly, breaking down the silos that have historically plagued the industry.
From virtual consultations that improve accessibility and convenience for patients to comprehensive care coordination that brings together specialists from across the organization, Microsoft Teams ensures that patients receive the personalized, high-quality care they deserve. By streamlining communication and information-sharing, healthcare providers can make faster, more informed decisions, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.
Driving Operational Efficiency
As healthcare organizations navigate the complexities of modern care delivery, operational efficiency has become a critical priority. Microsoft Teams, with its deep integration into the Microsoft 365 suite, helps healthcare providers streamline their workflows and eliminate time-consuming administrative tasks.
By centralizing collaboration, document management, and task automation within a single platform, Microsoft Teams empowers healthcare staff to focus on what matters most – providing exceptional patient care. Automated workflows, intelligent task management, and seamless integration with other Microsoft solutions work together to boost productivity, reduce costs, and enhance overall operational excellence.
Safeguarding Sensitive Data
In the healthcare industry, data privacy and security are paramount. Microsoft Teams is built with enterprise-grade security features that safeguard sensitive patient information, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and maintaining the trust of healthcare consumers.
From end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication to seamless integration with Microsoft's comprehensive security solutions, such as Azure Active Directory and Microsoft Defender, healthcare organizations can rest assured that their data is protected from the ever-evolving threat of cyber attacks.
Embracing the Future of Healthcare Delivery
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the need for innovative, technology-driven solutions has never been more pressing. Microsoft Teams stands at the forefront of this digital transformation, empowering healthcare providers to enhance patient experiences, boost operational efficiency, and strengthen their cybersecurity posture.
By harnessing the power of Microsoft Teams, healthcare organizations can position themselves for long-term success in the digital age, delivering exceptional care and maintaining the trust of their patients. As a catalyst for change, this transformative platform is poised to redefine the future of healthcare delivery.
Discover how Microsoft Teams can revolutionize your healthcare organization. Continue learning about our Healthcare Technology Services or fill out the form below to schedule a personalized demonstration and unlock the full potential of this innovative solution.
Using data science to beat cancer
