Western PA HIMSS

I always enjoying participating in the regional HIMSS meetings.  There are so many good people there who are willing to volunteer their time and share their knowledge for the benefit of others.  I am sometimes honored with the opportunity to present my perspective on a current topic or sit in on an expert panel discussion.  It is a wonderful experience and very rewarding to be part of something that is good for everyone involved.  I encourage you to get involved and see if you can make a difference.

Here is a opportunity to start:


Program to Highlight Applications and Use of Technology to Address Key Trends in the Healthcare Value Chain

On Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, the Western PA Chapter of the Health Information and Management Systems Society (WPHIMSS) and UPMC’s Center for Connected Medicine will co-host a program focusing on the use of business systems and emerging technology that can help address key trends and reshape healthcare in the next decade.

The event will feature keynote speaker Greg Porter, founder of Allegheny Digital, adjunct faculty member at the H. John Heinz III College at Carnegie Mellon University and visiting scientist at the Software Engineering Institute, as well as a panel that includes healthcare information technology executives who represent a continuum of participant organizations in the Health Care Value Chain.

This program will be made available via conference call for 25 people since the maximum capacity for in-person attendance has been reached. The agenda includes:

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Registration
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. President’s Welcome and Introduction of Speaker--Dr. Michael Parkinson
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Speaker, Dr. Michael Parkinson
4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Introduction of Moderator, Lee Kim. and Expert Panel
4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Panel Points of View, Commentary and Q&A with Participants
5:00 p.m. Break
5:15 p.m. Introduction of Greg Porter, Healthcare Privacy & Security
6:00 p.m. Q&A

Registration
If you would like to participate in this event via conference call, please email Becky Huet at beckysuehuet@gmail.com.

Confirmed speakers include:

Lee Kim, JD Attorney at Tucker Arensberg, P.C. and member of the firm’s Health Information Technology Practice Group.

Greg Porter, founder of Allegheny Digital, a western Pennsylvania-based information security services company specializing in health care driven managed security services, incident response and enterprise risk management.

James F. Jordan is the senior director, Healthcare & Biotechnology Programs, Distinguished Service Professor in Healthcare & Biotechnology Management, Carnegie Mellon University.

Jody Cervenak, principal at Aspen Advisors, has more than 20 years of experience in planning, implementing and leading healthcare information technology solutions. She has directed multiple information technology strategy projects with large academic medical center and integrated delivery systems.

Dianne Emminger, MBA, vice president of Information Services at ACMH Hospital in Kittanning, Pa. She has 40 years’ experience in IT management: half within the engineering and manufacturing industry and half within the healthcare field.

Dr. Andrew Rose Watson, an actively practicing surgeon in the division of colorectal surgery and specializes in minimally invasive colorectal and inflammatory bowel disease surgery. He is a vice president of the International and Commercial Service Division, helps lead industrial relations for UPMC and plays a key role integrating health care information technology into clinical practice.

Walter Whitten Jr., currently serving as the CIO for Quality Life Services (QLS) based in Butler, Pa., which owns and operates eight long-term care facilities, seven personal care homes and a pharmacy (all located in western Pennsylvania.

For more information, please visit the WPHIMSS website or contact Robert Sheesley, president of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of HIMSS, by email at sheesleyrk@upmc.edu or by calling (412) 454-8901.