HIMSS AsiaPac12 Transforms Healthcare IT Industry by Linking People and Information in New Ways

Participants to discuss hot topics including HIT, mobile health, care in the community, standards and interoperability

SINGAPORE, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The HIMSS AsiaPac12 Conference and Exhibition opens today, bringing together professionals and experts in the healthcare IT industry. The three-day event, held at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, is a platform for regional delegates to experience emerging technologies and to engage in discussions on enhancing patient care and outcomes using IT.

Mr. Gan Kim Yong, Guest-of-Honour and the Minister for Health of Singapore, will give the opening address on 18 September, Tuesday. "IT will play a key role in the transformation of healthcare services going forward. I commend the HIMSS organisation for creating this awareness through its various activities and programmes," said Minister Gan.

The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Blackford Middleton of Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston. He is the Corporate Director of Clinical Informatics Research & Development (CIRD) at Partners Healthcare System. In his address, Dr. Middleton will describe research and development efforts at Partners HealthCare System and Harvard Medical School focusing on clinical decision support (CDS) and knowledge sharing.

Dr. Chong Yoke Sin, Chairwoman of the HIMSS AsiaPac12 Organizing Committee & CEO of Integrated Health Information Pte Ltd will be giving the welcoming address on Tuesday. "In order to achieve better patient outcomes and patient care, healthcare professionals need to move from the traditional episodic-based health service to a holistic approach which leverages critically on IT. HIMSS AsiaPac12 Conference is an excellent platform for learning and networking as it brings together a distinguished panel of speakers with practical experience and stories to share, a comprehensive line-up of solution providers and healthcare practitioners and IT professionals from the Asia Pacific region," said Dr. Chong.

The Symposia Programme is being held throughout the opening day and includes the Clinicians IT Leadership Symposium and Nursing Informatics Symposium. Experts in the fields will share insights on the challenges in Healthcare IT governance, implementation, and how they can be addressed at the Symposia.

Forty sessions on the intriguing topics of HIT X.O, Mobile Health, Care in the Community, and Standards & Interoperability are taking place throughout the conference, featuring more than 80 speakers from around the world. From pre-conference symposia to thought leader programs and education sessions, HIMSS AsiaPac12 offers an opportunity to network with the growing healthcare information industry's best minds.

The Interoperability Showcase is also available providing an important opportunity for participants to come together with purchasers of clinical technologies to show that interoperable clinical solutions are not far off in the future. In addition, over 60 leading companies offering healthcare IT products and services are showcasing their cutting-edge technologies and innovative health IT solutions at the Exhibition. Attendees are experiencing live demonstrations, technology updates, new products and services in the healthcare IT industry.

On the last day of HIMSS AsiaPac12, the closing keynote address will be given by Dr. Charles Sawyer, MD, Associate Chief Health Information Officer at Geisinger Health System in the United States on 'The Value of an Electronic Health Record in Improving Outcomes-The Geisinger Experience.' The lecture will present some of the tools and data routinely utilized by Geisinger to deliver reliable, high quality medical care to the population we serve. Specific examples will be provided emphasizing improvements in the quality / cost relationship and improved clinical outcomes.

The Stage 6 Award presentation will be held at HIMSS AsiaPac12 Conference on 18th September 2012. Three hospitals will be honoured for achieving Stage 6 on the EMR Adoption Model (EMRAM), namely Max Super Speciality Hospital East Wing (India), Max Super Speciality West Wing (India) and Prince Court Medical Centre (Malaysia).

"Our Stage 6 achievement is just the first step, requiring ongoing commitment and compliance with standardized practice and new workflows. Education is key in ensuring the importance of scanning all medication, and this will be a primary focus for all of us," said Dr. Chong Su-Lin, Managing Director of Prince Court Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "This project was driven by our needs to raise the standards of our patient care & safety and our success came from the commitment and participation of key stakeholders (doctors, pharmacists and nurses) with IT and technology being the enablers."

Dr. Ajay Bakshi, Chief Executive Officer of Max Super Speciality Hospital, said, "We are honoured to achieve the Stage 6 recognition. Adopting the EMR Model enables us to deliver the Right Medicine to the Right Patient at the Right Time."

The HIMSS AsiaPac12 conference and exhibition is the seventh edition in the region.

About HIMSS

HIMSS is a cause-based, not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded 51 years ago, HIMSS and its related organizations are headquartered in Chicago with additional offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. HIMSS represents more than 47,000 individual members, of which more than two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations. HIMSS also includes over 600 corporate members and more than 170 not-for-profit organizations that share our mission of transforming healthcare through the effective use of information technology and management systems. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy through its content expertise, professional development, research initiatives, and media vehicles designed to promote information and management systems' contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care.

To learn more about HIMSS and to find out how to join us and our members in advancing our cause, please visit our website at www.himssasiapac.org

For more information about HIMSS AsiaPac12, please visit www.himssasiapac.org/12

For media enquiries and interviews, please contact:

Florence Fang

Flame Communications

Tel: +65-6259-3193

Email: florence@flamecomms.com

Yvonne Lim

Manager, Marketing & Communications

HIMSS Asia Pacific

Tel: +65-6664-1184

Email: ylim@himss.org

SOURCE　HIMSS