Hong Kong: Hong Kong will be the host country  for HIMSS AsiaPac13 Greater China eHealth Forum where the world’s leading healthcare IT professionals will discuss the latest trends, challenges and future of Healthcare IT (HIT).  Greater China is not only the fastest growing but also the most populous region in the world with a diverse range of healthcare IT systems. Nowhere in the world will HIT’s impact on healthcare delivery be so great and the impact so profound. The conference, which will cover both Greater China and international HIT is scheduled to take place 1 – 2 August at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) with pre-conference symposia on Nursing Informatics and Clinician IT Leadership at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on 31 July 2013. Themes to be discussed during the conference include (1) HIT X.0; (2) Mobile Health; (3) Standards and Interoperability and (4) Care in the Community.

The first day of the conference will feature opening addresses by Dr. Ko Wing-man, Hong Kong Secretary for Food & Health; and Ms Hou Yan, Head of the Department of Planning and Information, National Health and Family Planning Commission in mainland China.
In the opening keynote speech, Dan Gordon, Executive Consultant at IBM Global Healthcare Centre of Competence, will talk about how public and private healthcare organisations around the world are leveraging big data technology to build  operational dexterity and reshape patient relationships for improved outcomes and reduced costs. Gordon’s presentation will also look at the challenges that healthcare organisations face when employing big data.

The addresses will be followed by two forum tracks – the Greater China Forum and the International Forum – featuring a combined line up of more than 20 notable healthcare experts from 13 countries and regions.

In the Greater China Forum, representatives from the People’s Republic of China, Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong will present the latest healthcare reforms, IT strategies and developments, including updates on cross-boundary and cross-sectoral health record sharing in the region. Healthcare spending in China alone is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2020, according to McKinsey & Company.

A speaker from the World Health Organisation will likewise discuss the key drivers to developing sustainable national eHealth strategies and plans, and ways to ensure the success of implementing and scaling standards-based eHealth investments.

In the International Forum, speakers from all over the globe will provide observations and case studies  on a wide range of topics, such as how using  information communication technologies helped countries achieve United Nations Millennium goals of reducing child and maternal mortality and how a Personal Health Record system could empower and engage individuals to better manage their own health.

In the closing keynote speech, Dr. C. Martin Harris, Chief Information Officer and Chairman of the Information Technology Division at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, USA, will emphasise the role of IT as an indispensable medical tool and describe the benefits of HIT in medical practices.

The closing speech will be followed by the HIMSS Analytics Asia Pacific EMRAM Award Presentation, where the Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital will be honoured for achieving Stage 6 of the HIMSS Analytics Electronic Medical Records Adoption Model (EMRAM). It is the first hospital in Taiwan to receive Stage 6 designation, signifying, among others, that the hospital has recognised the strategic value of improving patient care with EMR and has achieved almost fully automated/paperless medical records.

Dr Wong Chun Por, President of the eHealth Consortium said: “We are very excited to hold HIMSS AsiaPac13 in Hong Kong this year. The conference and symposia are must-attend events for all Healthcare IT practitioners across Asia Pacific. Healthcare IT professionals should not miss this chance to hear from leaders in their field about how new and existing technology is being used to vastly improve patient care and outcome. Attendees will learn about different experiences, best practice, challenges and solutions from a wide range of experts from around the world.  The conference also provides a rich networking experience.”

Source : Julie Diamond