Maximising health data use and connections

Information officers and executives from the aged care and disability sectors will learn how to make the most of their organisation’s health data in an upcoming health ICT event.

The Health-e-Nation Leadership Summit, which is bringing healthcare leaders from across Australia and overseas to Sydney in June, is this year exploring the integration of care in a time of change.

Organisations across hospitals, primary care, aged care and disability services need to connect, said Sally Glass, managing director of CHIK Services, which operates the annual event.

Primary health networks, the national eHealth record and the Medicare review were among a range of areas shifting the fabric of the nation’s healthcare, she said.

“The event’s focus is on connections – connections around the consumer and the services they receive, connections with information that follow those services and connections with organisations that deliver those services,” Ms Glass told Technology Review.

“It is a great opportunity for providers in aged care and independent living to get involved in the discussion,” she said.

The event kicks off with morning meetings for chief information officers (CIO), chief medical information officers (CMIO) and chief clinical information officers (CCIO) followed by a practical workshop in the afternoon where delegates can learn how to get the best value from data, information and knowledge in a care environment.

“It is very much about data governance and the practical things you need to consider when managing data and handling data flows between providers,” Ms Glass said.

The second day starts with an invitation-only executive breakfast MC’d by eHealth NSW chief executive and CIO Michael Walsh that includes a presentation on Telstra Health’s strategy by managing director Shane Solomon.

Anyone interested in attending the morning meetings or the executive breakfast meeting, and who fit the role, can contact the organisers via the website to request an invitation code to register.

“Running by-invitation events means we can bring a group of people working on similar issues together  to connect across the industry,” Ms Glass said.

International perspectives

Also available at the morning meeting are the two keynote speakers – Pete Knox from Bellin Health in Wisconsin and Dr Joseph Siemienczuk, a former CEO and CMO of Providence Medical Group, also in the US – who are presenting two different approaches to linking care.

Bellin is part of a US program that links care to deliver better outcomes for patients, while Providence uses a multi-disciplinary focus to deliver services for a patient at a primary care level.

“The international perspectives are included in the event to stimulate constructive conversations about what could happen in Australia,” Ms Glass said.

“My strong belief is that if primary care is working well then that supports aged care. We are expecting some robust discussions and are really keen to have involvement from aged care in the audience.”

With aged care now separated from health from a national policy perspective, it was important there was opportunity for people to make connections, she said.

Health-e-Nation Leadership Summit takes place from 2-3 June at the Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney, with the CIO/CMIO meeting and workshop nearby in the MLC Building.

Technology Review is the conference media partner. 

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