About Us | Press Releases | 2007 | April 18

MEDICINE IN 2020: THERAPIES, EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE ADDRESSED BY THREE PANELS AT THE BIO IT COALITION'S 6TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Will the future bring better diagnostics and cures, more innovation and better knowledge about nutrition and preventing disease to society?  Will educational institutions provide the scientific tools needed to build a flexible, qualified workforce for the future?  How do physicians cope with technological changes as they improve care for patients?

Three panels addressed these and other questions about the future of healthcare at the BIO IT Coalition's 6th Annual Conference, "The State of Healthcare & Medical Technology in 2020," held on April 17, 2007 at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, DC.  Panel I- "Trends, Gaps, Needs and New Tools for the Future of Healthcare", featured Leslie Platt, JD, Counsel, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, as moderator.  Meena Augustus, Ph.D., Executive Partner, HealthCare Global Enterprises Inc., Lester Crawford, DVM, Ph.D., Senior Counsel, Policy Directions Inc., William Gust, Managing Partner, Anthem Capital and Lance Liotta, MD, Ph.D., Co-Director, Center for Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University served as panelists.

Panel II, "Preparing the Life Science Workforce of the Future" was moderated by Kelli Harrington, Ed.D., Associate Dean, Extended Education, Chapman University.  The panel included Peter Katona, MS, Sc.D., Professor, George Mason University and Past President, Whitaker Foundation, Joan Ozdogan, Career Experience Specialist, Fairfax, VA Public Schools, Gyan Prakash, Ph.D., Director, Transformational Medical Technologies Initiative, US Department of Defense and Adjunct Professor, Bioscience Management Program, George Mason University.

Panel III, "At The Edge of Transformation: The Strategic Context of Healthcare & Medicine in 2020" was led by Eric Garland, Principal, Competitive Futures, Inc. as moderator.  The discussants were Jay Greenberg, MD, Department Head, Pediatric Oncology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, C. Victor Jongeneel, Ph.D., Director, Office of Information Technology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Major General John S. Parker, (USA Ret.), MD, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Science Applications International Corporation and Matt Salo, Director, Health and Human Services Committee, National Governor's Association.

The question and answer sessions were lively, as the well informed audience engaged the speakers in dialogues about the future of medical innovation and ways to create educational programs and a knowledgeable workforce to bring that future into reality.

The conference included a networking lunch and cocktail party to encourage discussion and collaboration among attendees.  Sponsors of the conference included AMRN, Arlington Economic Development, George Mason University College of Science and the Volgenau School of Technology and Engineering, Pepper Hamilton LLP and Russell Reynolds Associates.

The BIO IT Coalition bridges the life sciences and information technology industries to promote the growth of the Bio IT industry through interactive, content driven programs which highlight innovation, investment, education, collaboration and partnership.  This industry expansion will result in faster development and delivery of new therapies and diagnostics, better patient care, and other life science related technologies, goods and services.