IT, Health and Government Experts will Examine Opportunities and Challenges in Healthcare IT Market at CompTIA Breakaway 2011

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With the healthcare industry looking to information technology (IT) solutions to improve patient care, CompTIA, the non-profit association for the IT industry, said today that several conference sessions at CompTIA Breakaway 2011 will focus on implementing IT solutions for the healthcare market.

CompTIA Breakaway, the premier annual event for the IT channel, is scheduled for Aug. 1-4 in Washington, D.C.

Industry estimates peg spending in the healthcare IT market at more than $34 billion this year.  CompTIA's Second Annual Healthcare IT Insights and Opportunities study found that about one half of healthcare practices surveyed expected to increase IT expenditures in the next year.

"From the business basics of computers and printers to advanced solutions such as electronic health records systems, healthcare providers have clear objectives for their IT investments," said Kelly Ricker, vice president, education and events, CompTIA. "They're looking to reduce costs, save time, improve productivity and, most importantly, improve patient care."

"For Breakaway 2011, we've assembled a roster of experts from the public and private sectors who will share their first-hand experiences and proven strategies for doing business in the complex and fast-changing healthcare IT market.

A healthcare IT track is part of the inaugural CompTIA Tech Summit, co-located with Breakaway 2011, and scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 4.

Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is scheduled to deliver the opening keynote for the healthcare IT program at 9 a.m. on Aug. 4.

At 10 a.m. on Aug. 4 a panel of experts will discuss the critical role for IT solution providers in implementation of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, which authorized more than $20 billion in federal stimulus spending to promote the adoption and use of electronic health records technologies. Scheduled panelists include:

• Scott Afzal, program director for the Chesapeake Regional Information System for Our Patients, a non-profit, community-run organization that's been designated as Maryland's statewide health information exchange.
• Bethany M. Gilboard, director of health technologies for the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, who is responsible for directing the Statewide Computer Physician Order Entry Initiative in Massachusetts.
• Tony Landauer, assistant vice president, channels, NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Inc., a provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions.

A second healthcare IT panel, set for 11 a.m. on Aug. 4, will examine the current state of collaboration between government and the private sector in the move toward greater usage of electronic health records as a modernized method of healthcare delivery. Speakers scheduled to participate in this panel include:

• Mike Jones, chief executive officer, ETG, a technology solution provider that specializes in physician practices and other healthcare industry customers.
• Sery E. Kim, counsel, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives  
• Charles Jarvis, assistant vice president of healthcare industry services and government relations, NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Inc.

Both panels will be moderated by Brett Coughlin, health care reporter for POLITICO Pro.

Also at Breakaway 2011, on Wednesday, Aug. 3, a channel company training session will examine "Consultative Selling to the HIT Market." Set for 10 a.m., the session will prepare technology solution providers for face-to-face encounters with healthcare professionals and to gain HIT consultative selling skills through practice.

Attendees will review CompTIA's Physician Practice Assessment Tool; work through a case study; and craft a sample quote/proposal that will double as a beginning template for real-life clients. They'll also receive the CompTIA 10-Week Guide to Healthcare IT. Participants will receive a CompTIA Education Credit for participating in the session, one of four learning modules that make up the CompTIA Healthcare IT Channel Training Course.

More than 1,100 IT channel leaders – including some 350 solution providers – are expected at Breakaway 2011. Conference registration is free for CompTIA members and just $250 for non-members.

About CompTIA

CompTIA is the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry. As a non-profit trade association advancing the global interests of IT professionals and companies, CompTIA is the recognized authority for IT education and credentials and the primary advocate for IT businesses and workers. Through its foundation, CompTIA also enables disadvantaged populations to gain the skills they need for employment in the IT industry. CompTIA's vision of the IT landscape is shaped by more than 25 years of global perspective and more than 2,000 members and 1,000 business partners. For more information, visit www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/comptia.  

SOURCE CompTIA