CajunCodeFest 2013: A Cajun-flavored Code-a-thon To Accelerate Health Innovation in the Silicon Bayou

LAFAYETTE, La., March 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The CajunCodeFest is back this year for another technology celebration offering coding, crawfish, and cash prizes, running April 24 – 26 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA. Over the course of two days, attendees will face off in a 27-hour competition focused on transforming data into innovative health care solutions. The grand prize includes $25,000, and a spot on stage at the invitation-only National Health Datapalooza held in Washington, DC on June 3 - 4.

At CajunCodeFest 2013, developers, designers, researchers, physicians, and business leaders, will team up and use robust health data to build applications that encourage and enable patients to "Own Your Own Health." Ultimately, these applications will facilitate more informed health care decisions and better health for individual and communities.

This year, the event boasts an impressive line-up of speakers who will inspire participants to create solutions that will make an impact in health care. These speakers include Dr. Farzad Mostashari (National Coordinator for HIT, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS)), Bryan Sivak (Chief Technology Officer, HHS), and Bruce Greenstein (Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals). The event will feature Platinum sponsors Intel, Lafayette General Medical Center, Microsoft, and The Office of the National Coordinator.

At last year's inaugural event, Todd Park, US Chief Technology Officer, and guest speaker, tweeted, "Silicon Bayou - aka Lafayette, Louisiana - is the best kept secret reservoir of innovation mojo in America." The event was indeed a huge success, bringing together 275 people in attendance including 115 code-a-thon participants from three countries, 15 states, and 40 different cities.

In a recent Health 2.0 News article, Laura Montini interviewed last year's CajunCodeFest winning team - Betty and Bobby Tanory. When asked about their experience at last year's event, Mr. Tanory responded:

"Something crazy happens when you get people from the tech industry, government, insurance agencies, teachers and doctors in the same room. It's almost impossible to not create something new out of that mix."

For more information or CajunCodeFest inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Sign up now to participate - http://cajuncodefest.org/users/sign_up. 
Registration for the event is open to the public.

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SOURCE Health 2.0