February 24th Declared Health IT Day at the Georgia State Capitol

ATLANTA, Feb. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Legislators today announced a resolution declaring February 24th Health IT Day at the Georgia State Capitol to highlight the important contributions of this industry to the economic vitality of the state. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle (R) presented the resolution.

The announcement was made as part of Health IT Day at the Capitol, hosted by the Metro Atlanta Chamber, TAG Health, GA HIMSS, and the Institute for Healthcare Information Technology, to foster collaboration among health IT leaders and policymakers. 

"Georgia is at the forefront of the health information technology sector with more than 225 Health IT companies based in the state,"said Amanda Hendley, TAG COO. "This is due in no small part to the collaborative spirit of our business, academic and legislative leaders who have come together to solve the challenges of our Health IT Industry. Only by working together can we continue to cultivate an environment of innovation here in Georgia."

Recognized as the nation's health IT capital, there are more than 16,000 employed in health IT jobs in Georgia. According to the latest workforce trends report, in metro Atlanta, overall job postings in this industry increased 83% between 2007 and 2013, twice the rate of national postings.

"With more than 4,000 open positions currently, health IT is one of the fastest-growing technology sectors in the state," said David Hartnett, vice president of Economic Development, Industry Expansion, Metro Atlanta Chamber. "Connecting with our legislators is critical to ensuring a competitive business climate to promote and sustain growth in this industry. It is a privilege to work with these other organizations to further advance the HIT industry in Georgia."

The role the health IT sector plays in bringing jobs and investment to the state's economy will be the focus of conversation during the panel discussion with industry leaders at the 11:30 a.m. luncheon, the main event for the day. Panelists include Robert Hendricks, SVP, CTO, CIO, McKesson Technology Solutions; Paul Gue, chief information officer, HealthPort Technologies; and Jim Denny, founder & CEO, Navicure, Inc. Also invited to participate are Sen. Brandon Beach, R- Alpharetta, and Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah.

"Life science and IT companies have created thousands of jobs and invested millions into the state over the last few years," said Amanda Shailendra, director, life sciences and corporate solutions at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. "The health IT sector in Georgia has not only provided quality careers for Georgians, but this sector also supports our solid network of life science companies as they continue to innovate and thrive."

Additional events include:

• Presentation of the Reader's Choice Award for Georgia's Health IT industry from HIStalk.com.
• Afternoon advocacy/legislative meetings and select hearings for those interested.
• Cocktail reception hosted by Georgia HIMSS at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot Blue Room at 5:30 p.m.

For more information on Health IT Day at the Georgia State Capitol, visit: http://bit.ly/1Eo2BIN.

For more information on TAG Health please visit http://www.tagonline.org/chapters-and-societies/health/ or visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org. For more information on the Institute for Healthcare Information Technology, visit www.instituteforhealthcareIT.org and for more information on GA HIMSS, visit http://ga.himsschapter.org

About the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC)
The Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) serves as a catalyst for a more prosperous and vibrant region. To advance economic growth and improve metro Atlanta's quality of place, MAC is focused on starting, growing and recruiting companies to the 29-county metro Atlanta region. The Chamber is also focused on growing the region's innovation economy by promoting and strengthening connections to drive Atlanta's innovation and entrepreneurial culture. MAC is committed to being an active voice for the business community, serving as an advocate for a competitive business climate and telling Atlanta's story. Visit our website at www.metroatlantachamber.com.

SOURCE The Metro Atlanta Chamber

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http://www.metroatlantachamber.com