Head of Nation's Leading Patient Advocacy Organization Addresses Personalized Medicine and E-Health at BIOVISION Global Conference

- International Decision-Makers Gather to Discuss Healthcare Advances and the Benefit to Society-

LYON, France, March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nancy Davenport-Ennis, founder and CEO of the National Patient Advocate Foundation, addressed attendees at the BIOVISION conference in Lyon, France on personalized medicine and e-health technology and engaged healthcare stakeholders from across the globe on the future of e-health and the impact technology integration will have on the lives of patients.

"As we continue to make strides in technology and digitize healthcare, we are on the cusp of a digital revolution that will enhance patient access to treatment information, change the paradigm of the patient-provider relationship and create a social contract with those who serve our country," stated Davenport-Ennis. "Health information technology also stands to significantly reduce costs and provide more coordinated care for patients."  

The Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) program serves as a practical illustration of the social contract to service members. This 160 module program of financial and clinical support is used on the battlefield and for veterans nationally. VistA is one of the most widely used Electronic Health Records (EHR) programs in the United States. The e-health session also included a review of the role of telemedicine and Personal Health Records.

Davenport-Ennis addressed policy advances made in the U.S., including the passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2010. The HITECH Act dedicates $25.9 billion to health information technology in rural settings and community clinics. The Act also increases efforts in all 50 states to pass security legislation protecting consumers' Personal Health Information from employers and insurers.

Her presentation also highlighted patient requirements to protect Personal Health Information in conformity with the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) law passed in 2009, while also acknowledging some of the remaining challenges to infrastructure, processes and training within the e-health environment.

Additional presenters included Najeeb Al-Shorbaji of the World Health Organization, Roberto Santoro of Italy, President of the European Society of Concurrent Enterprising Network, Brigitte Trousse, President of France Living Lab, and Veronique Thouvenot, Head of Head of Millennia2015 "Women and eHealth" International Working Group.

BIOVISION, The World Life Sciences Forum, organized since 1999 by an independent non-profit organization, la Fondation pour L'Universite de Lyon, brings together international decision-makers from the academic, private, policy-making and civil society sectors to foster a productive dialogue on life sciences discoveries and their impact on society, and to translate innovative ideas into actionable solutions for the benefit of citizens.

The National Patient Advocate Foundation is a leading national non-profit organization providing the patient voice in improving access to, and reimbursement for, high-quality healthcare through regulatory and legislative reform at the state and federal levels. NPAF translates the experience of millions of patients who have been helped by our companion non-profit organization, Patient Advocate Foundation, which provides professional case management services to individuals facing barriers to healthcare access for chronic and disabling disease, medical debt crisis and employment-related issues at no cost.

SOURCE National Patient Advocate Foundation