Whole Foods Market Co-CEO John Mackey, Aetna President and CEO Mark Bertolini, U.S. Senator Max Baucus, Novartis CEO Joseph Jimenez at 8th Annual World Health Care Congress, April 4-6, 2011, Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The 8th Annual World Health Care Congress (WHCC) will convene April 4-6, 2011 in Washington D.C. with more than 1,800 health care leaders to address the challenges of health care cost, quality and delivery. This multi-stakeholder event presents leading-edge case studies and best practices from all industry sectors, including Fortune 500 companies, insurers, hospitals and health systems, pharmaceutical and biotech executives, academics, analysts and government officials. Visit www.worldhealthcarecongress.com for more information.

Registration Discount: Register by Friday, January 28 and save $400 off the early bird rate. Contact us at 800-767-9499 and mention code JJF698 (not valid on already reduced government and military rates)

More than 200 distinguished speakers sharing innovative strategies include:

John Mackey, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market

Mark Bertolini, CEO and President, Aetna

David Cordani, President and CEO, CIGNA Corporation

U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana)

Toby Cosgrove, MD, CEO and President, Cleveland Clinic

George Halvorson, Chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente

Charles Sorenson, Jr, MD, President and CEO, Intermountain Health Care

Todd Park, Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Phil Bredesen, 48th Governor, Tennessee

Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, President, Clinical Services and Chief Medical Officer, HCA

Uwe Reinhardt, PhD, Professor of Economics & Public Affairs, Princeton University

David Brailer, MD, Former and First National Coordinator of Health IT, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services

Joseph Jimenez, CEO, Novartis AG

Emerging for 2011 include accountable care organizations, reform at the state level, revamped strategies for prevention, wellness and health promotion with a focus on innovative community models, next generation health IT and mHealth. Additionally, there will be co-located summits for State and Public Purchaser, Employer, Health Plan, Health IT, Hospital and Health System, Physician Practice, Chronic Care, Pharma/Biotech/Medical Device.

The 2011 WHCC  will also feature an expanded World Health Innovation Summit – A three-day program featuring 30 international speakers that share how innovations improve quality of care in developing counties, and how these innovations can be applied to the developed world. The summit will include the first Global Medical Travel Forum, convening stakeholders to discuss the many challenges and opportunities in the global health care market. www.worldhealthcarecongress.com/whis

"The 8th Annual World Health Care Congress will differ significantly from previous events as top thought leaders share true innovations for the new challenges impacting health care cost and quality," said Nicole Garratt, President of World Health Care Congress. "The timing is particularly relevant with the ongoing impact of health reform and all industry sectors needing tangible solutions to reduce costs while improving care. Additionally, our expanded World Health Innovation Summit and Medical Travel Forum will add fresh, dynamic content that makes the World Health Care Congress a premier multi-stakeholder event."

The 8th Annual World Health Care Congress (WHCC) is World Congress' flagship event in which more than 1,800 health care, government and corporate leaders formulate solutions to the challenges of health care cost, quality and delivery. WHCC convenes the major sectors in health care to determine actionable goals and implementation strategies to demonstrate quality, consumer choice, cost-effectiveness and transparency. The 8th Annual World Health Care Congress is organized with support from: Presidential Sponsor Alere, Official Well-Being Sponsor Healthways, Official Healthcare Decisions Sponsors Health Dialog, Official Innovation Series Sponsor UnitedHealth Group, and educational underwriters, McKessson, VITAS, TriZetto, Booz & Company, HealthStat, Access MediQuip, VSP, Eliza, Aetna, AmericanWell, Companion Data Services, CareLogistics, Ortho McNeil, HealthHub – powered by PayFlex, and Healthwise.

Contact: Patrick Golden, Director of Communications, World Congress, [email protected]

SOURCE World Health Care Congress