MAGPI is pleased to bring you this exciting Advanced Networks and the Health Sciences Symposium event. The Symposium builds upon the success of the national Teaching and Learning with Internet2 Symposium which was held on April 1st. The Health Sciences Symposium aims to reach medical and healthcare practitioners around the pedagogy and technology of delivering advanced healthcare. 

Advanced research and education networks, such as Internet2, offer healthcare and medical practitioners and faculty opportunities to connect to a diverse array of resources and to collaborate with partners around the world toward the delivery of advanced healthcare. Through a series of keynote and breakout sessions, this half-day symposium is designed to give faculty and practitioners a taste of the range of projects and resources that exist and how they can be applied in their own teaching and healthcare practice.

Symposium Agenda

1:00 - 2:00 PM - Keynote
A Brave New World for Advanced Networks and Healthcare by Dale Alverson, Medical Director, Center for Telehealth and Cybermedicine Research, University of New Mexico
Existing and emerging advanced broadband communication networks of networks will be critical in supporting expanding health applications in telemedicine, health information exchange, remote monitoring, knowledge sharing, education, research and public health during this remarkable period of health system transformation and redesign, along with the advances in information technologies and communication devices. These networks will need to be affordable, accessible, reliable and secure, reaching the individual consumer and patient, the providers, the payers, and communities, locally regionally, nationally and internationally. Be it Internet2, National Lambda Rail, the commodity internet, new wireless systems or communication networks not yet imagined, these advanced networks should not only improve access to health services and information, but also demonstrate improvements in health outcomes, as well as cost reduction. It is predictable that there will be increasing demand for broadband capacity as data traffic increases, larger data files need rapid transfer, and there is greater use of these networks for healthcare and health related activities, such as in the area of research and concept of clinical and translational health science; bench to bedside, beside to community, and new approaches to education, training, improved performance to increase quality of care and patient safety. New paradigms are needed to address this increasing demand for broadband as the supply faces the challenge of being adequate, reliable and affordable in a manner that addresses that demand. Economy of scale may best be reached by sharing networks with many other non-health related services. We are entering a “Brave New World” for information, communication technologies as applied to health and, although the challenges are significant, the opportunities are immense if these systems are integrated in a meaningful way that are needs driven.

2:00 - 2:50 PM - Breakout Session 1 

Using Internet2 for Videoconferencing in PT by Calvin Wang, Arcadia University 
Arcadia University collaborated on a research grant with three other institutions across the country to teach physical therapy clinicians how to teach home-bound patients home health exercises. Instruction for the exercises came from two of the institutions to all the clinical collaborators. The training took place using video conferencing technology over Internet2 using MAGPI's multi-point bridge. Learn about the benefits of the technology and the logistics of its use at this breakout session.

3:00 - 3:50 PM - Breakout Session 2

How Broadband Technology is Rapidly Changing the Face of Medicine  by John Riehl, Medical Missions for Children and Dr. Michael Lamacchia, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
This session focuses on how the use of infrastructure and endpoint videoconference technology can play an vital role in both improving medical outcomes and eliminating the knowledge disparity that exists within the global healthcare community.  Addressing such topics as bandwidth requirements, improved access to the public Internet and Internet2, the technology shift to from Standard- to High-Definition videoconferencing and user applications that are most prevalent within the medical and nursing professions, the discussion will touch on the success of MMC’s Telemedicine Outreach Program (TOP), the virtual relationship that exists between St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the launch of a pilot nurses distant learning program established between the New Jersey Magnet Award in Nursing recipients and a group of academic nursing institutions located in Sierra Leone, Africa.

Connecting Healthcare – Information that follows the patient by Mark Jacobs, 
Delaware Health Information Networkand Dr. Brian McDonough, St. Francis Hospital
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) legislation created the largest adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and supporting technology in the United States. President Obama signed HITECH into law on February 17, 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), an economic stimulus bill. The HITECH act stipulates that, beginning in 2011, healthcare providers will be offered financial incentives for demonstrating “meaningful use” of electronic health records (EHR). In the current state, incentives will offer be offered until 2015, after which time penalties may be levied for failing to demonstrate such use. The Act also establishes grants for training centers for the personnel required to support a health IT infrastructure. There will be a need for a new trained workforce in all areas of care delivery and new innovation to deliver information at the point of care. This historical transformation is expected to enable and facilitate the development of better healthcare supported by new technologies, services, and care delivery models which include new standards and software solutions, including the electronic sharing of health information between providers in and among states across the US. A strong intersection of Healthcare and Education will be needed. This session will discuss how the paper patient chart is slowly becoming extinct in the US healthcare system and the provider of care as well as the patient will rendezvous together for more efficient care deliver, improved quality and patient safety through electronic record sharing. The EHR and the Health Information Exchange (HIE) will become as important as the stethoscope in the care delivery process and will require healthcare physicians, hospitals, communities, government and education together.

Presenter Bios

Dale Alverson, Professor Pediatrics and UMN Regents Professor on faculty at the University of New Mexico
Dr. Alverson is a Professor of Pediatrics and UNM Regents’ Professor on faculty at the University of New Mexico, School of Medicine. Since 1995, he has been the Medical Director of the Center for Telehealth and Cybermedicine Research at the University of New Mexico, Health Sciences Center. In that role, he has been involved in the planning, implementation, research and evaluation of Telemedicine systems for New Mexico, primarily serving its rural communities using information technologies, videoconferencing and the internet to provide access to clinical services and health education. Recently, his center received a large $15.5 million award from the Federal Communications Commission Rural Health Care Pilot Program to coordinate the network engineering design, modeling, build-out, operations and evaluation of an enhanced collaborative telemedicine network called the Southwest Telehealth Access Grid, serving New Mexico, Arizona and the Southwest IHS Area Offices. He is on the Board of the New Mexico Telehealth Alliance that provides a platform for public-private collaboration and formation of a Telehealth “network of networks” and has been appointed by the Governor as a commissioner on the New Mexico Telehealth Commission. In 2007, the UNM Center for Telehealth was given the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) President’s Institutional Award for its efforts in advancing telehealth locally, nationally, and internationally.

Marc Jacobs, MHA, CPHIMSS, FHIMSS, Chief Information Officer, Delaware Health Information Network
Mark J. Jacobs, MHA, CPHIMS is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN). Mark, the DHINs first CIO, brings considerable healthcare and information technology experience to the statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE). Mark has amassed over 30 years of in Health Information Technology with several leading health systems throughout Pennsylvania. Previous roles include Director of Technology for Wellspan Health System in York, Director of Technology for Lancaster Health Alliance in Lancaster and Director of Information Technology for Wyoming Valley Health System in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Prior to that Mark held IT positions with health insurance and health planning agencies in northeast Pennsylvania. Mark also served as past Board Vice-Chair and presently serves as Ex-Officio Board Member and Chair of the Business and Technology Committee. Over the years, Mark has been very involved in the national HIMSS Health Information Exchange spotlight, earning the title of HIMSS Fellow while serving as Chair of the Health Information Exchange Steering Committee and member of the HIMSS National Board Nominating Committee. In addition he also served on the ONC's Alliance effort to define HIE and RHIOs key terms and was a member of the CCHIT HIE Workgroup. Mark has authored many articles in leading HIT publications and is a member of the corporate faculty for Harrisburg University School of Science and Technology. Mark holds a Masters Degree in Health Administration from Wilkes University and has attained the status of Certified Professional in Health Information Management Systems (CPHIMS).

Michael Lamacchia, MD, Chairman, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
Dr. Lamacchia joined St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in 1995 and was appointed Chairman of Pediatrics in July 2004. His prior professional experiences included Vice Chair of Clinical Services and Director of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Maimonides Medical Center. He is Board Certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society, the American Society for Microbiology, the Infectious Disease Society of America and the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Dr. Lamacchia received his Medical Doctorate Degree from the Universita degli Studi di Pisa in Italy. He performed both his residency and internship programs at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and completed his Fellowship at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Lamacchia has been a champion and active user of videoconferencing technology as a means of supporting the treatment of children in developing nations and as a vehicle for distance learning.

Brian McDonough, M.D., FAAFP, Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine and Chairman of The Family Medicine Department at St. Francis Hospital.
Brian McDonough, M.D., FAAFP is Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine and Chairman of The Family Medicine Department at St. Francis Hospital. Dr. McDonough is Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) at St.Francis and serves as a member of the St. Francis Hospital Board of Directors. Dr. McDonough has been honored as 2006 DAFP Family Physician of The Year and is a Sir William Osler Award winner for his role in medical student and resident education at both Temple and St. Francis. He has been given awards of recognition by The American Medical Association, The American Cancer Society, and The American Heart Association for his work as a physician. He maintains an active practice. Dr. McDonough is a Fellow of The American Academy of Family Physicians and The College of Physicians of Philadelphia.In addition to his clinical role, Dr. McDonough's medical features are syndicated on over 500 radio stations throughout the United States including the flagship of the network, 1010 WINS in New York City. Dr. Brian McDonough got his broadcasting start at KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia and since 1988 he has been that city's medical voice. He is the recipient of four Emmy Awards which he earned over a twenty year career with Fox television. Dr. Brian McDonough has been a regular contributor to NBC's Today Show and is Medical Editor for several health publication companies. He is in demand as a medical speaker and wellness consultant for numerous fortune 500 companies. He is on The Medical Advisory Board for Omnia Education, Inc. and in that capacity helps in the process of continuing medical education for physicians and nurses nationwide. Dr. McDonough serves on the Medical Advisory Board of CMIO Magazine and is a leading thought provider in the crucial area of Meaningful Use. Dr. Brian McDonough is a strong believer that the medical information that he provides be used as a resource to aid in the path to good health, but he insists that all ideas and questions be discussed with a personal physician before putting them into place.

John Riehl, President and COO, Medical Missions for Children
John joined Medical Missions for Children in June 2004. In his role as Chief Operating Officer, he is responsible for the management of all aspects of the organization's day-to-day operations, thereby providing leadership and support to all components of the Medical Missions for Children mission. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Scranton and graduated with honors from the Business School at the University of Connecticut. In the year 2000, he was awarded the honor of "Most Distinguished Catholic School Graduate" by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and was also inducted into his High School’s Hall of Fame in 2002. For five years, Mr. Riehl was a guest lecturer at Yale University's Medical School within its Department of Public Health. Prior to his entry into the non-profit sector, John enjoyed a successful career in the information technology sector, where he headed up the sales and marketing activities for a software development firm, and then was appointed to the position of Information Technology Director and Chief Information Officer for a 250-attorney law firm headquartered in Boston, MA. For two years, he was also employed as a website architect/designer focused on the development of websites for both healthcare systems and law firms.

Calvin Wang, Sciences Librarian, Manager, Faculty-Staff Technology Resource Lab, Arcadia University
Calvin Wang is Arcadia University's librarian to the sciences. He also manages the instructional technology lab housed in the university library. He has a master of science degree from Drexel University in library and information science and a master of associated medical sciences degree from University of Illinois.