MaSSSoftech

INDIANAPOLIS (September 11, 2009) – A consortium of health and information technology industry and university groups are partnering to present a four seminar series on Health Information Technology. The Indiana Health Informatics Corporation (IHIC), Indiana Health Industry Forum (IHIF) and the Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation (IURTC) are presenting the series along with supporting partners BioCrossroads and Techpoint.

“The seminars will be available by video-conference to locations across the state and each one will be broadcast from one of Indiana’s main Health Information Exchange locations,” says Kent Barth, chairman of the board, IHIC. Conference dates will be September 28 (broadcast from Fort Wayne), October 13 (broadcast from Indianapolis), October 30 (broadcast from South Bend), and November 10 (broadcast from Bloomington).

The conference series has three objectives: to provide current information on Indiana’s pursuit of ARRA stimulus funding for building Health IT infrastructure, to provide information on the industry to those interested in working in the sector, and to demonstrate the broad and varied Health Information Exchange networks already in place in Indiana. “Indiana has an unparalleled strength in the health information technology sector,” said David Johnson, president, BioCrossroads, “From innovative, entrepreneurial companies developing cutting-edge HIT services and software, to premier research and higher learning institutions, to our statewide capacities for health information exchange, Indiana has a comprehensive network of HIT partners.” “Indiana has a nationally recognized excellence in this field and when that is combined with university programs and additional resources like the “Big Red” supercomputer and the School of Informatics, we really can provide an outstanding national model,” adds Brad Fravel, business development manager, with the IU Research and Technology Corporation.

The seminars are targeted towards a broad audience. “There is something in each seminar for everyone,” says Kristin Jones, interim president, Indiana Health Industry Forum. “Ideal participants would include those working in the IT sector in hospitals or physician practices, those working to develop electronic medical record (EMR) and personal health record (PHR) software or systems, as well as those interested in learning more about working in the sector”. According to Jim Jay, president of Techpoint, “there will be a number of new opportunities for companies to enter or expand in the Health IT sector and we want to make sure that the support network is well defined and well-coordinated.”

The seminars will be presented in: Portage, Bloomington, South Bend, Fort Wayne, West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Richmond, Terre Haute, Evansville, and New Albany. All seminars run from 8:30 – 10:30 am and cost $25 to attend individually or $90 to attend all four. Registration and additional information on locations and agendas may be found at www.ihif.org.


About IHIF
The Indiana Health Industry Forum (IHIF) is a not-for-profit, private sector organization with members that represent a private/public alliance of manufacturers, healthcare providers, suppliers, educational institutions, service providers and government officials. Its mission is to create an environment where Indiana is a premier location for the creation and growth of health industry enterprises. IHIF is the Indiana affiliate for BIO, the international trade organization for the biotechnology industry. To learn more, please visit www.ihif.org or contact IHIF at 317.278.9970.

About IHIC
The Indiana Health Informatics Corporation (IHIC) is a public-private corporation created by the State of Indiana to guide and promote health information exchange (HIE) in our state. IHIC was created out of the belief that HIE is in the best interest of Indiana and its citizens in that it supports improvements in the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare.

About IURTC
The Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation (IURTC) is a not-for-profit agency that facilitates industry–Indiana University research and technology collaborations. IURTC stimulates growth in Indiana’s technology sectors by helping companies develop commercially viable technology, with the ultimate goal of creating jobs and growing the state’s economy.

Our mission is to help companies bring new technology to the marketplace and support technology based economic development throughout Indiana and the nation. We’re also dedicated to enhancing the research and development capability of Indiana University, creating new companies, and providing support for entrepreneurial development.