CNSI Attends University of Maryland’s WHITE 2013 Conference

Earlier this month, the University of Maryland’s prestigious Robert H.

Earlier this month, the University of Maryland’s prestigious Robert H. Smith School of Business held its 4th annual Workshop on Health IT and Economics.

CNSI was proud to sponsor the event, which brought together academic and private sector leaders in health IT from around the country to present insightful commentary on the opportunities and challenges faced by the industry.

The two day conference took place in Washington, D.C. and highlighted cutting-edge research from the likes of the University of Texas Health Science Center, the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Children’s National Medical Care and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Of the many health IT topics discussed, social media stood out as a still untapped industry resource. Discussing its potentials, Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Michael Luca presented his findings on ‘Digitizing Disclosure,’ that is, utilizing social platforms to disseminate information regarding public health warnings. Would a Yelp review or Facebook notification be a more apt warning than a physical posting on a door?

According to Prof. Luca, we may some ways go. However, as these technologies become more ubiquitous, leveraging themselves into even more aspects of our everyday lives, the proof is yet to come.

Greg Kruse of the University of Pennsylvania Health System shared similar sentiments when it comes to the power of the communication tools at our disposal. In his keynote address on day one of the conference, Mr. Kruse stated that broader communication strategies will build new relationships between doctors and patients.

Mr. Kruse surely has a point. As we continue to advance health IT solutions we are not only building cost-effective efficiencies for the management of care, but influencing the very nature of how we receive, interpret, and communicate with our health care providers and communities.

How can health IT improve the way you interact with your physician or community? Tweet @CNSICorp to let us know! Follow CNSI on Twitter.