Medical Automation Conference to be Held December 2, 2011

For the past six years, Robin Felder (past Engleberger Awardee) and Terry Sharrer (former Health Science Curator for the Smithsonian) have put on a medical automation conference featuring world and national leaders in healthcare innovation as speakers, and an audience that virtually represents healthcare as a distributed network.  Like other conferences, it’s an occasion to hear new ideas, and to make useful acquaintances.  But taken together, these meetings hold a body of knowledge that can make health a more achievable goal for everyone, everywhere.  

This year—on December 2nd, at the Dulles Marriott, Dulles, VA they have invited thought-provoking speakers, starting with Robert Miller, Director of AT&T’s Communications Research Lab, who was a pioneer in developing the cell phone.  You can see the complete roster at the conference website.

Automated medicine enabled by telemedicine/telehealth will be a “game changer” for two reasons.  In the first instance, automated medicine is an effective, efficient way to handle medical issues that are troublesome but not life-threading, avoiding hospitalization in some instances, and following up with discharged patients for better outcomes.

Second, a telemedicine network can create new revenue streams, and redistribute the healthcare economy of a regional market.  The consequences of this are profound.

Automation professionals would benefit from seeing how technology will underpin this new approach to wellness.  Please register through the website.  The Center for Life Sciences Automation at the University of Rostok (Rostok, Germany) is co-hosting the conference.

 If you are not already a subscriber to Tagline please feel welcome to sign up.  It’s free and comes every Tuesday.  Looking ahead, the Editor (Dr. Sharrer) will offer pieces about a breath test for multiple sclerosis, stem cell-derived pituitary gland, mobile apps for researchers, “Elizabeth” the simulated nurse, and lab tests for chemotherapy effectiveness. Seeing so many innovative ideas, it’s hard to be pessimistic about the future of healthcare.