October Summit to Focus on Healthcare Technology

The following press release was published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology on Aug. 31, 2006. It is reproduced in full below.

Americans are living longer than ever. As the senior population grows over the coming years, increasing the quality of healthcare while reducing costs will become even more of a priority than it is today. New home-based healthcare technologies and electronic health information will help seniors take charge of their own healthcare, maintain their independence, and reduce costs. While government and private industry are working together to make healthcare more affordable and more accessible, one barrier is the interoperability of medical devices and equipment as well as electronic health information. The Department of Commerce's Technology Administration and National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Center for Aging Services Technologies are hosting a summit Oct. 18-19, 2006, in Gaithersburg, Md., to identify issues and challenges needed to make interoperable healthcare technology and health information a reality. Speakers include Michael O. Leavitt, secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Craig R. Barrett, chairman of the board, Intel Corporation. For more information, see www.itl.nist.gov/Healthcare%20Summit/intro.htm.

Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology