Healthcare Information Technology Revolution:

The Next Gold Mine for VC's, Software Developers & Consultants--But Will it be Heaven or Hell for Hospitals, Physicians, Employers, Insurance Companies and Patients?

Electronic transmission and storage of patient medical information is a “hot” area. Hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, and employers are urgently seeking better ways to electronically store and transmit patient medical records to decrease costs, decrease medical errors, and improve the quality of care. The government’s new healthcare law HIPAA has added “fuel to the fire” --- it mandates that certain changes to patient data transmission be made by 2003. Resulting changes range from fascinating new wireless handheld devices for healthcare workers to new types of software.

What are the opportunities for VCs, software developers, and consultants in this potential “gold mine”- opportunities that are so needed with the lessening of Internet opportunities?

What types of outsourcing will hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, and employers need to improve and manage the storage and transmission of patient information in order to stay competitive and to meet the new healthcare law HIPAA?

Will this “revolution” live up to its promise to improve the quality of healthcare while decreasing costs? Will it change the way doctors practice medicine, for better or for worse? Will the increase in electronically stored and transmitted patient healthcare information threaten citizens' rights to privacy? Join us as we explore these issues and more.

Panelists:

Mr. Jim Fitzsimmons, President & CEO of Amicore, a medical software and services company created with the support of three world-class companies - Pfizer, Microsoft and IBM - to empower and enrich doctors in smaller physician practices by providing a complete office automation solution and unparalleled customer satisfaction and support.

Mr. Guy Scalzi, COO of First Consulting Group Inc.'s Management Services business unit, previously the CIO for several NYC hospitals as well as having co-founded a software development venture. First Consulting Group, Inc. is a publicly held (Nasdaq: FCGI) consulting and outsourcing company, with $280 mil. in annual revenue, focused on the healthcare and life sciences industries.

Dr. Curtis Cole, Director of Information Services for Weill Cornell Physicians, , one of the largest physician organizations in the NYC metro area, including more than 600 faculty of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. As a physician, he has unique insight into what physicians want in electronic systems.

Mr. Anthony McCarley, President & CEO of InteHealth, a privately held company that provides wireless connectivity products that enable physicians and other caregivers to more accurately and effectively manage their patients care by giving them mobile access to the information and tools they need anytime, from any location.

Mr. Phil Ruenhorst, Director of ChimeNet a wholly owned affiliate of the Connecticut Hospital Assoc. ChimeNet enables 29 of the 31 acute care hospitals in CT, and hundreds of other customers, to move clinical information, billing information and Internet data reliably and securely. ChimeNet has nearly doubled its revenue every year since 1997.

Peter Foster, Senior Vice President, Northeast Regional Practice Leader for e-Commerce, Marsh USA

Moderator:

Mr. Eric Brown, Research Director, Forrester Eric leads Forrester’s Healthcare Research team.

Date of Event:

Wednesday, March 20th, 2002