Eleventh Annual International Meeting & Exposition
of the American Telemedicine Association
May 7-10, 2006
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California

Sponsored by the ATA Emergency Preparedness and Response Special Interest Group

Experts in this field will cover telemedicine and telepresence for trauma and emergency disaster management. In this course, participants will learn about the key steps to establish a successful teletrauma and emergency telemedicine program, how to face the challenges and barriers of this new paradigm, what technologies are available from desktop to satellite and how to address hardware/software and human factors issues. This course will also provide a hands-on demonstration of teletrauma and telepresence.

Course Objectives:

• To review and explore possibilities of establishing telemedicine for trauma and emergency care management in hospitals with established or non-existent telemedicine programs
  To examine the factors in establishing telepresence to help manage man made or natural disasters
• To examine the establishment of telepresence from a Level I trauma center as well as from other emergency centers into a small emergency center of a rural hospitals
• To demonstrate teletrauma and telepresence with technology used in real applications

Overview:

• Overview of telemedicine and telepresence for trauma and emergency disaster management
• Step by step: establishing teletrauma and emergency telemedicine programs
• Eliminating the barriers and facing the challenges of a new paradigm
• From desktops to satellites: technologies made ridiculously simple
• Is it hardware, software or human factor? What are the answers when it comes to teletrauma?
• Seeing is believing: telepresence while events are unfolding in the field and in the ambulance
• Is there a room for simulation: how can we remain ready to go?
• Hands-on demonstration with equipment used for teletrauma and telepresence
• Wrap up and the evaluation of the program

Faculty:

Frederick Pearce, PhD
Chair, Department of Journalism and Public Communications, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska

Jose Salinas, Ph.D.
Director, Trauma Information Systems Development, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX

Sponsored by the ATA Technology Special Interest Group

This course is designed to introduce the concepts of computer networks to the non-technical attendee. It will demystify some of the jargon used to describe the telecommunications infrastructure used in telemedicine/telehealth networks including layers, protocols, and TCP/IP. This is an essential course for those having to manage telemedicine projects, but not having a technical background.

By the end of this course attendees will better understand the fundamentals of computer networks and associated terminology and be well equipped to interact with engineers, technicians and others associated with building and implementing health information technology.

Faculty:

Malcolm Clarke, PhD, Senior Lecturer in Data Communication Systems and Telemedicine, Department of Information Systems and Computing, Brunel University,
Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom

This short course is designed for anyone who has ever offered or responded to a Request for Proposal (RFP). Designed as a vehicle for communicating needs and resources between purchasers and suppliers, the RFP can be a valuable tool or a nightmare. This workshop will present the history and nature of RFP's, how to write an RFP to get what you want from a vendor, and how to respond to an RFP so as a vendor you can set reasonable expectations with the client. Strategies for successful contracting with RFP's without losing your shirt or buying vaporware will be reviewed. The program format will include an overview of RFP's and a panel will present best and worst case scenarios from the perspective of the telehealth organization and telehealth vendor.

Faculty:

Nina Antoniotti, RN, MBA, PhD, Program Manager, Marshfield Clinic Telehealth Network, Marshfield, WI

Joe D’Iorio, Manager Healthcare Services, Tandberg, Peabody, MA

Michael Lemnitzer, CPA, Vice President Business Development, ViTel Net, Inc., McLean, VA

Mary DeVaney, Manager, Avera McKennan Hospital and University, Sioux Falls, SD

Attitudes, Advocacy & Advances: Policy and Regulatory Issues for Telemedicine and Health Care IT

This course will provide information on opportunities to educate policy makers and the public regarding telemedicine efforts through consideration of perspectives from the e-health and health care IT fields. Experts will examine how the Administration, Congress, and other regulatory bodies develop and apply IT to health care and medical information to further advance telemedicine and how successful outcomes and practices of telemedicine can be translated for widescale political advocacy efforts and regulatory change. This course will also examine recent telemedicine and health care IT legislative proposals and initiatives and will offer an overview on federal and state regulations that affect these practices. Experts in the field will discuss the latest developments on reimbursement and Medicare payment policies, risk management, fraud and abuse, licensure, credentialing, and emergency care for disaster assistance and will provide perspectives on opportunities to collaborate with and better advocate for policies that support telemedicine and medical technology advances.

Moderator:
Robert J. Waters, Esq.
Partner, Gardner Carton & Douglas
LLP and General Counsel for the Center for Telemedicine Law, Washington, DC

Faculty:

Neal Neuberger, CISSP
President, Health Tech Strategies, LLC, McLean, VA

David W. Roberts, MPA, FHIMSS
Vice President, Government Relations
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Alexandria, VA

Robert J. Waters, Esq.
Partner, Gardner Carton & Douglas
LLP and General Counsel for the Center for Telemedicine Law, Washington, DC

Sponsored by the ATA Business and Finance Special Interest Group

This course will focus on 5 key elements of telemedicine business: choosing a business model, selecting an accounting system, recognizing relational models, understanding payor models, and evaluating critical business issues. These elements will be applied to two scenarios. During the first half of the course, experts in the field will apply the 5 elements to the first scenario. After a short break, the program participants will break up into groups and, using the information provided in the first half of the session, apply the 5 elements to the second scenario. After each group has reported their results, a panel of experts will speak on how the elements should be applied to the second scenario.

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• Identify 5 important elements in telemedicine business
• Understand the processes required to apply the 5 business elements
• Be able to apply the 5 business elements in a real-life scenario

Faculty:

Nina Antoniotti, RN, MBA, PhD, Program Manager, Marshfield Clinic Telehealth Network, Marshfield, WI

Gail Barker, PhD, Associate Director for Finance, Arizona Telemedicine Program, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ

Pam Forducey, PhD, Director, Neuroscience Institute and Telehealth, INTEGRIS Rural Telemedicine, Oklahoma City, OK

Glenn Hammack, OD, MSHI, FAAO, Director, Health Informatics and Telemedicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX

Dena Puskin, ScD, Director, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth Health Resources and Services Administration, US Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD

Mark McNaney, MS, Center of Excellence in Telehealth, Assistant Professor, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY

This course is designed to cover current trends in traditional telemedicine technologies as well as new trends in remote monitoring technologies. Expert telemedicine technologists will present an overview of the technologies available to telemedicine programs as they develop new service offerings including remote monitoring sensors, wireless communication, and mobile computing. From this survey there will be a critical discussion on the aspects affecting the choice and deployment of these technologies including: HIPAA and FDA regulation, electrical safety, UL standards, certification, and more.

While this course is designed to be more advanced, attendees who feel comfortable with the topics and fundamentals discussed in “Introduction to Telemedicine Networks” will find this course very informative. At the completion of this course, attendees will have a better understanding of the technology trends available to telemedicine programs as well as the potential issues involved in implementing these more cutting edge-technologies.

Faculty:

Scott C. Simmons, MS
Assistant Director, Telemedicine Center
East Carolina University Center for Health Sciences Communication
Greenville, NC

Doug McClure, MIM
Corporate Manager of Telemedicine Technology
Partners Telemedicine
Boston, MA

A. Stewart Ferguson, PhD
Director
Alaska Federal Health Care Access Network (AFHCAN)
Alaska Native Tribal Health
Anchorage, AK

Vesalius Ventures is a unique venture capital firm solely dedicated to funding the development of new technologies in order to advance the world of medicine. Founded in June 2002, Vesalius is dedicated to “accelerating the future of medicine” becoming the premier conduit for enabling technologies for medical informatics. The deal flow has included over 300 companies and technologies since inception.

This course is designed to bring together top venture capital firms with telemedicine entrepreneurs. As entrepreneurs create solutions to advance telemedicine, there are critical elements in the early stages of development that will ensure success. This course will set the stage for growth of your company. Participants will learn about the importance of intellectual property - patents, copyrights and/or trademarks - and how to manage it. Participants will review various techniques that investors utilize for company valuation and gain a better understanding of how to get the most value for their company including the basics of negotiating the term sheet. As potential investors are identified, the term sheet could mean the difference between failure and financial success.

Course Objectives:

• Review critical elements for success in the early stages of development
• Discuss the importance of intellectual property (patents, copyrights and trademarks)
• Outline the methods for company valuation
• Review the term sheet process

Faculty:

Bernard Harris, CEO, Vesalius Ventures, Houston, TX

Sean Nevins, Manager, Business Development-New Ventures, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA

Kenneth Seymens, Managing Director, Duff & Phelps, Chicago, IL

Jack Gill, Founder and Managing Partner, Vanguard Ventures, Houston, TX

This intensive short course discusses clinical benchmarks, new technologies, financial, operational and policy issues in home telehealth. Seasoned home telehealth professionals will share their experience and knowledge in four modules. The target audience is intermediate or higher although beginners are welcome too.

COMING SOON APRIL 2006… NEW ATA On-line Course, Home Telehealth: The Basics

Course Directors

• Rita Kobb, MS, MN, GNP-BC, Director, Sunshine Training Center, Education Program Specialist, VHA Office of Care Coordination, Lake City, FL
• Susan Dimmick, PhD, Project Manager, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE),Adjunct Associate Professor University of Tennessee HSC, Oak Ridge, TN
• Deborah Burns, Senior Director of Sales, iMetrikus, Highstown, NJ
• Cindy Campbell, CEO, Nobitas, San Diego, CA
• Rhonda Chetney, MS, RN, Director of Clinical Operations, Sentara Home Care Services, Chesapeake, VA
• Maria Mann, Vice President, Business Development and Clinical Product Innovation, ViTel Net, McLean, VA
• Lorraine Pellegrino, RN, MHA, University of California, Davis Health System, Sacramento, CA
• Susan Slater, BSN, RN, Vice President, Clinical Implementation and Business Development, ViTel Net, McLean, VA

Faculty:

I. The Clinical Perspective: Real People, Real Solutions
Instructor: Heather Kowalski, RN, BSN, President, HealthTec Consulting Group, Haverhill, MA
• Innovative clinical practices
• Clinical outcomes
• Future directions

II. Knowing and Living the Bottom Line
Instructor: Sharon Jones, Executive VP Clinical/Operations, VNA Healthcare Partners of Ohio,
Cleveland, OH
• Innovative financial models
• Benchmark operations
• Future directions

III. Taking it up the Hill: Policy Issues
Instructor: Cindy Campbell, RN, CEO, Nobitas, Inc., San Diego, CA
• Reimbursement/DME
• New legislation
• What comes next?

IV. Tech Talk: What’s Out There and What’s Coming
Instructor: Susan G. Slater BSN, RN, Vice President Clinical Implementation and Business
Development, ViTel Net, McLean, VA
• Home Telehealth equipment
• Gadgets and Gizmos
• Future developments