National Health IT Week kicks off with a focus on healthy communities
For its 13th annual National Health IT Week, which kicks off today and runs through Sept. 27, HIMSS will be focusing on how public- and private-sector stakeholders can better align information and technology to drive advancements in population health.
WHY IT MATTERS
With the theme this year of Supporting Healthy Communities, HIMSS will be convening in-person and virtual events – along with White House officials, Congressional leaders, federal and state agencies, healthcare providers and community groups nationwide – to spotlight opportunities to address five key factors of community health:
- Advancing public and population health
- Modernizing the public health infrastructure
- Accelerating workforce development
- Expanding access to broadband and telehealth
- Addressing social determinants of health
More than 500 different stakeholders, including government agencies, industry and community groups nationwide, are participating, in NHIT events all week long. You can see a full listing of events here and follow along on Twitter using the hashtags #NHITweek, #HITworks, #IHeartHIT or #GovHIT.
Be sure to check back on Healthcare IT News this week for further coverage of NHIT Week events.
THE LARGER TREND
National Health IT Week's theme of Supporting Healthy Communities coincides with our own focus this month on the social determinants of health.
So far in September, HITN and its sister sites have explored data-driven partnerships, the impact of social services spending, how AI is helping providers manage SDOH data, and how other new technologies and new ideas are changing the calculous for personal and population health.
ON THE RECORD
"Advancing public health and population health efforts will be critical to overcoming the problems that drive poor health outcomes and in turn will facilitate supporting healthy communities," according to HIMSS.
"Communities must learn how to identify linkages with existing mobile/telehealth/social media technologies. The drive toward smart cities and communities may be most impactful in advancing public and population health, particularly when they are able to interoperate across core health, human services and non-health sector systems."
Focus on Social Determinants of Health
In September, Healthcare Finance News, Healthcare IT News and MobiHealthNews will take a look at the SDOH and how varied health systems, IT companies, Congress and others are addressing it.
Twitter: @MikeMiliardHITN
Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
