AAMI Annual Conference & Expo to be Held June 5-8

The premier conference for healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals convenes next month in Denver, Colo., and will shine a spotlight on some of the toughest challenges and biggest opportunities in healthcare, which is increasingly dependent on complex, sophisticated medical devices and systems. The AAMI 2015 Conference & Expo will run June 5-8 at the Colorado Convention Center. It is put on by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), which represents the professionals who ensure the proper functioning of medical equipment, a crucial factor in providing optimal patient outcomes.

As more interconnected medical devices and technology are introduced into healthcare facilities and hospital rooms, questions about the purchase, maintenance, and use of such equipment are more important than ever. HTM professionals play an increasingly vital role in safe and effective healthcare delivery.

As with previous annual conferences, AAMI 2015 will feature an impressive lineup of industry experts, who will provide both practical guidance for HTM professionals and insights on trends and development in healthcare technology. Education sessions will cover a broad range of topics, including  cybersecurity in healthcare, medical device interoperability, imaging technology, risk assessment, recall management, the challenges of wireless medical devices, cleaning and disinfecting medical equipment, the evolution of home healthcare technology, crucial federal rules and regulations, and cross-department collaboration. There will be several sessions devoted to career advancement and strengthening professional development skills. In addition, the AAMI Foundation will put on a two-part workshop intended to help hospitals struggling to meet The Joint Commission’s (TJC) National Patient Safety Goal on  alarm safety.

“Attendees will receive up-to-date practical guidance on virtually every major issue facing the field from the more than 130 speakers scheduled to appear,” says Tirza Lofgreen, AAMI’s director of education. “We changed the look and feel of the conference in 2014 and aim to provide an even better experience this year.”

AAMI president Mary Logan adds, “We had a lot of great feedback after all of the changes we implemented last year. There’s always room for improvement, however, and we want this year’s event to be bigger and better than ever.”

To that end, the Expo Hall will feature more than 200 exhibitors-a record number-including Medtronic-Covidien, GE Healthcare, Draeger Medical, Baxter Healthcare, Bayer HealthCare, Cerner Corporation, Siemens Healthcare, and Masimo.

AAMI 2015 will showcase a number of thought-provoking speakers, including Billy Rios, who will kick off the opening general session. A cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur, Rios will describe what an attack against a healthcare organization looks like from the hacker's perspective. His discussion will focus on key areas for improving cybersecurity within the healthcare industry.

Tejal Gandhi, MD, president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit National Patient Safety Foundation, is scheduled to deliver a  lecture on the changing landscape of patient safety, and will outline potential strategies to advance that agenda.

Additionally, TJC’s George Mills, whose popular sessions are standing-room only, will be on hand to discuss his organization’s biggest initiatives. Mills is a well-known figure within the healthcare community, serving as director of the accreditation organization’s Department of Engineering.

The conference will wrap up with what is expected to be a powerful presentation from Polly Letofsky on leadership. Letofsky set out in 1999 to walk around the world, as part of an awareness campaign for breast cancer, becoming the first woman to do so. She will offer insights on how professionals can persevere and conquer life’s challenges. 

Source: AAMI