by:Perry W. Payne, Jr., MD/JD/MPP

What and When?

From April 28th – May 1st, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) will have their annual meeting in sunny San Jose, California.

The ATA, started in 1993, is an organization of health care professionals, researchers, health care institutions, and companies promoting access to medical care for consumers and health professionals via telecommunications technology and is hailed by the organization as the “biggest telehealth event of the year.”

While the conference is not focused on mHealth, there are a variety of features which may be appealing to those interested in mHealth. The first is an array of speakers. The keynote speaker will be none other than Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Why Attend?

As with any meeting of this magnitude, this is a great place to network with people interested in mHealth from industry, academia, and government. In addition, a number of features of the meeting offer attendees the opportunity to learn about new opportunities in mHealth that you may not be aware of.

Unique Meeting Features

The conference starts off on April 28th with a full day certificate course on Making mHealth Work: How mHealth Can Be Integrated into Today’s Healthcare System. The course will have faculty from the public and private sector including representatives from Qualcomm, the US Army and West Wireless Health Institute. The second day includes a half day course on Telerehabilitation in the Cloud: Clinical Competencies, Mobile Apps and Web 2.0 which may be of interest to iMedicalApps readers.

In addition, there are a number of sessions that may interest iMedicalApps readers including the following:

Monday – April 30
Remote Monitoring
Using mHealth Solutions to Improve Clinical Outcomes

Technology: Telemedicine & HIT
Multiple Perspectives on the State of Mobile Apps in Health

Telemental Health
Mobile Apps for Mental Health Self-Management in a Large Healthcare System: Development through Dissemination

Tuesday – May 1
Clinical Services
Successful mHealth Programs: Lessons Learned on Implementation and Sustainability

The meeting will also feature a number of “Industry Executive Panels.”

The panels will cover a wide arrange of topics from financing telemedicine ventures to policy concerns. Of note, there is one panel focused on mHealth with executives from Qualcomm, Nonin, A and D Medical, and Sprint Nextel.

Cost of attending

The cost of attending the meeting ranges from $250 to $1,145 with the lowest prices for students and members of the American Telemedicine Association.

Final Words

With attendees from around the world, the largest telehealth trade show in the world, and a myriad of professional opportunities, this meeting is definitely one to keep on your list and consider attending annually if you plan to participate in the growing field of mHealth