Event Details:
Who: A Collaboration of eHealth Initiative; HIMSS; Health IT Now; American Telemedicine Association; Connected Health Initiative; Intel; LifeWire Inc.; Centene; and Surescripts.
Produced by Health Tech Strategies
Where: Room 902 Hart Senate Office Building
When: Monday, October 1, 2018 from 12:30 – 2:30 pm
Multi-Media: Videos of the panel discussions will be available following the event
Washington, DC – On October 1, 2018 Congress will be briefed by major companies and organizations including eHealth Initiative; HIMSS; Connected Health Initiative; American Telemedicine Association; Health IT Now, and Health Tech Strategies about technologies being deployed to address the opioid crisis.
Just last week the Senate passed a major consensus bill (S.2680) after the House passed a comprehensive measure in June.
The October 1st briefing will feature leaders from government and industry collaborating on a problem that kills more than 100 Americans every day.
“Facing a public health crisis, the Surescripts Network Alliance is taking action in the form of education, public policy, and powerful information technologies that are available today.” says Surescripts’s Paul Uhrig. “These tools provide nationwide access to patient medication history, data, and the ability to prescribe controlled substances electronically.”
The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently concluded that the use of Health IT has been demonstrated to improve compliance with opioid prescription guidelines; physician adherence to treatment protocols; and improve overall safety.
"Patients need help managing their post-surgical pain and providers want to help. Using technology to have virtual conversations with the patient at home to help manage their transitions to over-the-counter medications for pain is critical to reducing addiction."
- Howard Rosen, CEO LifeWIRE Corp.
According to Intel Solutions Architect Wendy Bohner, “Intel, with our partners, is driving a community-based project to combat opioid abuse. This project aims to show how artificial intelligence, blockchain, and telehealth technologies can be leveraged in addressing the opioid crisis.”
The 2018 Omnibus Appropriations bill included a $3 billion increase to address the addiction crisis, making a total investment of $7.4 billion for 32 key programs comprising the federal opioid response. The consolidated bipartisan measure passed last week on a 99-1 vote. The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 (S.2680) sponsored by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and more than 70 colleagues would rely on the use of key technologies like Data Analytics; Electronic Health Records; and Telemedicine to track controlled substances.
In June, the House overwhelmingly passed legislation combining 58 separate measures including the Access to Telehealth Services for Substance Use Disorders Act. (H.R. 5603) introduced by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA). This legislation would waive certain Medicare telehealth requirements in the case of some treatments of an opioid use disorder. The House and Senate will now go to conference committee to resolve differences in their approaches.
Given the magnitude of the crisis, organizations have committed to ongoing collaboration in pursuit of technology-assisted solutions.
Additional Quotes by Collaborating Organizations
eHealth Initiative
“eHealth Initiative wants to support the efforts of Congress by promoting best practices in the private sector” said Jennifer Covich Bordenick, CEO, eHealth Initiative. “We know there are solutions available now to address the opioid crisis. This is no time for a watered-down policy. Policymakers must take a strong stance to ensure solutions are implemented at the state and federal level.”
Health IT Now
“Health IT Now looks forward to joining Health Tech Strategies and others at this critical briefing to acknowledge the progress that has been made in the fight against opioid misuse while also sharing about opportunities for further reform – such as passage of the bipartisan ALERT Act (H.R.6688) Reps. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ), Ann Kuster (D-NH) - which would enact a Prescription Safety Alert System that arms clinicians with the proper tools to thwart opioid misuse in real-time,” said Health IT Now Executive Director Joel White.
Connected Health Initiative
“The Connected Health Initiative (CHI) supports and applauds efforts in Congress to empower caregivers, patients, and their family members to address the opioid crisis with tech-driven tools from live video and electronic prescriptions to remote monitoring and enhanced patient engagement through software platforms” said Graham Dufault of ACT, The App Association.
American Telemedicine Association
“Telemedicine is used nationwide to provide counseling and behavioral therapy helping to reduce treatment wait times and address distance barriers for those getting help. Federal laws make counseling for Medicare beneficiaries living in urban areas and prescribing via telemedicine quite challenging. One of the unintended consequences of these laws patients are unable to receive the care they need when, where, and from whom they need it.”, said Ann Mon Johnson, President of the American Telemedicine Association. “Especially given the magnitude of the crisis, organizations have committed to ongoing collaboration in pursuit of technology-assisted solutions.”
For Immediate Release
Contact: Neal Neuberger, Health Tech Strategies
Phone: (703) 508-8182
e-mail: nealn@hlthtech.com