HealthAchieve 2012 officially opens with a vision of a health care system that delivers quality and safety for all

TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, the 88^th annual HealthAchieve conference and exhibition opens at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, November 5-7, with entertaining stories and music from singer, songwriter and Canadian icon Steven Page, followed later in the morning by keynote speaker Don Berwick, former Administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and former President & CEO of Institute for Healthcare Improvement, as well as keynote speaker Mark Britnell, Chairman and Partner of the KPMG Global Health Practice.

Dr. Berwick presents a vision of how IT, innovations in health care delivery and effective policy will forge a system that satisfies patients, respects limited resources and honours our moral imperative to care for those who need care. For his role in helping Britain redesign and improve its health care system, Dr. Berwick was named a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in London and Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Mark Britnell's session, "Healing Sick Models of Care" will illustrate how to make health care more sustainable asserting that a more radical approach to health care can deliver better quality at a lower cost. Mr. Britnell will also be introducing, Contracting Value: Shifting Paradigms, a global thought leadership publication. Media are invited to attend the presentation on Monday and schedule a one-on-one interview on Wednesday.

The award winning trade show floor will feature some of the most innovative products and services that are changing the health care industry including; GE Healthcare's themed imaging rooms such as the CT Pirate Island Adventure that is designed to ease pediatric patients through scanning procedures; Cintas Canada's new healthcare scrub rental machine and Evacuscape, whose solution to evacuating non-ambulatory patients and residents during emergencies from multi-level buildings, will also be doing booth demonstrations throughout the show.

HealthAchieve is partnering with the Trillium Gift of Life Network to increase organ donor registration. A first for a national conference, delegates are invited to participate in an online organ and tissue donor registration drive during the show to help reach the goal of 800 visits. For more information about organ and tissue donation and transplantation, visit www.giftoflife.on.ca. To register, visit www.BeADonor.ca/healthachieve.

Highlights of today's sessions include:

7:30-8:45 am Feature breakfast, room 205, 206, with Jim Hornell, President & CEO of Brant Community Healthcare System, presiding, followed by keynote speaker Steven Page at 7:50 am.

10-11:30 am Official opening, room 105, 106, 107, Constitution Hall, with HealthAchieve Chair Peter C. Johnson presiding, and keynote speaker Dr. Don Berwick discussing Quality and Safety for All.   

1:30-3 pm Addiction and Mental Health session, room 203 B, featuring Dr. David Goldbloom, Senior Medical Advisor with Centre of Addiction and Mental Health.

1:30-3 pm Administrative professionals session, ballroom A, InterContinental, with Hellen Buttigieg, Certified Professional Organizer, TV Personality & Author.

1:30- 3 pm Models of Care, ballroom B, InterContinental, with Mark Britnell, Chairman and Partner, KPMG Global Health Practice.

3:30-5 pm Governance, room 106, with keynote speaker Cathy Trower, President of Trower & Trower Inc. Governance Consulting and Senior Researcher with Harvard Graduate School of Education.

ABOUT HEALTHACHIEVE

One of the largest and most prestigious health care gatherings in North America, HealthAchieve aims to inspire ideas and innovation with over 50 informative and engaging educational sessions along with an award-winning exhibit floor, where close to 300 exhibitors will showcase the latest health care products, services and technologies. HealthAchieve attracts more than 6500 health care and business leaders from around the world for learning, networking, benchmarking and sharing best practices. Learn more about HealthAchieve online at www.HealthAchieve.com.

For onsite registration, media must register at the delegate registration desk and then proceed to the media table located outside the Summit Room, MTCC.

SOURCE: HEALTHACHIEVE

For media inquiries, please contact:
Tara Bolger, BlueSky Communications, [email protected], 416.929.2052 or Cathy-Anne O'Brien, [email protected], 416.929.2506.