AMIA - American College of Medical Informatics

American College of Medical Informatics
2008 Winter Symposium
February 14 to 17, 2008
San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina
San Diego, California

"Communicating Informatics and IT:
We're Not Just Talking to Ourselves Anymore"

Rationale
For as long as informatics has been around as a field, people have had a problem understanding what we do. It is likely that everyone who works in the field has, at some point, thrown up his or her hands while exclaiming, "They just don't get it!" Perhaps they don't get it because we haven't put enough time into figuring out how to explain it. Do we have the "elevator conversation" version of what we, individually or collectively, do and the contributions we make? Can we explain it to our parents, uncles and aunts, or people we meet on the airplanes in which we all spent too much time?

Communicating to the lay public is just a piece of the challenge. Health IT, closely aligned with informatics, is now a major focus of government policy, a multibillion dollar health care and clinical research industry, and a pillar of the public health system. It suddenly matters a great deal whether EHRs, PHRs, decision support systems, and HIEs really do affect the health of the nation, and if so, by how much and in which direction. Communications that address these issues are a focus of widening interest to many audiences with increasing numbers of participants. These communications come in an increasing array of shapes and sizes, as the world of communication is being turned upside down by new modalities and new cultures that have grown up around them.

The point of departure for the 2008 ACMI Symposium is a value proposition that ACMI should, in this charged and changing communication environment, work to ensure the availability and delivery of valid information about informatics and health IT to a range of stakeholders from health care consumers to practitioners to purchasers of technology. Delivery of this information should occur in a way that maximizes the probability that the messages will be understood. Given the expanding scope of interest and activity of the College's members, and their collective experience and achievements, this is perhaps something ACMI is uniquely suited to do.

The organizing principle of the session derives from the many, highly diverse constituencies to and with which communication about health IT is now necessary. (Perhaps "with" is the more appropriate preposition because communication is increasingly a two-way interactive process.) These constituencies include:

The general public
The industry and purchasers (vendors, system integrators, consultants, health IT professionals, health system executives)
The practitioner community across a range of health professions (but primarily physicians and nurses)
The health and medical academic community

Sessions will address the challenges of communication that recur across these audiences but perhaps manifest themselves in different ways for each one:

The complexity of what we are trying to communicate
What each audience wants to know
Getting the message into a form that the recipient will understand
Communication mechanisms that these audiences use (Internet 2.0 to print journals and everything "in between")
Ensuring that what is communicated in scientifically valid
How the communicator sees his/her role:

"coach vs. umpire"
"cheerleader vs. sober manager of expectations"
"advocate for the profession" vs. "advocate for the content"
"believers vs. skeptical scientists"

The first two days of the Symposium will consist of keynote and plenary sessions addressing general issues, panels focusing on each audience. On the third day, participants will divide into groups to generate recommendations for the College to further develop or to pass on to other organizations for possible implementation.

Schedule of Events and Program

Thursday, February 14, 2008
6:30 to 9:00 PM - Welcome Reception and Buffet Dinner, Cardiff/Carlsbad Meeting Room

Friday, February 15, 2008
7:00 to 8:00 AM - Continental Breakfast, Sea View Meeting Room

8:00 to 9:00 AM - Opening Keynote, Marina Sea View Meeting Room

From Mr. Wizard to the Web: Communicating Science In The New Media Era
Leslie Franz, Director, Health Sciences Communications and Public Affairs, University of California, San Diego Medical Center.

With increasing rapidity, the preferred tools of mass communication are evolving from the daily newspaper and nightly news, to the digital dynamics of YouTube and instant messaging. Protecting the accuracy and integrity of science reporting, while taking full advantage of today’s version of the "popular press" to raise public awareness of important research and the resulting scientific advances, is the challenge facing communicators--and scientists--today.

Leslie Franz is Executive Director, Health Sciences Communications and Public Affairs, at the University of California, San Diego. In this role she oversees public relations, internal communications and community outreach for UC San Diego’s School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the UCSD Medical Center health system. A graduate of UC San Diego, Franz began her career as a newspaper reporter, covering a range of topics that included higher education and science. She joined UC San Diego’s General Campus Public Information Office in 1979, and soon became a specialist in the communication of biomedical science and health stories, which has remained her focus for over 25 years. This has included leading UCSD’s advocacy communications surrounding critical and controversial issues in science, and achieving national and international coverage for research initiatives led by medical school faculty. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and the California Biomedical Research Association, and has served as regional chair for the Group on Public Affairs for the Association of American Medical Colleges.

9:00 to 10:15 AM - Panel, Marina Sea View Meeting Room

Communicating with the Public and Consumers

Patti Abbott, Session Chair and Speaker
Carolyn Clancy
Elliot Siegel

10:15 to 10:45 AM - Break

Communicating with the Practitioner Community

Paul Gorman, Session Chair and Speaker
Judith Effken
Clement McDonald

4:00 to 4:45 PM - Special Session, Coronado Meeting Room

Open Discussion -- Informatics Specialty Certification

Don Detmer

5:00 to 7:00 PM - Hospitality Time, Warner Center Meeting Room

Saturday, February 16, 2008
7:00 to 8:00 AM - Continental Breakfast, Sea View Meeting Room

8:00 to 9:00 AM - Plenary Session, Marina Sea View Meeting Room

Communicating the National Health IT Agenda

Rob Kolodner
Chuck Friedman
Additional speaker of discussant TBD

9:00 to 10:15 AM - Role Play and Discussion, Marina Sea View Meeting Room

Communicating with the Industry and IT Purchasers

Blackford Middleton, Session Chair and Emcee
Mark Frisse
Judy Murphy

10:15 to 10:45 AM - Break

10:45 to 12:00 PM - Panel, Marina Sea View Meeting Room

Communicating with the Academic Health Community

Betsy Humphries, Session Chair
Dan Masys
Joyce Mitchell

6:30 to 9:45 PM - Cruise

"Black Tie Optional" Dinner and Dance

Board the Lord Hornblower at the Cruise Ship Terminal located just off of Harbor Drive. The California Hornblower Cruise line location is the B Street Terminal.

The ACMI event is on the Clerestory Salon Level of the Lord Hornblower. Boarding begins at 6:30 pm with the yacht departing promptly at 7:00 pm.

Day 3, Sunday, February 17, 2008
7:00 to 8:00 AM - Continental Breakfast, Sea View Meeting Room

8:00 to 10:30 AM - Small Group, Report Back, and Discussion, Marina Sea View Meeting Room

Recommentation Generation and ACMI's Role Going Forward

We divide the participants into groups according to the four audiences. Each group is facilitated by the panel leader or member from the previous two days. Each group is charged to develop recommendations for activities or programs, for ACMI to undertake or promote to other groups, which would enhance communication with that audience.

Small group deliberations will run from 8:00 to 9:30 followed by each group reading back its findings to the full group for further discussion form 9:30 to 10:30.

10:30 AM - Adjourn

About the Destination
The 2008 ACMI Symposium will be held at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina. This spectacular waterfront setting in the heart of "America’s Finest City" is adjacent to a bayside walk way, Seaport Village, and the Gaslamp Quarter District. San Diego bay’s newest attraction, the aircraft carrier USS Midway floating museum, is within easy walking distance. Symposium attendees will have ample time to enjoy the sunshine, sights and sounds of bayside downtown San Diego.

History of the Winter Symposium
Since 1993, a group of fellows and their families have enjoyed stimulating discussions on relevant current topics, an opportunity to share ideas and activities, and the chance to become better acquainted with other members and their families during the Symposium. Past locations are: 1993, Coronado Island, CA; 1994, St. Petersburg, FL; 1995, Tucson, AZ; 1996, Lake Buena Vista, FL; 1997, Palm Springs, CA; 1998, St. Petersburg, FL; 1999, Tucson, AZ; 2000, Marco Island, FL; 2001, La Jolla, CA; 2002 Palm Springs, CA; 2003 Fort Lauderdale, FL; 2004 San Diego, CA; 2005 Key West, Florida; 2006 Phoenix, AZ; and 2007 Miami, FL.

Registration and Hotel
Complete the registration form with your full registration payment by January 10, 2008 and provide a credit card number that AMIA will use to reserve your hotel room. You will pay the hotel directly for all nights and other expenses during your stay. Room rates this year are $237, plus state and local tax.

Registration Category Fee Level of Participation

Fellow/International Associate $540 Full participation

Spouse/Guest $340 Full participation

Young Adult (11 – 21 years old) $195 Full participation

Child (<=10 years old) Free Full participation

The collegial environment of the symposium requires a fairly small group and, traditionally, we have had a policy of limiting registration. While we have not established a formal limit this year, we have reserved a block of hotel rooms at the special rate. If we exceed that number of registrants, we will register additional fellows on a space available basis. We encourage you to register in advance of the January 10, 2008 deadline. All registrants must be dues paying members of the American College of Medical Informatics to participate. Fellows inducted in 2007 are considered dues paying for 2007.

Cancellation Policy
Room reservations may be cancelled 72 hours prior to your scheduled arrival without penalty. Cancellations within the 72 hour time frame will be subject to a penalty payable to the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. You should directly contact the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina at 619- 234-1500 to cancel your reservation. The AMIA staff is not responsible for canceling individual room reservations. You may withdraw your symposium registration at any time up until January 31, 2008 for a full refund minus a $50 administrative fee. After January 31, 2008, we are committed to the hotel and no refunds will be issued.

Schedule of Events

Event Thursday, Feb 14 Friday, Feb 15 Saturday, Feb 16 Sunday, Feb 17

Welcome Reception/Buffet 6:30-9:00 PM

Continental Breakfast 7:00-8:00 AM 7:00-8:00 AM 7:00-8:00 AM

Morning Sessions 8:00 AM-12:00 PM 8:00 AM-12:00 PM 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

Afternoon On your own On your own On your own

Hospitality Time 5:00-7:00 PM

Dinner and Dance Cruise 6:30-9:45 PM

Full participation for the fellow and spouse/guest categories include Thursday evening welcome buffet dinner; buffet breakfasts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings; hospitality hours; Saturday night dinner dance cruise, and morning program sessions. Young Adults can participate in the evening welcome buffet dinner; buffet breakfasts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings; and Saturday night dinner dance cruise, and morning program sessions. Children can participate in welcome buffet dinner and the buffet breakfasts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. Your spouse or guest is encouraged to not only accompany you to the symposium, but also to participate in the morning sessions. This gives them a glimpse at the issues in informatics. This is also a great chance to relax and enjoy the resort and local area. In the past, several fellows have brought their children and children of all ages are more than welcome at the symposium. Refer to the registration form for eligible events.

Your spouse or guest is encouraged to not only accompany you to the symposium, but also to participate in the morning sessions. This gives them a glimpse at the issues in informatics. This is also a great chance to relax and enjoy the resort and local area. In the past, several fellows have brought their children and children of all ages are more than welcome at the symposium. Refer to the registration form for eligible events.

Dinner Dance Cruise Information (arrive at 6:30 pm!)
We are pleased to announce that dinner dance will take place on the Lord Hornblower Yacht, which is a magnificent 151 foot yacht styled after the turn-of-the-century steamships. Attendees will have the opportunity to cruise “the Big Bay,” as locals call San Diego Bay, which boasts some of America’s most historic warships such as the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan and the U.S.S. Midway as well as playing host to the scenic sights of the Coronado Bay Bridge and Seaport Village to name just a few.

Due to the popularity of the San Diego Bay we recommend allowing a little extra time for parking. The closest parking lot available on a first come, first served basis is the Five Star Parking Lot located on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway & Broadway. Hornblower does not validate. There are also metered spots directly across from our ticket booth. The meters have a 3-hour maximum Monday- Saturday until 6pm. The meters are free after 6pm and on Sundays.

Board the Lord Hornblower at the Cruise Ship Terminal located just off of Harbor Drive. The California Hornblower Cruise line location is the B Street Terminal.

The ACMI event is on the Clerestory Salon Level of the Lord Hornblower. Again boarding begins at 6:30 pm with the yacht departing promptly at 7:00 pm. If you miss the 7:00 pm departure we can’t issue a refund.

San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina
333 West Harbor Drive
San Diego, California 92101 USA
Phone: 1-619-234-1500
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sandt-san-diego-marriott-hotel-and-marina/

Parking On-site parking, fee:: 6 USD hourly, 20 USD daily; Valet parking, fee: 28 USD daily
Area Airports San Diego (SAN): Hotel Direction: 2 mi SE; Driving Directions: Turn left on Harbor Drive. Follow Harbor Drive along waterfront. Hotel will be on right (about 2 miles).
Estimated taxi fare:: 12.0 USD (one way)

Arrival and Departure
We will have a welcome reception with a buffet dinner from 6:30 - 9:00 PM on Thursday, February 14 so that you may eat when you arrive. The Symposium will end at 12:00 PM on Sunday, February 17, so plan your departures accordingly. Some members may wish to stay an extra day. Be sure to include the following Monday on your registration form and we’ll secure a reservation, on a space available basis.