May 22, 2008 - The most comprehensive healthcare IT conference and exhibition in the Asia Pacific region, HIMSS AsiaPac08 Conference and Exhibition, commenced yesterday
Organized by HIMSS (the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) in association with CHIK Services, the event unites more than 1,500 healthcare and healthcare IT leaders from across the region to gain insights into successful strategies, share best practices and discover the latest innovations to advance quality healthcare through IT. It will run until May 23 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
"The widespread adoption of healthcare IT systems promises to revolutionize the delivery of healthcare across Asia by delivering big improvements in the quality and accessibility of care and also lowering costs," said Steven Yeo, vice president and executive director, HIMSS Asia Pacific. "HIMSS AsiaPac08 provides a key platform for healthcare IT stakeholders to connect and exchange ideas and experiences that will advance quality healthcare through the optimal use of IT."
Yeo said that the global healthcare industry is at a key inflection point, facing sharp increases in the elderly population as well as a dramatic rise in the number of people living with chronic disease.
The host city, Hong Kong, already has one of the world�s most inclusive healthcare record systems and it is now in the midst of healthcare reforms to strive for further excellence. One of the proposed areas is to develop electronic health record sharing between public and private sectors.
"Sharing of records between public and private sectors will best enable efficient access to patient records, enhance continuity of care and facilitate better integration between different healthcare services, and Hong Kong is already seeing these benefits through the PPI-ePR sharing project," said Dr. Ngai Tseung Cheung, chief medical information officer, Hong Kong Hospital Authority. "The HIMSS AsiaPac08 Conference and Exhibition provides a window on systems that could be used as part of Hong Kong's reforms and help to make it a leader in comprehensive patient record sharing."
The conference offers more than 50 educational sessions, including discussions on critical industry issues, provide practical needs-based solutions through collaborative exchanges, and showcase more than 50 exhibitors with hands-on interoperability demonstrations.
Separately, HIMSS has joined the ranks of individuals and corporations that have been moved to help the victims of the recent earthquake in China. HIMSS has donated $10,000 to the Hong Kong Red Cross relief to help alleviate the suffering of the people in Sichuan.
The HIMSS conference in the U.S. took place in February and drew more than 25,000 people and 900 exhibiting companies.
For more information: www.himssasiapac.org.
April 25, 2024 
