NEW YORK, Oct. 24, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthix, New York State's largest public health information exchange (HIE), announced today that Tom Check, President and CEO of Healthix, will be part of a dynamic group of health IT leaders presenting at The New York eHealth Collaborative's 2016 Digital Health Conference this December 6-7 in New York City. The conference will bring together 500 senior-level executives from across New York's healthcare community for two days of networking, exploration, and dynamic conversation addressing how healthcare is being redefined through technology.

Tom Check will participate on a panel led by New York State's Department of Health Director of the Division of Program Development and Management, Greg Allen entitled: "DSRIP 2017: Lessons Learned and Paving the Way for Success". They will be joined by executive leadership from the Staten Island Performing Provider System (PPS), Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, and HealtheConnections. As New York State's $8 billion Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) moves into the implementation phase, the panelists will discuss the key role health information exchanges such as Healthix and HealtheConnections will play in the success of the program and address some of the critical challenges and solutions that lay ahead as the initiative continues forward.

Conference keynote speakers include Robert Wachter, MD, Professor and Interim Chairman of the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and author of "The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype and Harm at the Dawn of Medicine's Computer Age" and Steven Johnson, PBS Host and bestselling author, "How We Got To Now" and "Where Good Ideas Come From."

In addition to the DSRIP Panel and Keynotes, featured speakers include senior-level thought leaders from leading healthcare organizations participating in Healthix such as Northwell Health, NewYork- Presbyterian, NYU Langone Medical Center, and Mount Sinai Health System. Policymakers and officials will be on hand to discuss how New York State is creating a health tech innovation ecosystem and supporting new value-based and population health initiatives through the state's HIE, the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY).

Featured sessions include:

• Navigating Value-Based Care: Making it Work in NY
• Fireside Chat: The Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY)
• Patient Engagement: Cracking the Code
• Internet of Medical Things: Making Intelligent Care Anywhere a Reality
• Making the Cancer Moonshot Initiative a Reality: Advancing Cancer Care through Data Sharing and Increased Access to Clinical Trials

Attendees will have extensive in-person networking opportunities with leading health technology solutions providers. Healthix, a sponsor of this year's event, will host a booth to engage with healthcare providers and others who are interested in learning more about the benefits of HIE and the SHIN-NY.
NYeC's Board of Directors will also host the PATH Awards on December 6 to honor and promote industry leaders for their achievements in advancing healthcare through technology. This year's honorees are John D. Bennett, MD, FACC, FACP, President and CEO, Capital District Physicians' Health Plan (CDPHP); Dennis Whalen, Secretary of NYeC Board, Former President, Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS); and David Whitlinger, Former Executive Director, New York eHealth Collaborative.
To view a full conference schedule and to register visit www.digitalhealthconference.com.

About Healthix:

Healthix is the largest public health information exchange (HIE) in the nation, serving the most comprehensive range of organizations in New York from the largest hospital systems to the smallest community health centers and physician practices. As a key partner in the Statewide Health Information Network for NY (SHIN-NY), we connect hundreds of organizations, with nearly 1,500 facilities across New York City and Long Island
We deliver actionable patient data, in real time, at the point of care. By using Healthix, clinicians and care coordinators from different organizations can easily and securely collaborate on patient care. Visit www.healthix.org

About NYeC:

The New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC, pronounced "Nice") is a not-for-profit organization, working to improve healthcare for all New Yorkers through innovative health information technology (health IT).
Founded in 2006 by healthcare leaders, in partnership with the New York State Department of Health, the New York eHealth Collaborative receives funding from state and federal grants to serve as the focal point for health IT in the State of New York.
NYeC's mission is to develop policies and standards, assist healthcare providers in making the shift to electronic health records, and coordinate the creation of a network to connect healthcare providers statewide. Visit http://www.nyehealth.org/