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Public Policy Forum – Wireless Healthcare Reimbursement and Regulation – Practical Approaches to Wireless Health Innovation: Diagnostics, Delivery & Cost

January 25, 2011

9:00am – 11:00am PST
AMN Healthcare
12400 High Bluff Drive # 100
San Diego, CA 92130

VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT

VIEW VIDEO FROM THE EVENT

RICK STROBRIDGE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

ED ALLERA POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

MEDIA

San Diego Business Journal article

OVERVIEW
As Congress considered the various aspects of healthcare reform, much attention was given to policy proposals that would bend the cost curve down while improving health outcomes. However, one major issue that was noticeably absent during Congress' deliberations was the developing wireless health sector and the impact wireless health innovation will have on healthcare diagnostics, delivery, and cost.

While San Diego continues to stake its claim as a leading region for wireless health innovation, many questions remain about the adoption of wireless health technologies and the future viability of companies that create them. Will medical professionals embrace wireless health devices as a means of improving patient relationships and health outcomes? Will private sector healthcare companies be able to develop business models to support wireless health delivery while also developing reimbursement strategies to compensate physicians? How will the federal government address reimbursement in its health insurance programs? What role will the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Communications Commission play in regulating wireless health devices? Do federal regulatory agencies have the technical capacity to regulate the emerging wireless health industry without hindering innovation?

In order to address these developing issues, CONNECT, in partnership with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC are pleased to present a Public Policy Forum to provide a discussion on the practical intersection between wireless health innovation and the application of such innovation in daily healthcare delivery.

The program will kick-off with a presentation from Ed Allera, Shareholder at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, on practical strategies to implement wireless technology/device use in the health care system that will build FDA and CMS confidence in new technologies and facilitate their use and reimbursement in the short term. The focus will then shift to a discussion of how to use this foundation to achieve FDA approval and develop a greater demand for wireless medical devices and health information technology.

The audience will then hear case studies from two San Diego wireless health companies. Richard Strobridge, CEO, Entra Health will focus on reimbursement issues as it pertains to wireless health innovation and Tom Watlington, CEO, Sotera Wireless will discuss the regulation portion of the program.

Following the presentations, Strobridge and Watlington will participate on a panel moderated by Don Casey, CEO, West Wireless Institute. Joining them will be Robert Jarrin, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Qualcomm and Rod Benson, a former CMS Director and now Counsel in the Buchanan Ingersoll law firm D.C. office.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR
Donald Casey, Chief Executive Officer, West Wireless Health Institute:
Donald Casey is the Chief Executive Officer of West Wireless Health Institute. He joined the West Wireless Health Institute as Chief Executive Officer in March 2010. As the Institute's inaugural CEO, Casey drives the development of a world-class research organization focused on accelerating wireless health innovations, technology incubation, advocacy and education. He is responsible for defining the Institute's worldwide strategy and collaborative efforts across medicine, engineering, technology and business. Previously, Casey served as Worldwide Chairman for Johnson & Johnson's comprehensive care group and member of the Company's Executive committee, where he oversaw its cardiovascular, diagnostic, diabetes and vision care franchises around the world.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS/PANELISTS
Rodney Benson, Counsel, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
Rodney Benson has more than 35 years as a government senior executive and highly-experienced government contracts attorney with a distinguished career of federal government service. He has been acknowledged for his exceptional ability to counsel staff and clients on complex legal matters, as well as possesses extensive experience in defending federal agencies in protests and disputes, with a remarkable record of success. Through Benson's 30+ years of combined experience as the director of Acquisitions and Grants Management for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and as a senior attorney in the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the General Counsel representing CMS, he has developed considerable expertise in the field of federal acquisition. He has also acquired extensive knowledge of CMS's programs and organizational structure.

Robert Jarrin, Senior Director Government Affairs, Qualcomm Incorporated:
Robert Jarrin is a Senior Director of Government Affairs for Qualcomm Incorporated. He is based in Washington, DC and represents Qualcomm on US domestic regulatory matters relating to wireless health and life sciences. Jarrin's areas of responsibility include wireless health policy, FDA regulatory oversight of converged medical devices, healthcare legislative affairs, CMS telehealth reimbursement and the regulation of health information technology. Externally, Jarrin serves as Co-Chair of the US Policy Working Group for the Continua Health Alliance and sits on the Scientific Advisory Board of Medical Automation. Prior to joining Qualcomm, Jarrin worked as a Manager of Strategic Partnerships for Ericsson Wireless Communications, served as a Law Clerk in the White House Office of Counsel to President Clinton and also served as a Law Clerk and subsequent Consultant in the US Department of Justice to Attorney General Janet Reno. Jarrin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Juris Doctorate from Northeastern University School of Law.

Richard Strobridge, Chief Executive Officer, Entra Health Systems:
Richard Strobridge has been a pioneer in the development and application of advanced communication technology within the medical, surgical fields and private sector applications for the last 25 years. He built several success business units within the medical industry including one that that employs broadcast video for direct consultation and training out of the endoscopic operating room. He is currently CEO of Entra Health Systems where he is managing the worldwide deployment of MyGlucoHealth diabetes management technology. MyGlucoHealth connects end-user patients with online resources to help them improve their lives and lifestyles. Strobridge was a founder of InfoMedix, which became Stryker Communications, and the founder/CEO of TeleImages. For SAIC, the FORTUNE 500 scientific, engineering and technology company, Strobridge managed telecommunications advancements for a variety of defense, government and private sector applications around the world.

Tom Watlington, Chief Executive Officer, Sotera Wireless:
Tom Watlington, whose experience in the medical device industry spans 28 years, joined Sotera Wireless as Chief Executive Officer in February 2006. During that year he served a dual role as President of Naviscan Pet Systems, a medical imaging company, before transitioning to a full-time position with Sotera Wireless in January 2007. For ten years prior to joining Sotera Wireless, Watlington served as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and later as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Biosite Incorporated, a leader in the field of medical diagnostics. In addition, he spent fourteen years at Boehringer Mannheim Corporation in various sales, marketing and strategic roles, including Vice President of Marketing for the Diabetes Care division. Watlington previously served on the board of Home Diagnostics, Inc., a public company in the field of diabetes monitoring that was acquired in June 2010 by Nipro Diagnostics.

“CONNECT gives innovators a voice in the public policy decision-making process and is an advocate on behalf of early stage companies on issues affecting innovation and entrepreneurship. ”

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