Global Health and Bioinformatics Workforce Capacity Initiative to Be Led by AMIA...

Global Health and Bioinformatics Workforce Capacity Initiative to Be Led by
AMIA and Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation

BETHESDA, Md., June 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A $500,000 grant has been
awarded to AMIA from the Rockefeller Foundation to help convene a conference
in collaboration with the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA)
on "capacity building in health informatics." The conference is part of the
Foundation's "Making the eHealth Connection" conference series to be held at
the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center, Italy, beginning in July 2008.

Conference participants will include international and multidisciplinary
stakeholders and representatives from diverse perspectives including academia,
research, non-governmental organizations, and private sector organizations.
Global growing demands for and the shortages of qualified and trained
healthcare professionals, particularly in developing countries and
transitioning economies where health problems and crises are prevalent, make
this grant especially timely. Many countries' health care systems are
challenged by workforce development issues, including inadequate numbers of
qualified health workers, low retention, poor infrastructure, and lack of
resources.

The grant will also help support AMIA's efforts to address the growing global
workforce shortage and implement global health and bioinformatics education
programs. AMIA's 20/20 program, launched in late 2007, seeks to further refine
and develop the concept of an international distance learning continuing
education program in biomedical and health informatics. 20/20 is chaired by NT
Cheung, head of IT for the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. The program is
envisioned to apply distance learning approaches and communication and
educational technologies to create globally appropriate, sound educational
offerings delivered through a network of professional health informaticians.
Training will include activities and offerings for various disciplines,
community health workers and lay persons.

"AMIA's work with IMIA, the Rockefeller Foundation, and many other
organizational partners around the world is potentially 'world-changing' for
health and healthcare," said Don E. Detmer, MD, MA, AMIA President and CEO.
He continued, "This grant sets the stage for planning a set of collaborations
with some developing economies in the Global South that will support global
education in the knowledge and skills relating to practical applications of
biomedical and health informatics."

"This funding gives real substance to our strategic plan to help support the
development of sound biomedical and health informatics in developing nations,"
said AMIA Chairman, David W. Bates, MD, MSc. He added "We anticipate a great
future for this project and for the 20/20 program to foster global solidarity
among key organizations in efforts to explore approaches to workforce
training, leadership and capacity development, and strengthening the human
infrastructure."

"This effort is an important first step in creating a global partnership and
strategy to achieve widespread adoption and deployment of eHealth and
communications technologies to the wider global health community and create
evidence-based solutions to health care challenges, especially the Global
South," said Ariel Pablos-Mendez, Managing Director, the Rockefeller
Foundation.

"I am delighted that this conference will optimize the opportunity for
dialogue and collaboration among key entities and partners in the global
community and will facilitate the accomplishment of establishing equitable
access to quality care in the Global South and worldwide," said William
Tierney, MD, Chair, AMIA International Affairs Committee.

For additional information on the Foundation's "Making the eHealth Connection"
conference, please visit the eHealth Connection Web site at:
www.ehealth-connection.org.

About AMIA
AMIA is the professional home for biomedical and health informaticians. AMIA
advances the informatics profession relating to health and disease. AMIA's
4,000 members advance the use of health information and communications
technology in clinical care and clinical research, personal health management,
public health/population, and translational science with the ultimate
objective of improving health. Complete information about AMIA is available
at www.amia.org.

About the Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation was established in 1913 by John D. Rockefeller,
Sr., to "promote the well-being" of humanity by addressing the root causes of
serious problems. With assets of more than $4 billion, the Foundation works
around the world to expand opportunities for poor or vulnerable people and to
help ensure that globalization's benefits are more widely shared. For more
information about the Rockefeller Foundation, please visit The Rockefeller
Foundation at www.rockfound.org.

CONTACT: Tia Abner of American Medical Informatics Association,
+1-301-657-1291, tia@amia.org

SOURCE American Medical Informatics Association

Tia Abner of American Medical Informatics Association, +1-301-657-1291,
tia@amia.org