NQF annual conference to focus on population health

Advance media registration now available

The following was released today by the National Quality Forum:

What:  The passage of sweeping healthcare legislation and the recent election of the 112th Congress make these exciting but uncertain times for American healthcare. The National Quality Forum's (NQF) annual conference, "Achieving Health of Individuals and Populations Within Their Communities," will focus on population health and bring together policymakers and key public- and private-sector stakeholders, each representing their own perspectives for improving health and healthcare throughout the country.  

Why:  The goal of population health is to reduce the risk and burden of disease for everyone and is part of the Department of Health and Human Services National Strategy for Healthcare Quality, which includes better care, affordable care, and healthy individuals and populations. The NQF conference will bring together policymakers, providers, purchasers, and consumers to discuss ways to improve population health and make the best use of resources to foster the health and wellness of all Americans.

When:  February 24–25, 2011

Where:  Hyatt Regency Washington, Washington, D.C.

Education Conference Sessions Include:

Thursday, February 24

• Keynote address — U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD

Friday, February 25

• Welcome Remarks — Janet Corrigan, PhD, MBA, President and CEO, National Quality Forum
• Opportunities Under Health Reform to Improve Population Health — Carolyn Clancy, MD, Director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• Promoting Healthy Lifestyles — Georges Benjamin, MD, Executive Director, American Public Health Association (APHA)
• Role of States in Improving Health — Melanie Bella, MBA, Director, Federal Coordinated Health Care Office, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and Bruce D. Greenstein, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
• Aligning Public and Private Efforts — Role of the National Priorities Partnership, George J. Isham, MD, Medical Director and Chief Health Officer, HealthPartners, and Captain Peter Briss, MD, MPH, Special Advisor, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Efforts to Reduce Obesity Focused on Communities and/or Special Populations — Cristie Upshaw Travis, MHA, CEO, Memphis Business Group on Health & former chair, Healthy Memphis Common Table, and Warren Lockette, MD, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Clinical and Program Policy
• John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety & Quality Award Luncheon Honoring 2010 Recipients — Janet Corrigan, PhD, MBA, President and CEO, National Quality Forum, and Paul M. Schyve, MD, Senior Vice President, The Joint Commission
• Population Health Through Partnerships: Working with Employers — Bernard Tyson, Executive Vice President, Kaiser Permanente
• Role of Healthcare Systems in their Communities: Achieving Health and Promoting Healthy Life Styles — Donald E. Wesson, MD, Vice Dean, Texas A&M College of Medicine and Chief Academic Officer, Scott & White Healthcare
• Potential and Opportunities for Community-Based Dashboard Reporting — David Kindig, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Professor of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin, and William Golden, MD, Professor of Medicine and Public Health, University of Arkansas
• Summarizing Discussion — George J. Isham, MD, Medical Director and Chief Health Officer, HealthPartners