Tag Archives: aneesh chopra

SXSW: Woodstock for Geeks

Posted on March 11, 2012 by
Oh sweet mystery of life! I have found you!

Turns out there are all different kinds of techno geeks out there. At HIMSS a few weeks ago I was feeling semi-hip among the healthcare uber-nerd crowd that worries about how to make big hospital and healthcare enterprises function with big data. It’s a festival of old-school techno weenies recognizable in the wild by their big company expense accounts and the blue and gray suits that barely cover their pocket protectors.  It also felt like a group desperately trying to catch the back of the social networking wave into the world where Mark Zuckerberg and Biz Stone are Gods, not men.  In fact, Biz Stone, founder of Twitter, was a keynote speaker at HIMSS and it seemed like the proverbial fish in need of a bicycle.  One audience member actually leaned over and said to me, “I have no idea what these young social networking people are talking about.” Poor guy could not have been more than 50 but he was definitely his father’s Oldsmobile.  I didn’t want to tell him that by failing to recognize social networking as a meaningful phenomenon he had one foot in the healthcare IT … (read the rest)

Posted in Healthcare, Healthcare Information Technology, Healthcare Policy, Healthcare Venture Capital, Innovation, Private Equity, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Shameless SXSW Self Promotion

Posted on March 2, 2012 by
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Just a quick note to say I am excited about my upcoming (next Friday) opening presentation for the SXSW (South by Southwest) Social Health Start Up Bootcamp in Austin, as well as my subsequent fireside chat with outgoing Chief Technology Officer of the United States, Aneesh Chopra.  The event takes place next Friday March 9th from 2-6 pm in Austin, TX and details can be found HERE.  Hope to see you there.

… (read the rest)

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Twas the Night Before [HIT] Implementation

Posted on December 24, 2010 by
CIO

An ode to healthcare information technology modernization

by Lisa Suennen, stealing liberally from Clement Clarke Moore


‘Twas the night before Christmas, in the ER of St. Strauss,

Not a doctor was working, not even House;

The IVs were hung by the bedsides with care,

In hopes that some pain meds soon would be there;

The patients were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of discharge danced in their heads;

And nurses in scrubs, washed their hands at the taps,

And checked out the charts to ensure no care gaps,

When out on the unit there arose such a clatter,

Everyone raced to see what was the matter.

To the nurse station they flew like a flash,

And witnessed the CFO counting his cash;

The IT incentives came with a red, white and blue bow,

And the luster of ARRA coin twinkled and glowed.

When, what to our wondering eyes did appear,

But a wild-eyed CIO and eight engineers.

With an old printer driver, and mice that go click,

They knew in a moment it was likely Epic.

Or McKesson or Cerner or Meditech to name

just a few … (read the rest)

Posted in Healthcare, Healthcare Information Technology, Healthcare Policy, Healthcare Reform, Healthcare Venture Capital, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

If You Build It, They Will Come

Posted on August 23, 2010 by

I had the chance to see Aneesh Chopra speak at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco last Wednesday, August 18th.  Chopra is the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer and officially works in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.  You know all that healthcare information technology stuff you have been hearing about from Washington, DC?  That’s his charge–the good, the bad and the ugly.  Must be a daunting job in some ways since the healthcare system has, for a long time, rejected IT like a mismatched kidney.

Chopra is notable for his incredible optimism, deep knowledge of the field and smooth speaking skills.  He talked about his view of the role of the federal government in fostering healthcare IT.  His vision is that government should act as “convener”, not rule-maker.  He wants to let a few thousand flowers bloom by setting up events that draw from public and private industry, big and small companies, and represent the interests of consumers, providers and carriers.  So far a few of these events have actually come together.  A few of them even threaten to produce something of value, which is great.… (read the rest)

Posted in Healthcare, Healthcare Information Technology, Healthcare Reform, Healthcare Venture Capital, Uncategorized, Venture Capital | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment