Keynote Speakers

 

Sunday, April 5
12:30 - 2:00 PM

Dennis Quaid
Award-winning actor and director
President, The Quaid Foundation
for Patient Safety

Dennis Quaid will open the conference on Sunday, April 5, with his presentation, “Dennis Quaid and the Quaid Foundation Story.” Quaid, and his wife Kimberly, started their foundation to promote patient safety after their twins, Thomas and Zoe, received an overdose of the blood thinner Heparin while in the hospital recovering from an infection. As an actor, Quaid has been honored by the New York Film Critics Circle and The Independent Spirits Awards as “Best Supporting Actor of the Year” and also garnered nominations for a Golden Globe Award and Screen Actor’s Guild Award for the critically acclaimed 2002 film, Far From Heaven.

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Monday, April 6
8:30 – 9:30 AM

George C. Halvorson
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals

An award-winning CEO recognized for his commitment to health technology, George Halvorson is widely credited with supporting the successful rollout of Kaiser’s multi-billion dollar information technology initiative, KP HealthConnect. The electronic health record system debuted last year in nine states and the District of Columbia, providing 13,000 physicians with electronic access to their patients’ medical records in each of the system’s more than 400 medical offices, clinics and hospitals. Mr. Halvorson is the 2005 recipient of the Modern Healthcare CEO IT Achievement Award and has written numerous articles on subjects ranging from health IT to the changing marketplace.

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Wednesday, April 8
8:30 – 9:30 AM

Alan Greenspan
Economist, Former Chairman, board of Governors of the Federal Reserve

HIMSS09 welcomes one of the world’s most distinguished economic analysts as a keynote speaker. On August 11, 1987 Dr. Greenspan took office as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. For 18 years and four presidential administrations Dr. Greenspan advised leaders across the political spectrum as he called for a smaller federal budget deficit, freer trade and less government involvement in the economy. His analysis of economic trends for the long and short term has influenced and often shaped the course of policy, international relations and financial markets. Currently, Dr. Greenspan heads a consulting firm in Washington, DC and is the author of The Age of Turbulence. During this session he will provide his thoughts on the current economic environment and healthcare system.

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Wednesday, April 8
1:00 – 2:30 PM

Jerry M. Linenger, MD, MSSM, MPH, PhD
Captain, Medical Corps, USN (Ret.)
NASA Astronaut
Space Analyst, NBC News

In 1997, Naval Flight Surgeon Captain Jerry Linenger, spent nearly five months aboard the Russian space station Mir during what has been reported to be one of the most dangerous and dramatic missions in space history. He faced numerous life-threatening events, including repeated failure of critical life-support systems, a near-collision between the space station and a massive re-supply spacecraft, multiple computer failures that sent the space station tumbling uncontrollably through space, and a raging, smoke-billowing fire. In spite of these challenges, he and his two Russian crewmates accomplished all mission goals; shuttle docking, space walking, a Soyuz fly-around, and all 120 of the United States science experiments. Captain Linenger will share his amazing personal story—putting you in the spacecraft with him—and challenge you to embrace change, rise to the occasion, and confront obstacles.

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