Join the eHealth Initiative (eHI) on October 8^th for the release of a new report highlighting recommendations from the COVID-19 Federal Policy Work Group.

Formed in April 2020, eHI’s COVID-19 Federal Policy Work Group met over the course of four months to help craft a report with a set of policy recommendations to fully leverage health IT and digital health to fight COVID-19 and future public health challenges. The group focused on five issue areas: (1) telehealth and remote patient monitoring; (2) artificial intelligence and machine learning; (3) broadband; (4) health information exchange; and (5) public health surveillance, and ultimately produced consensus policy recommendations in each area.

On this webinar, eHI's Assistant Vice President of Policy, Catherine Pugh, will be joined by Work Group members and endorsing organizations to discuss the final report and why policy changes are necessary to continue to support health care innovation. 

Speakers: 

Deanne Kasim
Executive Director, Health Policy
Change Healthcare

Deanne has built a career on helping healthcare, life sciences, health IT, investors, associations and government organizations navigate and leverage evolving changes in technology, policy, regulation and market dynamics. Technology is most often ahead of current policy and regulation in healthcare and technology. Deanne specializes in educating regulators and legislators on important issues and finds key opportunities amid change and chaos to create better policies and product roadmaps.

In her current role with Change Healthcare, Deanne manages the health policy and advocacy functions across the enterprise for both federal and state issues. Deanne interprets legislative, regulatory and industry trends to inform senior executives, drive business decisions and guide product strategy and roadmaps. Deanne frequently meets with Congressional and senior federal officials regarding many key policy issues including:  data interoperability; updates to HIPAA and health data privacy rules; price and cost transparency; value-based health models and more.

Deanne is also the founder and managing partner of Santesys Solutions, a boutique research and advisory group focused on leveraging information and analysis to direct effective investments, healthcare programs, solutions and IT products.

Deanne holds a B.S. from the University of Maryland, College Park and a M.S. in Information Systems Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She represents Change Healthcare on the Healthcare Leadership Council’s policy committee, and on the Confidentiality Coalition’s Steering Committee. She is a member of HIMSS’ Public Policy Committee. She also represents Change Healthcare in the eHealth Initiative (eHI).

Catherine Pugh
Assistant Vice President, Policy
eHealth Initiative and Foundation

Most recently, Catherine served as Senior Director, Government Affairs at Horizon Government Affairs, where she managed the Health Innovation Alliance. HIA is a diverse coalition of patient advocates, healthcare providers, patient organizations, employers, technology companies, and payers who support the adoption and use of technology and data to increase access and lower costs in the health care system.

Prior to joining Horizon Government Affairs, Catherine managed federal policy initiatives and advocacy strategies for the Parkinson's Action Network. At PAN, Catherine also helped coordinate a national network of volunteer grassroots advocates working towards better treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s.

Catherine holds a BA in International Studies with a focus in US Foreign Policy from American University.

Steven E. Waldren, MD, MS
VP and Chief Medical Informatics Officer
American Academy of Family Physicians

Dr. Waldren is a nationally recognized expert in health information technology and has over 15 years of experience. Prior to joining the AAFP, Dr. Waldren was a National Library of Medicine Medical Informatics Postdoctoral Fellow at the Univ. of Missouri, Columbia; At which time, Dr. Waldren earned a master’s degree in Medical Informatics.  Dr. Waldren is also a residency trained family physician.  Besides his role at the AAFP, he also participates in many national health care informatics initiatives including board member of Logica Health, co-chair of the Da Vinci Clinical Advisory Council, and past commissioner on the federal Medicaid Payment and Access Commission.