General Assembly Speakers Share Insights, Techniques - Brief Article

Healthcare Financial Management, June, 2000

"Exceptionally informative" and "thought-provoking" are the two descriptions most often associated with the presentations given at ANI General Assemblies. ANI 2000 will be no exception.

A Cautionary Tale

Preeminent social forecaster John Naisbitt, whose book Megatrends was a New York Times number-one bestseller in 1982, has been accurately describing the future for the past three decades. At ANI's Opening General Assembly on Monday, Naisbitt will offer a closer look at the concepts he introduces in his most recent book, High Tech, High Touch: Technology and Our Search for Meaning.

"It is technology's saturation of American society," reads the book's jacket, "with its fabulous innovations and its devastating consequences that John Naisbitt and his coauthors Nana Naisbitt and Douglas Philips explore in this book. By consciously examining our relationship with technology as consumers of products, media, and emerging genetic technologies, we can learn to become aware of the impact technology will have on our daily lives, our children, our religiosity, our arts, and our humanness. High Tech, High Touch is a cautionary tale that shows us how to make the most of technology's benefits while minimizing its detrimental effects on our culture."

One of the most important questions to consider, says Naisbitt, is "What is our relationship to technology?" Do we give sufficient thought to our use of technology? Do we even think about it at all? The short answer, he says, is "We don't."

"Many people have a very dysfunctional relationship with technology," stated Naisbitt in an exclusive interview published in the February 2000 issue of HEALTHCARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. "For some people, their only relationship is with technology.

"Technology sometimes distances us and distracts us "from 'high touch' things," Naisbitt says. "The real issue is that our relationship with technology is unexamined. We don't talk about it with each other. I think we should. We should talk about the implications of technologies like genetic engineering. And there is wisdom to be found in an examination of our own personal relationship with technology and of society's relationship with technology."

The delivery of health care, according to Naisbitt, epitomizes the contrast between high tech and high touch. "Just look at it," he says. "You have computerized scanners and prayer in the same room."

One high-tech-enabled development that will have a tremendous effect on medical practice and healthcare delivery mechanisms, he says, is that of access to information. "It has never before been the case that physicians and patients have had the same information, but it quickly is becoming the case," he says. "This technology-enabled access will change the relationship between physicians and their patients. And the change will be dramatic."

A View from the Inside

Healtheon/WebMD is on the leading edge of leveraging advanced Internet technology to connect all participants in health care for communication, information exchange, and performing the complex transactions that cut across the entire healthcare enterprise. Tuesday's General Assembly will feature a presentation by Healtheon/WebMD's Steve Curd.

Curd serves as both chief information officer and chief service officer for Healtheon/WebMD. In these roles, he is responsible for the company's operational technology infrastructure and customer services. Before the merger that formed Healtheon/WebMD, Curd was chief operating officer of Healtheon Corporation.

Curd will provide an insider's view of how Healtheon/WebMD is using its technological and industry expertise to reduce costs, enhance service, and enable the delivery of higher-quality, more-accessible health care. He also will share professional insights and lessons learned that all in attendance will be able to apply as the healthcare industry moves rapidly into an era of Internet e-business.

Tuesday's General Assembly will also feature presentation of HFMA's Board of Directors Award. The award, established in 1964 by the HFMA Board of Directors, honors persons or organizations who have made a significant positive contribution to the healthcare financial management field. The award recipient is not required to be a member of HFMA.

Individuals or organizations may only be nominated to receive the award by current members of the HFMA Board of Directors. The Board has the discretion of not choosing to present the award in any given year.

This year will mark the 21st time the Board of Directors Award has been conferred.

"Fix It or Kick It"

Wednesday's General Assembly will feature the presentation of Keith Harrell, a former IBM marketing executive who worked as one of its top training instructors. Harrell's "fix it or kick it" message will inspire those attending the General Assembly to achieve organizationwide changes in attitude and increase confidence and productivity. His unique style of delivery coupled with solid content and practical application spiced with the right amount of humor will charge listeners with energy and the motivation to take action.