SEARCH2018 Symposium Brings Together Telehealth Researchers Focused on Proving the Benefits of Connected Health

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. and SAN DIEGO, July 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4^th Society for Education and the Advancement of Research in Connected Health (SEARCH) Telehealth Research Symposium will take place on October 24^th and 25^th, 2018 in San Diego, CA. The annual meeting brings together leading clinicians, researchers, administrators and thought leaders to discuss how telehealth can be used to improve healthcare delivery.

SEARCH2018 will focus on sharing findings from existing telehealth research to demonstrate lessons learned from connected health programs with an emphasis on planning, research, training and education. It will provide insight for developing new programs and encourage emphasis on quality initiatives and telehealth measures. Researchers and clinicians are welcome to submit abstracts on relevant presentations or poster topics by July 20, 2018, with confirmed presenters to be notified by end of August. Register and submit abstracts for the conference at http://searchsociety.org/search2018/.

"Researchers developing new telehealth processes and care models need an independent, neutral space for them to learn from each other and discuss how these technologies can help improve patient care," said Dr. Curtis Lowery, President of SEARCH. "SEARCH2018 marks another major step for the advancement of telehealth and connected health research as our Society provides an unbiased, high-quality meeting for clinicians, researchers, faculty and students. This is an opportunity to present findings, collaborate and help to plan the future focus of research in connected health."

Hosted by SEARCH and sponsored by the Gary and Mary West Health Institute, which is dedicated to helping seniors successfully age in place, the symposium will be held at the Roth Auditorium near Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine in La Jolla, California.

"With our nation's aging demographic and high cost of healthcare, we must improve the efficiency of our healthcare system, and telehealth and connected health solutions are essential to delivering care for seniors where and when they want it," said Dr. Zia Agha, chief medical officer of the West Health Institute. "We're proud to support SEARCH2018 and highlight the transformations that health systems, payers, providers and patients are experiencing from deploying telehealth programs that improve care delivery."

Confirmed speakers at SEARCH2018 include Elizabeth Krupinski, Ph.D. of Emory University, Judd Hollander, M.D. of Thomas Jefferson University and Jonathon Mack, Ph.D. of the University of San Diego.

The 2018 symposium is supported by SEARCH, the West Health Institute and the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers. For more information or to register for the event, go to: SEARCHSociety.org or email [email protected].

About West Health

Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health includes the nonprofit and nonpartisan Gary and Mary West Health Institute and Gary and Mary West Foundation in San Diego, and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. These organizations are working together toward a shared mission dedicated to enabling seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. For more information, visit westhealth.org and follow @westhealth.

About National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers

The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (TRCs) provides assistance, education, and information to organizations and individuals who are actively providing or interested in providing health care at a distance. The TRC charter from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth is to assist in expanding the availability of healthcare to underserved populations. For more information, visit telehealthresourcecenter.org.

About SEARCH

The Society for Education and the Advancement of Research in Connected Health (SEARCH) is comprised of connected health researchers with a goal to promote connected health programs using evidenced-based research. SEARCH hosts an annual meeting of open discussion revolving around telemedicine research, findings, and national priorities with the goal to share the findings and foster research collaborations among researchers and organizations who wish to define and develop the field of connected health research. For more information, visit SEARCHSociety.org.

SOURCE SEARCH and West Health