Elsevier Partners With the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) to Launch First Program of the AAHC Thought Leadership Institute

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New forum for discussion of national issues will debut with a program on the evolving relationship of medicine and "smart" machines and their impact on 21^st century healthcare 

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, and the globally-recognized Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) today announced the launch of the first program offering of the AAHC Thought Leadership Institute, an innovative new concept designed to provide a forum for provocative and inspiring thought leaders from diverse backgrounds, disciplines and sectors, to identify transformative ideas and discuss their applications. The first Institute program, to be launched in April and supported by Elsevier, will be Professional Intelligence: Medicine, Machines, and the Future of Healthcare, and will focus on the growing interface of medicine and artificial intelligence - specifically "smart" machines.  

The Institute will concentrate on substantive, future-oriented topics. Its purpose is to advance ideas through inspired thinking; seize opportunities by bringing together leaders on each issue who can make a difference; and drive reform by promoting creative ideas that can flourish into productive, tangible solutions. AAHC strives to be the global thought leader on issues impacting academic health centers and their tripartite mission: educating the next generation of health professionals, conducting biomedical research, and providing patient care.  A Leadership Council, composed of AAHC members and thought leaders, will provide knowledge and expertise in guiding the development of The Institute.

"With advances in science and technology, medicine and machines are increasingly becoming 'partners' in the care of patients," said Steven A. Wartman, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of AAHC. The goal of the Professional Intelligence program is to lay the groundwork for building consensus and pathways to develop and leverage the interface between artificially intelligent machines and humans in healthcare to improve 21^st century health and well-being.  The April meeting is the first of several offerings of the Professional Intelligence program to be presented this year.

 "As machines become more intelligent, care providers, patients and entrepreneurs need to think deeply about how the boundary between medicine and machines will be managed," said Dr. Wartman. I am pleased that this thought-provoking topic is the first to be undertaken by the AAHC Thought Leadership Institute, which will bring together a wide array of perspectives with the goal of informing both practice and policy. I am grateful for the interest and support of Elsevier as the Institute addresses this challenging area for the future of medicine."

"Elsevier believes in supporting initiatives that help to advance the public discourse around the advancement of scientific research and nowhere is this more crucial than in the medical field," said Dr. Brad Fenwick, Senior Vice President, Global Alliances for Elsevier. "Medical science is one of Elsevier's most important areas of expertise and this new partnership will enable AAHC to leverage our vast assets to help drive the national conversation about the future of healthcare in this country."  

About AAHC and AAHCI 

The Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC)-with its subsidiary the Association of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI)-is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that advances health and well-being through the vigorous leadership of academic health centers worldwide. AAHC and AAHCI strive to achieve this by enhancing the ability of its members to educate the next generation of health professionals, conduct biomedical research, and provide comprehensive and advanced patient care. AAHC believes that improving the health and wellbeing of communities, both locally and globally, depends on the continuous advancement, alignment, and optimization of each element of this three-part mission.

About Elsevier  

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com

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