Consumer Directed Health Care Conference Scheduled for November 2003

Published August 1, 2003

Major issues across the health care system–rising health care costs, quality of care, and patient outcomes–are on the minds of consumers. Public opinion polls place the issue second only to concerns about the economy.

Politicians face criticism for not becoming part of the solution. Insurance companies are accused of not doing “enough” to help ease the financial crunch. Employers are being blamed for passing on escalating costs to their employees. And through all of this, consumers are simply trying to take control of their own care.

According to Greg Scandlen, director of the Center for Consumer Directed Health Care at the Galen Institute, “Health insurance products designed to give consumers a bigger say in their coverage–and consequently become more discriminating consumers of health care services–are multiplying at a dizzying pace.”

Consumerism is becoming a widely accepted approach in the health care industry. How much influence do consumers have now … and what can be done to satisfy the growing demand for still more consumer control?

The Emergent Group will address those issues and more at the 2003 Fall Consumer Directed Health Care Conference and Expo (CDHCC) on November 10-12, 2003 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort in Nashville, Tennessee. The first CDHCC, held in April 2003, attracted more than 700 attendees and 45 exhibitors. (See “Riding the Wave of Consumerism,” Health Care News, July 2003.)

The CDHCC gathers together under one roof the consumer-driven health care industry’s key stakeholders: employers, providers, benefit plan managers, and the leading technology, product, and solution providers.

CDHCC’s 12 plenary sessions, more than 30 substantive sessions in the pre-conference and three concurrent tracks, make it possible to understand the critical issues, see real solutions in action, and get a better understanding of how change will affect us tomorrow and in the future.

Some of those sessions include:

  • Employers Dealing with Rising Health Insurance Premiums
  • Unhappy Employees Dealing with the Costs of Reimbursement
  • Lesser Options for Employees/Prescription Drug Plans
  • The New Frontier: Modeling Consumerism from the Payor Community
  • The ‘Real World’ of Patient Directed Health Care
  • Business and Government Look at Consumerism

The Emergent Group, LLC is an event management company offering a full range of management services and partnership opportunities. The company produces several industry-specific events including the CDHCC, Healthcare Delivery Solutions Congress (HDSC), and The Emerging Healthcare and Innovations Congress (TETHIC).


Conrad F. Meier is managing editor of Health Care News. His email address is [email protected].


For more information …

visit The Emergent Group Web site at http://www.theemergentgroup.com. For more information about the CDHCC, visit http://www.cdhcc.com or contact Leanne Forbes at [email protected].