OREANDA-NEWS. October 05, 2012. Next week, McKesson thought leaders and customers will join other healthcare industry experts in Orlando for the 25th McKesson Health Solutions Conference, reported the press-centre of McKesson.

This annual event brings payers and providers together to discuss the changing healthcare landscape, its challenges and opportunities, and innovative approaches to improving healthcare access and quality while reducing costs. Key topics are best practices for connecting care management, supporting high-impact payer-provider partnerships, and synchronizing provider networks and payment strategies for value-based reimbursement and other transformational strategies.

“The Affordable Care Act may have focused our efforts, but across the industry we are engaged in the hard work of transformation for the simple reason that it is the right thing to do,” said Emad Rizk, MD, president of McKesson Health Solutions. “Increasing accountability, decreasing waste and paying for better outcomes are imperatives for both the present and the future.”

For the opening keynote of the conference, Dr. Rizk will be joined by McKesson Health Solutions senior vice presidents Carolyn Wukitch and Judy Smythe, who will examine key industry trends and discuss McKesson’s approach to helping organizations prepare for a future where better health at lower cost is not only possible but also sustainable. Phyllis Torda, vice president for strategy and the quality solutions group at National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), will deliver a keynote address that provides an “inside the Beltway” look at healthcare reform. In addition, David Nace, MD, vice president and medical director for McKesson Corporation, will facilitate a keynote panel discussion with executives from leading health plans, who will examine the impacts to date of the Affordable Care Act and share advice on how best to navigate the future.

The McKesson Health Solutions Conference features almost 100 sessions and events intended to promote learning, best practices and networking.  New to the conference this year is the Healthcare Transformation Series, where industry and McKesson speakers will discuss topics such as accountable care organizations, patient-centered medical homes, health and wellness innovations, bundled payment for episodes of care, payer-provider partnership and value-based reimbursement.