WASHINGTON (23 March 2007) — Healthcare experts will discuss the challenges and opportunities of RFID technology in health care and its implications on government policy during the first IEEE International RFID Conference (IEEE RFID 2007). The panel will look at what training and processes must be installed to take advantage of RFID technology; what standards and government regulations need to be developed; and what laws need to be passed, among other topics.

The "RFID Issues in Health Care" luncheon panel is Tuesday 27 March from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.

Dr. Daniel Engels, program chair, IEEE RFID 2007, and assistant professor and director of the Radio Frequency Innovation & Technology Center at the University of Texas at Arlington, will moderate. Dr. Engels is the former director and founder of the MIT Healthcare Research Initiative in Cambridge, Mass., a program designed to employ RFID technology to improve patient safety.

"RFID technology is already employed by many healthcare practitioners in a variety of applications," Dr. Engels said. "The discussion about how to incorporate RFID technology in healthcare delivery systems is gaining in volume, as is the debate about how to provide adequate, affordable healthcare. We hope our experts can shine some light on the significant opportunities for RFID technology in the healthcare industry."

Panelists include Dr. John K. Stevens, chairman of Visible Assets, Inc., and chair of the IEEE RuBee Standards Working Group; Dr. Michael Meistrell, president of Healthcare Informatics & Management Consultancy; and Peter Spellman, co-founder and senior vice president of products and services for SupplyScape Corp.

About IEEE RFID 2007

Sponsored by IEEE-USA, the IEEE New Technology Directions Committee and IEEE Region 5, IEEE RFID 2007 is co-located with RFID WORLD 2007, the largest trade show and exhibition for the worldwide RFID industry, 26-28 March 2007 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas. With more than 370,000 members in over 160 countries, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) is the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology. IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 220,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. For more information and to register, see www.ieee-rfid.org.

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