One thing that lingered in my mind as I traveled back home after attending the ASTHO Public Health TechXpo and futures forum in Chicago May 23 – 25, 2023 was, “This is the time for public health to change.” Change how public health works, change how public health works together with the private sector, change how public health recruit, retain, support and enhance the workforce and change how we, as a country, can do public health in a different way using new technology to do so. And now there is also funding to make this all happen (at least to start it). During the four days of the conference, I had been listening to a variety of presentations, some with a technology focus such as “The ABCs of DMI: Demystifying TEFCA, USCDI+,” Helios and the north star architecture” and others focused more on policy such as “The future of Data modernization Policy” or on the workforce like “How public health build capacity in the workforce strategies for Now and Later?” and the plenary speakers asked us to think about what the new technology can do for us, not just what good things it could bring but also what we need to be cautious about, but also challenged us to think about new and different ways of measuring health equity. I had a long drive home, and it was filled with ideas of what we can do, and how we can help.
HLN attended as a Silver sponsor of the event and we spent a lot of time in conversations in the sponsor exhibit area, which was well attended by conference attendees and stacked with a variety of snacks and food options during the breaks.
Overall the ASTHO TechXpo provided an excellent forum for conversations and networking, supported by an amazing display of great food.
The conversations from the in-person event in Chicago will be continued at the virtual edition of Public Health TechXpo and Futures Forum on June 15, 1-5 p.m. ET.