Arlington, VA-August 21, 2006 - New automation technologies are transforming the delivery of healthcare. But the simultaneous emergence of so many different technologies makes it challenging to evaluate, select and implement the advanced solutions that will offer the greatest benefits to patients, staff and the reduction of healthcare costs.

To address these issues, many of the world's leading researchers in the field of medical automation will convene at the Second Medical Automation International Conference and Exhibition at the Lansdowne Resort outside Washington, D.C. from November 1 through November 3, 2006.

This year's theme will be "Caring Machines, Optimal Medicine" - a reflection of the event's focus on technologies designed to increase efficiency, improve patient outcomes, and reduce medical errors. Organized by MedicalAutomation.org, the event will be co-chaired by Robin Felder, Ph.D., Director of the University of Virginia's Medical Automation Research Center.

The 2006 conference will be co-sponsored by The Science Advisory Board (http://www.scienceboard.net) - the world's largest online community of scientists and physicians devoted to shaping future biomedical technologies. "We are honored to sponsor this exciting event," said Executive Director of The Science Advisory Board, Dr. Tamara Zemlo. "The mission of MedicalAutomation.org complements to the goal of The Science Advisory Board - to bring about change in the scientific and medical fields through increased communication. We feel that this partnership is extremely beneficial to all parties involved."

With prestigious speakers from government, academia and industry, conference organizers expect up to 300 attendees. Presentations will range from issues of national technology policy to case studies of successful implementations of medical automation, including electronic medical records, advances in medical imaging, medical robotics and clinical proteomics.

Medical Automation 2006 will be held at the Lansdowne Resort near Dulles International Airport in Loudoun County, Virginia. More information about the conference and online registration can be found at: http://www.scienceboard.net/resources/mac.asp.

ABOUT THE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD

The Science Advisory Board (http://www.scienceboard.net) is an online organization of more than 30,000 scientists, physicians and other life science and medical professionals from 62 countries. Convening electronically, Science Advisory Board members participate in online studies to voice their opinions on issues that directly affect the evolution and development of the tools and techniques of their professions. The Science Advisory Board was organized in 1997 by BioInformatics, LLC (http://www.gene2drug.com), a research and consulting firm located in Arlington, VA.

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