Blog written by Janet Major
USDLA Board Member, President Elect
Associate Director Facilities
Arizona Telemedicine Program
Arizona Health Sciences Center
Tucson, AZ
Many of you know him as the man who helped build and served as the founding CEO for the American Telemedicine Association for over 20 years. Or the man who is the CEO of an organization that is transforming healthcare. www.pathhealth.com His current goal? To do for AI and related technologies in healthcare what was achieved for telemedicine.
The first time I met Jon Linkous it was at THE conference of the year for anyone in the videoconferencing or telemedicine industry: Telecon in 1997. (See photo) As the conference grew it became Telecon West and Telecon East – and at the heart of that organization was OUR organization: The United States Distance Learning Association where we produced an annual conference for twenty years in partnership with TELECON and TeleMed, the organization which then later became ATA: the American Telemedicine Association. www.americantelemed.org
This conference is where I also met John Flores, who went on to be the CEO for USDLA for over 20 years. USDLA has now been the leader in distance learning for over thirty years. www.usdla.org
AI was founded as an academic discipline in 1956 and it has gained more popularity in recent years as computers and data have advanced along with theoretical understanding of the concept. According to Mr Linkous, unknown to many consumers, their lives are already dependent on the use of AI and the fact is that the current state of our industry – and really any business – is now focused on the integration of AI or Artificial Intelligence. 21st Century technology is finally making headway and is transforming traditional approaches to a truly whole new world of innovation. The challenge before us is to successfully integrate AI with telehealth, robotics and other technologies.
Join us to hear more about what is and what will be in the world of AI as we celebrate our USDLA 2019 Conference, “In tune with The Future of Digital & Distance Learning”! We will be in Music City, Nashville, May 20 – 23 with a great kick-off keynote by Jon Linkous titled, “”21st Century Technology and Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare & Education: the Future is NOW!”
https://usdla.org/2019-national-conference/
More about Jonathan Linkous – Jonathan D. Linkous, MPA, FATA
CEO – PATH, the Partnership for Artificial Intelligence, Automation and Robotics in Healthcare www.pathhealth.com Editor-in-Chief – Healthcare Transformation Journal http://home.liebertpub.com/ht/ CEO – Linkous Health www.linkoushealth.com
Mr. Linkous holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the School of Government and Public Affairs at the American University in Washington, D.C with additional postgraduate work at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, Public Executive Institute at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.
Janet is the immediate past Chair for the Health, Technology & Distance Learning Special Interest Group of the American Telemedicine Association and she is an Associate Board Member of ATIC: the Arizona Telecommunications and Information Council. For the past several years she has also served on the board of the United States Distance Learning Association representing the telehealth constituency and is currently its President-elect.