Industry Leaders Confirmed To Speak At The 2005 World Health Care Congress

WOBURN, Mass., Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry leaders from government and private industry have been confirmed to speak at the 2005 World Health Care Congress, coming to Washington, D.C. January 30-February 1, 2005. Confirmed keynote speakers include:

 * The Honorable David M. Walker, Comptroller General, U.S. Government Accountability Office * Muhammad Yunus, Founder and Managing Director, Grameen Bank * John Mackey, Chairman and CEO, Whole Foods Market Other recently announced speakers include: * Caroline (Caz) S. Matthews, President, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield * A.J. Rice, First Vice President, Merrill Lynch * Dean Manheimer, Vice President, HR, Northwestern Memorial Hospital * Georgina Challis-Tillinger, Senior Vice President, VNU, Inc. * John Toussaint, MD, President/CEO, ThedaCare, Inc. * Richard Migliori, MD, CEO, United Resource Networks * David Seligman, CEO, Best Doctors, Inc. * A.J. Rice, First Vice President, Merrill Lynch * Carolyn D. Byerly, CIO, Stanford Hospitals and Clinics 

David M. Walker is the nation’s chief accountability officer and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), a legislative branch agency founded in 1921. GAO’s mission is to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, an economist by training, founded the Grameen Bank in 1976. Under his direction, Grameen has loaned more than $3 billion in amounts averaging $160 to Bangladesh’s poor. He serves on the Board of Directors of many international organizations that include the United Nations Foundation and the Calvert World Values Fund. He has received numerous awards including the World Food Prize (USA, 1994), the Sydney Peace Prize (Australia 1998), the Indira Gandhi Prize (India, 1998), and the Rotary Award for WorldUnderstanding (USA, 1999).

John Mackey is a leading practitioner of empowerment management. As Chairman and CEO of Whole Foods Market, Inc. he has built a $3.5 billion Fortune 500 company that is now one of the top 12 supermarket companies in America. With his fierce sense of competition, strong belief in Libertarian and free market principles Mackey gradually built Whole Foods Market into a powerhouse, out-maneuvering every other entrant in the marketplace.

The 2005 World Health Care Congress is the most progressive forum today geared towards achieving an affordable, accountable healthcare system in the U.S. Sponsored by the Wall Street Journal and CNBC, this industry-leading conference will bring together over 1500 newsmakers; including CEOs, senior executives, and government officials from the nation’s largest employers, hospitals, health systems, health plans, pharmaceutical and biotech companies; in order to create a new healthcare model based on value, quality, accountability, and consumer choice.

Conference delegates participate in industry-wide controversial debates, exclusive by-invitation-only Summits and learn from in-depth case studies to determine actionable implementation strategies with colleagues and industry partners. Topics will be presented by industry leaders and renowned healthcare professionals.

About Sponsors of the World Health Care Congress

Capgemini, the Presenting Sponsor, contributed extensive thought leadership and advanced the importance of technology as a common thread to connect the various industry sectors of health care. Booz Allen Hamilton, the Gold Sponsor, provided important CEO and management consulting perspectives across the program agenda. UnitedHealth Foundation, the Foundation Sponsor, helped drive the importance of their mission to support the health and medical decisions made by physicians, health professionals, community leaders, and individuals that lead to better health outcomes and healthier communities.

For more information visit http://www.worldcongress.com/. CONTACT: Linda Dickerhoof 703-243-4515 PR@worldcongress.com

World Health Care Congress

CONTACT: Linda Dickerhoof of World Health Care Congress, +1-703-243-4515,PR@worldcongress.com