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NEW YORK—The multi-faceted, ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are reshaping business, culture, consumer attitudes and many aspects of the healthcare field, vision care included. As a result, the theme and topics of the 2020 Vision Monday Global Leadership Summit, originally scheduled as a live event last March, has been reshaped to reflect that and will kick off this fall as a Virtual Event Series. Titled "AFTERSHOCKS: Remaking Healthcare's Future, Vision Beyond 2020," the VM Global Leadership Summit will comprise four two-hour sessions to be held over four consecutive weeks, starting Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14 and Oct. 21.

"VM’s Summit will examine directions and thinking of those leaders who have been at the center, who are managing through it and recalibrating their data, their models and their vision of service in the eyecare and eyewear sector," stated Marge Axelrad, SVP and editorial director of VM. "This special 4 Part virtual event will let us explore the big themes and urgent questions facing ECPs and vision care decision makers, giving them a framework to problem solve and see the future clearly. "

The premise of the program will be to acknowledge how the COVID-19 pandemic has shocked patients, healthcare professionals, businesses and suppliers. It has laid bare the shortcomings of conventional healthcare delivery systems, intensifying the urgent needs of the millions who are challenged accessing care. Business disruption and widespread unemployment are spotlighting the vulnerabilities of those without a comprehensive healthcare solution. Business models have been upended.

"We have reached a critical moment when healthcare leaders must pivot and reimagine their business, a process that will likely continue in the months and years ahead. It’s time to rethink healthcare and its relationship to the eye health and retail components of vision care," she added. The VM Virtual Summit Series will include:

• Wednesday September 30th: 3PM – 5PM ET
CAN CONSUMERS TRUST OUR HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEM?

Gaps in our healthcare system, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, have left many consumers feeling disconnected, distrustful and scared. They’re looking for easy access to trusted information and services and instant connectivity to providers. There’s a need to rebuild trust and re-engage. Amid economic shifts, a new ecosystem of healthcare authorities and companies are offering tech solutions that connect patients and providers in new ways while lowering costs and improving outcomes. How can vision care prepare?

• Wednesday, October 7th: 3PM – 5PM ET
WHO ARE THE NEW GATEKEEPERS? WHAT’S VISION’S ROLE?

The rise of medical optometry; diabetes diagnosis and management as a pathway forward has been gaining new attention. Eyecare’s visibility among other healthcare specialists is increasing as the connection from eye health to overall health/disease conditions becomes more widely understood. What are the opportunities? New models like Walmart HEALTH are addressing access and patient experience

• Wednesday, October 14th: 3PM – 5PM ET
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM HEALTHCARE’S FRONT LINES What’s Next For Payors, Providers… And Vision Care?

The coronavirus pandemic has stressed hospital and provider systems in unexpected ways, challenging administrators, clinicians and support staff to respond to a crisis that changes almost daily. What have the big healthcare systems learned? How are its lead executives adapting to better meet the challenges? How will insurance coverage and access to care for private pay and public/government patients transform? How will systemic changes in healthcare provide an opportunity for vision care providers to play a wider role?

• Wednesday October 21st: 3PM – 5PM ET STEPPING UP THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE New Technologies Take Hold and Transform Engagement

How is technology enabling new ways of connecting to the patient and to the consumer? How is ‘experience’ defined now? What are the components, how are communications, interactivity, decision making and choice impacted? We look at how digital technologies are bringing doctors/patients/ customers into the healthcare process in more exciting ways, blending IRL/physical with online/virtual.

Among the speakers set for the VM Global Leadership Summit Virtual Event Series are:

• Leading health economist and influential blogger/author, Jane Sarasohn-Kahn @HealthyThinker, author "Health Consuming, From Health Consumer to Health Citizen"

• Founder of Solving for Tech and founder, Living in Digital Times,/producer of CES' Healthcare and Technology, Robin Raskin

• Chief Medical Officer, Walmart Health, Dr. Tom Van Gilder

• President and CEO of Highmark Health, David Holmberg, also chairman of BlueCross BlueShield Association

• Co-founder of MyEyeDr., Sue Downes, with members of the MyEyeDr. executive team

• Chief medical editor of WebMD, John Whyte, MD

Additional speakers and new registration details will be shared soon. Those who had previously registered for the VM Global Leadership Summit, originally planned for last March, will soon be receiving communications from the VM Virtual Summit planning team regarding their existing registration.