Here is my story. 

My associates ask me: Why start this international technology centric group?  There are  already too many health organizations.  Don’t you have enough on your plate with four operating companies?

I was compelled to start this SOCIAL PURPOSE organization, (initially named the RFID in Healthcare Consortium, RHCC, Sept.2008, which I co-founded with Emily Sopensky of the IEEE.org). After two years, The RHCC quickly morphed into a much bigger organization, the IHA to cover a group of new technologies that went beyond RFID and RTLS.

The impetus for starting these two educational groups was based on personal experiences that I had with my dear Mother while she was in the hospital and then in a nursing home. I could clearly see how technology could improve the patient experience, care and safety. But just as important, my decision to start these groups was also based on my day-to-day, hands-on  business experiences as my system integration firm had challenges trying to sell /  install Wi-FI and RFID technologies into hospitals and nursing homes during the healthcare technology stone age.

Do you remember:

• 900 MHz wireless technologies
• the old Laser barcode scanners?
• when cell phones were NOT allowed in hospitals?

Try selling RFID and Wi-FI to an uneducated health community in the 1990’s and early 2000s. I needed to do something to drive my sales of RFID and wireless technologies to the healthcare industry.

Emily and I decided to form the RFID in Healthcare Consortium to help educate the community in a vendor neutral, technology agnostic manner. This would allow me to create educational opportunities so that my customers would be in a better position to understand the value proposition of my products and services. It was during these early years that my colleague Dr. Paul Frisch became involved with what would become the Intelligent Health Association. Since my dear friend Emily’s untimely death in 2019 after battling cancer for many years, it’s an honor to continue growing the vision and mission for the Intelligent Health Association that we created so many years ago.

As a long time Philly resident, I spent many times shopping at Sy Syms clothing stores. One thing I loved?  His slogan was: “An Educated Consumer is my best customer”.

Now that’s my slogan too.

As Founder and CEO of the “Intelligent Health Association, (IHA), I welcome all health and wellness technology related firms and health and wellness professionals to join the IHA. The IHA is YOUR ASSOCIATION. With your support and collaboration, I know that can we drive the adoption of technologies in the health community, and around the world for better health for all ages and for all people.

Harry P. Pappas, CEO

Intelligent Health Association