There’s always something new at the annual HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition. In 2020, there will be no shortage of fresh ideas and innovative approaches to staging the show.
Following a complete rebrand for the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society as an organization and the conference itself following the 2019 event, HIMSS20 in Orlando promises to be more focused and more engaging for the conference goer. Education sessions will be more specialized as HIMSS aims to provide more thought leadership from particular points of view while also showcasing standards and intelligence tools that have the power to improve the overall quality of healthcare.
HIMSS has essentially created a new mission as an organization to play a leadership role in seeing healthcare through a period of disruptive change. They are focused on what comes next for health as the industry navigates a crossroads during a time of unprecedented information availability and technological innovation that is driving interest from big name companies outside of healthcare, such as Google and Amazon.
So let’s dig into what’s different about this year’s conference and what new events are sure to attract the attention of veteran conference goers.
Government Education Sessions
Each year, the government likes to drop some big news regarding healthcare at HIMSS. In the past, that has meant Jared Kushner showing up at HIMSS18 to discuss the MyHealthEData initiative and streamlining EHRs between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Last year, it was Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Seema Verma unveiling new regulations on information blocking.
This year, however, government education sessions have multiplied. According to the HIMSS website, this will be an opportunity to “hear from experts at all levels of government on health information and technology-related public policy initiatives.”
Whether the topic is facilitating greater interoperability and data sharing or military and veterans’ healthcare programs, the delivery of higher value and improved health outcomes for patients and Congressional and state policy actions, there is something for anyone looking to understand the government’s long term plans for healthcare when it comes to information technology.
Poster Presentations
If you’re not up for a whole session and would prefer a simpler format using graphics, storyboards and charts, poster presentations are a visual way to learn about useful tools and case studies. This format allows one presenter an opportunity to speak in an informal environment to smaller groups of attendees. As a result, interaction can be personalized to the questions of the attendee/reviewer.
Poster presentations will fall into one of two categories, Student Posters and Early Careerists. They will be on display during the HIMSS20 Career Expo and look at a wide range of topics ranging from Leadership and Governance Strategy to Quality Improvement Model Practices, Data and Analytics, Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and Biomedical or Health Informatics. The Career Expo will take place throughout the day on Wednesday March 11.
Did you know? USF Health Online will be at HIMSS 20 on University Row, booth UR20! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram to stay tuned with what we’re doing at HIMSS 20!
New Pavilions
If you’ve been to a HIMSS show, you know that pavilions such as the Interoperability Showcase are an immersive experience that provide a window into how technology drives care and where it’s going next. In each pavilion, there are sessions that help to educate viewers on a topic of focus.
New to the pavilion lineup is the Value of Healthcare booth, an exhibit focused on addressing both business and care outcomes in the transition to value-based care through data and analytics. Several companies will feature products designed to improve the patient experience and integrate new technology for remote patient monitoring, cost management, payment processing and more.
If the latest tech is your thing, be sure to head over to the Intelligent Health Pavilion where advances in sensors, RFID, wayfinding, voice and other technologies are on display. Robotic surgery and smart home and hospital development are just few examples of topics that will be covered here.
Along that same theme of what’s new in tech, “Debut Square” provides companies with machine learning, AI and data solutions with a place to debut what comes next in the healthcare space. Keep an eye out for these demonstrations going on throughout the day on Tuesday, March 10 in Lobby E.
As always, there will be plenty of Lightning Sessions to choose from as well if you’re looking to take a break from navigating the exhibit floor for some bite size learning. USF Health’s Lightning Session this year will be led by Dr. Christina Eldredge. She will lead a session titled “Foundation of Health Informatics and Competencies” focusing on the development of a competency-driven curriculum. The session will take place at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 12.
New Technology?
One important aspect of a HIMSS conference that is important to recognize is not only the technology on display, but the technology in use as well. The conference app is always a helpful tool for anyone looking to set their schedule or take notes using their smartphone. But this year, HIMSS is dedicated to upping their game when it comes to conference experience and, in particular, getting around the venue.
Every year, conference goers joke about how overwhelming the show can be and how much walking you’ll do in a day. The new approach to the logistics of attending the conference hasn’t been unveiled just yet, but in an interview with Fierce Healthcare, Terri Sanders, senior vice president for enterprise marketing and communications at HIMSS, said “everything at HIMSS20 will feel different. We’re focused on ensuring that an attendee’s journey is as efficient and meaningful as it can be. We’re upping the ante on brand experience and the use of technology at the event.”
She also highlighted a strategy to have attendees be more engaged with HIMSS throughout the conference. It’s all part of the new vision for HIMSS, as outlined in the video below, posted by HIMSS back in October.
