Thoughts on HIMSS10
So what impressed me?
· Attendance seemed to be quite high AND people actually invested the time to attend the sessions, fill some of the rooms and spend time with the vendors. This is not always the case when the weather is warm and the convention is competing with area attractions. The snow, cold temps and wind served us all and those we serve well.
· Not certain what the numbers show, but I found myself meeting far more clinicians than IT staff. My hope is this was the case and the convention is being more heavily attended by the people who are on the frontlines of patient care and not just the IT staff. It’s not about the wires and CPUs, it’s about improving patient care and outcomes.
· Speaking of “not just IT people”, I was quite fortunate to be joined this year by our COO, CFO, CMIO and a community MD who chairs our Medical Executive Committee. I was thrilled for them to hear and see everything first hand rather than relying on copies of presentations and vendor materials. How powerful for this level of our team to participate in person. They thoroughly enjoyed every minute and are home now singing the praises of HIMSS.
· This may sound sappy, but I also enjoyed the video presentations shown prior to the keynote sessions. Seeing the success stories presented on the projection screens by our peers demonstrates we can all meet the challenges we are faced with. I especially enjoyed the photo thrown on the screen of our Stage 6 recognition award ceremony with Dave Garets last year. That was a special day for all of my team and everyone at home who made it happen. It’s good to do some cheerleading and as you often hear me Tweet, “Rewards and Recognition” is integral to success. The job is tough enough and getting more difficult. Sharing and celebrating successes with peers is good for the sole.
· Although not always on time, I did make all three Meet the Bloggers sessions. Putting a face and voice to the avatars was a hoot. Cesar and the HIMSS Social Media team deserve kudos for bringing us together. From the highly energetic and relentless writer Anthony Guerra to one who is on the front line of patient care, ePatientDave. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the insights and opinions shared by the authors of knowledge assembled during these sessions. You can see by the videos and photos we certainly enjoyed the content and friendships.
· The keynote with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Harry Markopolos was exceptional. The insights shared and candid remarks mixed with some humor were quite the wake-up call for many. Everyone back at home would benefit from seeing a video of this session. The message needs to be heard by many more than the only the attendees at the conference. Not everyone is able to make the trip. For some reason I have found it difficult to get any sleep since J
· The conference closing keynote with Captain Chesley `Sully' Sullenberger III was by far the most valuable session I have attended at HIMSS since my first in the mid 80’s. His ability to demonstrate the parallels between the airline and healthcare industries had most everyone in the room hanging on every word. As he spoke I listened more as a patient than someone in IT and hope he continues to deliver a similar message to many, many more across the country.
As with the prior keynote, my hope is this event was captured on video and will be offered to share with everyone back at our organization and communities. I regret that we did not all break in to chants of “Sully, Sully, Sully, Sully…”
Thanks to HIMSS, CHIME, the attendees, the vendors, the speakers and Atlanta for an exceptional learning and networking experience.
