The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s annual conference is set to commence in Orlando, Florida on Monday.
It will be the first HIMSS gathering since the nonprofit health IT advocacy organization sold the industry conference to London-based events company Informa in August. Informa took over operations, sales and marketing of the annual event while HIMSS has continued to shape the show’s content. HIMSS also still runs operations of its member chapters, smaller events and other initiatives.
Last year's event in Chicago had around 35,000 attendees, according to organizers.
Here’s Modern Healthcare’s preview of HIMSS24, which will run from March 11-March 15.
Who is speaking at HIMSS24?
There are more than 400 speakers planned across the event’s five days. Executives from health technology companies such as Epic, Google Cloud, Meditech, Microsoft and Oracle will be among those set to speak.
Robert Garrett, CEO at New Jersey-based Hackensack Meridian Health, will give a keynote address Tuesday on AI and the patient experience. He will be speaking with Matt Renner, president of North America and global startups at Google Cloud. Other health system executives slated to speak include: Dr. John Halamka, president of Mayo Clinic Platform, which is the Rochester, Minnesota-based health system's big data initiative; Vikesh Tahiliani, vice president at Brentwood, Tennessee-based HCA Healthcare; and Christian Carmody, chief technology officer at The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
What topics are expected to take center stage?
Cybersecurity is typically a major theme at HIMSS conferences, but last month’s Change Healthcare data breach will likely only increase interest in the topic. Providers, payers and pharmacies are still navigating the chaos that followed a Feb. 21 cyberattack on the company. Rachel Tobak, CEO of cybersecurity consulting company SocialProof Security, will give a keynote address Friday on how bad actors use social engineering techniques to hack into healthcare companies' data systems.
Read more: Modern Healthcare’s coverage of the Change Healthcare hack
Last year, potential uses of artificial intelligence in clinical and administrative settings dominated conversations. The topic has only garnered more attention throughout the year as companies have had time to develop their technology. HIMSS24 will feature several panels and keynote addresses on AI including Michael Ruggio and Mitzi Hill, partners at law firm Taylor English Duma, who will go over the potential legal implications of the technology in a keynote address on Friday.
What’s new?
This year’s show will debut a program that aims to connect digital health founders with each other and potential investors. Specific sessions in the venture connect program include topics on how digital health startups can disrupt and improve care delivery, use data and connect with capital investors. There will also be a pitch competition where entrepreneurs tout their nurse-focused startups.
Additionally, HIMSS launched a hosted buyer program that aims to connect providers with health technology vendors. The program will pair provider participants with vendors they choose. HIMSS said it would cover travel expenses for those providers.
What else do attendees need to know?
Healthcare industry conferences routinely bring out atypical speakers and glitzy events for attendees. This year’s HIMSS is no exception. The conference is hosting a networking event for VIPs at Walt Disney World Resort and a paid street party at Universal CityWalk Orlando. Former University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban will also close out the conference Friday with a keynote address on leadership and resilience.
Modern Healthcare will report onsite at HIMSS to cover the news and trends.
