Post HIMSS Report

Posted by InterOpNurse in HIT on Mar 7th, 2008 | no responses

I was hoping to blog about my experience at HIMSS this year, but several factors played a factor in presenting challenges for me to blog at the event. I do feel compeled to say something about my experience there, so here it goes:

My plan for this years HIMSS was to try and learn something that was more relevant to my current state of implementation, which Clinical Documentation, but with a twist. To implement this utilizing evidenced based documentation. Adoption of this model has been a uphill battle for me and my organization, and I really wanted to see what others were doing in this regard.

To summate how well I acheived my goal, I can only say, I revieved a lot of helpful information, but none really, which would equip me to go back and bring back to my organization.

Other than the above, I did have other miscellaneuos findings:

There were about 28,000 attendees at HIMSS this year. I went to teh Nursing informatics Symposium, and 500 Nurses were in attendance.
Sometimes, the greatest learning experience, is not what was in the sessions, but what you learn in the exhibit halls as you network with other conference attendees.
I am still on the fence whether I find this years HIMSS theme song called “its our time” to be inspiring, or just plain “corny.”
One of the greatest marketing scheme done at HIMSS this year was the HIStalk reception. Just when I finally thought I get to meet and put a face to Mr. Histalk and Inga, what I got instead was – a great time, great company, and amazing presentation of the this years HISsies award.
AthenaHealth won a majority of the HISsies award, and I must say I learned more about a company and a business model I never knew existed. Actually, AthenaHealth just won a huge hospital contract, and their CEO Jonathan Bush (cousin of President Bush) was featured in CNBC.
Cerner claimed that they will not be attending next years HIMSS in Chicago…and I wonder if this has any relation to Jonathan Bush CEO of AthenaHealth calling HIMSS at the HIStalk reception a “boat show.”
Google exhibited a Personal Health Record (PHR) application, and currently have a pilot arrangement with Cleveland Clinic. Not to mention Eric Schmidt – Google CEO was a keynote speaker at HIMSS this year.