Make The Most Of HIMSS14
By Wendy Grafius, contributing writer
HIMSS offers advice on how to best enjoy the HIMSS14 Annual Conference & Exhibition
Known as a launching site for over 350 innovative new health IT products and services from year to year, the Exhibition Hall at HIMSS14 in Orlando, FL, will not disappoint. Exhibit Halls A through F will be buzzing with some 35,000 attendees visiting more than 1,300 exhibitor booths from February 24th through February 26th. In fact, HIMSS staff calculated that a ten-minute visit to each booth at last year’s exhibition would have taken over seven-and-a-half days to complete! With exhibit hall hours of Noon to 6 p.m. EST Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST Tuesday, and 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, there will not be time to visit every booth.
“Pre-planning is the key,” said Elli Riley, HIMSS director of exhibits and meeting services. “On the show floor it’s very easy to get distracted. An agenda makes it easier to maximize your time. You need to do your research thoroughly. Get online and choose which exhibitors are your must-sees and stick to your list.” In addition, arranging pre-show meetings with targeted vendors will keep you on schedule.
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Despite so much to see in so little time, there are booths that no one should miss. Get the most out of your time at HIMSS14 by adding these to your agenda:
- Connected Patient Learning Gallery – this brand new hands-on area in Hall B showcases innovative HIT products and services for e-engagement. “This is a new booth with a different model,” said Riley. “It’s a self-guided, interactive model designed to engage providers and patents. There’s a game room feel to it, where people can come and play a trivia game, and engage in multiple interactive learning opportunities.”
- Intelligent Hospital Pavilion – located in Hall F, this exhibit simulates real-life scenarios within a hospital environment in which diverse technologies are integrated for improved patient care, workflows, and management of resources. Included is the Patient-Centric Smart Home which demonstrates RFID, RTLS, sensors, and wireless technology as part of a fully integrated continuum.
- Interoperability Showcase – combined with the Meaningful Use Experience, this huge area in Hall F demonstrates how collaborative technology is the key to connected health and patient empowerment. Includes an Interoperability Simulation Area and Use Case Interoperability Tours.
- Knowledge Centers – these focused areas provide real-world expertise, education, vendor products and services, and resources on two cutting edge HIT topics. In Hall B, discover the industry’s role in improving patient care and population health while reducing costs. “Clinical and business intelligence is taking data to the next level to deliver on the Triple Aim,” said Shelley Price, director of payer and life sciences for HIMSS. “And that’s really the core intent of healthcare transformation.” And in Hall E, mobile health is the new buzzword. “We’ll have up to 20 exhibits planned,” said David Collins, senior director of mHIMSS. “It’s all mobile health solutions in one footprint of a 100 square-foot space, where you can go through and tour specific mobile solutions.”
With some advance planning and exhibit hall map in hand (not to mention comfortable shoes), you can make the most of your visit to this year’s exciting HIMSS14 exhibits. See for yourself the industry’s most innovative healthcare and business solutions in action.
SOURCE: HIMSS
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