16 Mar Despite economy: Technology Confabs report record attendance
MADISON– While many national business conferences are being scaled back or canceled as a result of economic conditions, the HIMSS 2009 conference for health IT professionals and vendors located in Chicago reports that total conference registration parallels the record-breaking registration figures during this same time frame for the 2008 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, Florida. The Digital Healthcare Conference (DHC2009) held in Madison, Wisconsin, May 7- 8 reports similar trends.
The growing registration number for HIMSS 20009 and DHC 2009 has been significantly impacted by healthcare information technology professionals who view these conference as a valuable educational venues related to the recent passage of federal reimbursement incentives for healthcare IT adoption, according to the Health Information Management and Systems Society.
“Hospital and ambulatory clinicians and IT professionals see the conference as an opportunity to learn more about the details, challenges and opportunities in the economic stimulus package,” said H. Stephen Lieber, HIMSS president/CEO. “We are offering more than 300 education sessions, including 11 special sessions on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
Regional Conferences are doing well. HIMMS and DHC conference registration are drawing heavily from the Midwest, with increase in attendees from those states contiguous to Illinois and Wisconsin.
Digital Healthcare Conference
WTN Media’s Fusion CEO- CIO Symposium produced March 4-5 in Madison, Wisconsin was sold out and the company reports that the Digital Healthcare Conference, to be held May 7-8, 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin is also experiencing an increase in early registration over the 2008 DHC conference.
Dr. Barry Chaiken, MD the incoming Chair of HIMMS will is co-chair of the symposium along with Peter Strombom, FCIME, founder and past chair of the College of Healthcare Information Executives (CHIME). The conference has attracted national speakers including Jim Adams, IBM Healthcare, Dr. Charles Kennedy, Wellpoint, Philip Loftus, CIO Aurora Healthcare, Patricia Brennan, RN, Professor – University of Wisconsin – Madison, Dr. Robert Carlson, CIO Marshfield Clinic as well as Rod Dykhouse, VP, Information technology and CIO, Prohealth Care.
The Digital Healthcare Conference early bird special registration special expires March 20, 2009.
HIMSS 2009 conference
Lieber said in a statement that he believes C-suite registrations for HIMSS 2009 have increased because organizations feel the need to have decision-makers on the ground in addition to their rank-and-file staff seeking education.
“New companies continue to sign up as exhibitors, said Lieber. They know attendees are seeking the healthcare IT solutions they offer.”
Whether an attendee or exhibitor, the business case for attending HIMSS 2009 Conference and DHC2009 combines targeted education sessions to give decision-makers more knowledge they can use on the with Vendors that offer the healthcare IT products and services they need to review, evaluate and purchase.
Held at McCormick Place, HIMSS starts Sunday, April 5 and continues through Wednesday afternoon, April 8. Go to www.himssconference.org/registration to register now and be part of the conference.
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society is the healthcare industry’s membership organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of healthcare information technology (HIT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare.
Founded in 1961 with offices in Chicago, Washington D.C., Brussels, Singapore, and other locations across the United States and the globe, HIMSS represents more than 20,000 individual members and over 350 corporate members that collectively represent organizations employing millions of people. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare public policy and industry practices through its advocacy, educational and professional development initiatives designed to promote information and management systems’ contributions to ensuring quality patient care.