So? What did you think of HIMSS21? I’ve been asking myself the same question since attending the delayed event in Las Vegas, NV. Like many of you, we asked ourselves, “will it happen? But we ultimately decided that with the proper precautions in place by both HIMSS and ourselves, we should take the opportunity to engage our healthcare community in person.
So we packed our bags, our masks, and our sanitizer and headed to Las Vegas. In true HIMSS fashion, they welcomed attendees with a fantastic opening reception that included entertainment and appetizing food. Exhibitors had unique coffee stations throughout the halls daily – those were a big hit. We also spotted a magician one day but also noticed there were not as many “gimmicky” attractions to lure people in, as during previous years. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement to reduce the flashiness and focus on our purpose – Healthcare, information technology, and safety.
Integration seemed to be the biggest focus this year. Healthcare providers and vendors are looking to integrate EHRs and Devices to create a cohesive patient record and ultimately improve patient care. Attendees were eager to learn how our CareBridge Interface Engine would help them accomplish these goals.
We found it interesting that despite the attendance rate being less than usual, the engagement level was up. Attendees were interested in real conversations, not just our light-up bracelets or the daily drawing we hosted. It was clear that our healthcare peers were glad to have a chance to meet in person. Despite the masks hiding attendee’s face expressions, which are critical in conversations, the engagement was one of the best takeaways this year.
Overall, HIMSS21 was worth the trip. Even with everything going on, we felt safe. Given that everyone had to have their vaccination status verified, masks were required, the unlimited availability of hand sanitizer, and most importantly, that this is a healthcare conference, we felt like it was worth it. We considered that healthcare-centric participants would take the health and safety of others just as seriously as we do.
It takes a meeting of the minds of this magnitude to help combat this global pandemic, and as long as eMedApps can contribute safely and effectively, we will continue to do so.
