Dateline: Chicago -- HIMSS Day 1
This is Bob Mitchell, managing editor of ADVANCE for Health Information Executives reporting from the HIMSS conference in Chicago. It's cold, cloudy and it snowed a few inches Sunday evening.
Here are some highlights from the first day of the conference:
The McCormick Place is the setting for this year's conference, whose theme is Architects of Change. With images of "Tear Down these Proprietary Walls," "Interoperability," and the like, CIOs and IT executives heard first hand how they can be architects of change in today's health care environment.
Chuck Christian, HIMSS chairman, CIO at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes, Ind., and a member of the ADVANCE editorial advisory board welcomed conference attendees -- estimated at more than 28,000 -- to Chicago.
Much of the focus here has been on the economic stimulus package and provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. With two years to demonstrate "meaningful use" of electronic medical record technology, CIOs are hearing how they can leverage those IT investments they have already made and what work still needs to be done.
Christian highlighted the investments that have already been made, and discussed that the budget of the National Coordinator of Health IT has increased from $60 million to $2 billion on the national health IT infrastructure.
Christian also highlighted the more than 900 exhibitors and more than 200 companies who are launching new products and services at HIMSS. He challenged HIMSS members to turn this week's conversations in Chicago into action when they return to their respective hospitals/health systems. But one was left wondering, "how do we do that?" A daunting task, indeed.
During the opening keynote address, actor Dennis Quaid described the almost life-ending overdose of medication given to his twin children shortly after birth. Many speculated prior to the HIMSS conference, what Quaid could honestly say to health IT executives that wouldn't come across as chastising health care professionals for the medical errors that occurred. Quaid struck a balance, thanking IT executives, and specifically HIMSS members, for the work they are doing. He said that HIMSS members are on the cutting edge of health IT. "The technology is ready. We need your leadership to adopt the technology," Quaid said.
He expressed the need for set standards and interoperability.
At the conclusion of his keynote address, Christian presented a $10,000 check to the Quaid foundation from HIMSS.
I also attended an educational presentation on the State Officials Legislative Forum. Because most of the work that is being done at the state level in establishing e-health initiatives, four state legislators presented on what their respective states are doing in terms of health IT. The presentors included Massachusetts State Senator Richard Moore, Indiana State Representative Peggy Walsh, New Jersey Assemblyman Dr. Herb Conaway and Iowa Representative Linda Upmeyer. Check my blog regularly when I return from Chicago for further updates on this and other educational sessions.
Today, I'll be attending sessions on Lean, Strategies from the Ground Up and Hospital IT Consolidation. On Tuesday, I'll be attending The Paperless Hospital and The Smart Patient Room. Again, check back on my blog for further updates on these and other education sessions that I will be attending.