HIMSS23 will be here before you know it. This year’s conference takes place April 17-21 in Chicago. The conference will feature exhibits from health technology vendors, keynote speakers, networking opportunities, and special forums on topics ranging from interoperability to building effective digital health strategies.
To help you get the most out of HIMSS23, let’s take a look at some of healthcare executives’ top concerns to keep in mind during presentations and when visiting vendor exhibits, as well as what to expect from each of the six keynote addresses.
Top Concerns According to Healthcare Executives
Healthcare executives have a lot of concerns and challenges to deal with. Let’s look at some of the most pressing ones according to some recent surveys.
CIO Challenges
With HIMSS being a health IT-focused conference, let’s start with CIO-specific concerns. Becker’s recently asked CIO’s at 12 health systems about their three most pressing health IT issues. The most popular responses were:
- Staffing
- Cybersecurity
- Making IT stress-free
- Innovation
- Embracing technology
Other top challenges include: interoperability, supply chain, digital health disruption, and health IT complexity. With these issues in mind, CIO’s attending HIMSS23 should look for health tech solutions that do the following:
- Reduce burnout by automating routine tasks, streamlining workflows, and improving efficiency
- Improve cybersecurity, and
- Provide innovative, cutting-edge offerings that are simple to use and help differentiate the health system from competitors and disruptors
CEO Concerns
The American College of Healthcare Executives recently published the results of a survey they conducted ranking the top concerns of healthcare CEO’s. Like the CIO’s in Becker’s report, CEO’s are most concerned with “workforce challenges” – particularly personnel shortages and burnout. Rounding out the top five are:
- Financial challenges
- Behavioral health/addiction issues
- Patient safety and quality, and
- Governmental mandates
CEO’s attending HIMSS23 will likely be interested in the same solutions as CIO’s, but should also look for solutions that:
- Improve the revenue cycle and maximize ROI, reimbursement, and productivity
- Improve their system’s behavioral health offerings
- Improve patient experience, safety, and quality of care, and
- Facilitate compliance with governmental mandates
For the full list of top concerns facing healthcare CEO’s, download our free infographic.
HIMSS23 Keynotes
In addition to vendor exhibits and presentations, HIMSS23 also features 6 keynote addresses covering a variety of topics. Here’s a breakdown of each keynote address.
Tuesday, April 18 – Responsible AI: Prioritizing Patient Safety, Privacy, and Ethical Considerations
The opening keynote of HIMSS23 explores the importance of developing AI systems that benefit society with ethical principles and human values in mind. The discussion will focus on various aspects of AI, including privacy, security, bias, and more. The speakers for this keynote are:
- Reid Blackman – Author and Chief Executive Officer, Virtue
- Kay Firth-Butterfield – Head of AI/ML and Executive Committee Member, World Economic Forum
- Peter Lee – Corporate Vice President, Research & Incubation, Microsoft Corporation
- Christopher Ross – Chief Information Officer, Mayo Clinic
Get familiar with all things AI by reading this AI primer by Healthcare IT News.
Wednesday, April 19 – Healthcare Disruption: Accelerated Opportunities for Care Delivery Alternatives
As retail giants like Amazon, Walmart, and CVS have waded into the world of healthcare, it’s imperative for traditional healthcare providers to evolve to meet the changing landscape and consumers’ expectations. In this keynote, HIMSS speakers examine the future of care delivery, including opportunities for traditional providers to evolve how and where healthcare is delivered. Keynote speakers are:
- Tim Barry – Chair and Chief Executive Officer, VillageMD
- Deborah DiSanzo – President, Best Buy Health
- Vin Gupta – Medical Analyst, NBC News and Chief Medical Officer, Amazon Pharmacy
- Andrea M. Walsh – President and Chief Executive Officer, HealthPartners
For tips on combatting healthcare disruptors, read our blog.
Thursday, April 20 – Digital Transformation and Health Equity: A Global Discussion on the Journey Ahead
It’s no secret that equitable access to healthcare is one of the biggest challenges in the industry. This comes at a time when providers are contending with other challenges such as cyber attacks, staff shortages, and financial constraints. This keynote features Hans Kluge, Regional Director for Europe, World Health Organization, and Ernst Kuipers, Minster of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Netherlands. The pair will discuss the challenges of ensuring access to high-quality care and how the healthcare community can work together for health equity.
Friday, April 21 – Final Three Keynotes
The final day of HIMSS23 features 3 keynote addresses:
- Are More Turbulent Times Ahead for Healthcare? An Economic Outlook (Part One) – With fears of a looming recession, Mark Zandi, Chief Economist and Co-Founder of Moody Analytics discusses what to expect economically over the next few years.
- Winning the Game of Life (Part Two) – Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin shares the story of his on-the-field collapse in an NFL game last December and how it’s changed his life and provided unexpected opportunities.
- Closing Keynote: Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty – Ben Nemtin, Co-Founder of The Buried Life shares tips for overcoming challenges during uncertain times.
Look for Us at HIMSS!
If you’re attending HIMSS23, be sure to stop by booth 3319 to see how our enterprise healthcare solutions partner, Novarad, is improving healthcare through innovative solutions. From PACS to AR surgical guidance systems, Novarad is at the forefront of healthcare innovation. Representatives from our Novarad South division will also be in attendance, so we hope to see you there!
