Image Copyright: HIMSS (2022) . Coming to Chicago 2023 [Image]. Available at: himss.org/news/coming-chicago-2023-himss-gl.. [Accessed 07/05/2023]
All eyes turned to the HIMSS 2023 Global Conference that was held in Chicago, Illinois, in April this year. The event saw the attendance of some 40000 “thought leaders, disruptors and changemakers representing every sector across the global health information and technology spectrum.”
Over the course of the 5 days, eight major areas of discussion were covered:
1. Business: Guiding health leaders toward financial sustainability and operational excellence
2. Employee Engagement & Retention: Preparing people and organisations to tackle what’s next in health and wellness.
3. Data And Information: Securing and streamlining health information to improve care delivery.
4. Organizational Governance: Empowering health leaders to inspire change and lead strategically.
5. Personalized Care: Equipping caregivers with tools to keep patients and populations healthy.
6. Policy: Addressing the core issues of digital health with advocacy and public policy.
7. Process & Operations: Addressing a set of interrelated or interacting activities which transform inputs into outputs.
8. Technology: Examining digital solutions that improve care delivery and health management.
At the forefront of these discussions was specifically the use of Generative AI as a tool to assist clinicians reduce their administrative workload. Though revolutionary, regulatory guidelines regarding its use, particularly around decision support, are still being developed.
Another key topic was on leveraging data to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes, care delivery, and enhance patient experiences. The need for organisations to invest in digital transformation initiatives was emphasised. It was noted that these technologies could help streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.
Finally, speakers highlighted the need for organisations to focus on cybersecurity when implementing new technologies. They discussed how security measures should be taken into consideration during every stage of planning, in order to protect against potential threats such as ransomware.
Lee Kim, Senior Principal of Cybersecurity and Security at HIMSS, presented the highlights from the HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Study of 2022. In her talk, she attributed security vulnerability to staffing and retention challenges. Kim suggested greater investment was needed from companies in terms of formulating clear career paths and creating competitive compensation packages to attract (and retain) cybersecurity professionals.
Overall, this year’s HIMSS 2023 Conference provided attendees with valuable insights into the advancements in healthcare technology. Delegates certainly left the conference highly informed with actionable strategies to use within their own organisations. The conference convenes again in March 2024 in Orlando, Florida.
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