HIMSS now in light of HMSS then
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society has come a long way since its first national convention in 1962, when it had a roster of 54 members, no “I” in its acronym and a grand total of $587.03 in the bank.
(To be fair, an additional $476 was outstanding in receivables. This was to be collected at the rates of $20 in dues for full members, $15 for associate members and $10 for affiliate members.)
The “H” in HIMSS stood for Hospital.
The one-day event, a joint affair with the AHA’s Advanced Institute on Methods Improvement, proceeded as planned on April 1 at Baltimore’s late, unlamented Emerson Hotel (built 1911, razed 1971).
And one of the top orders of business was commissioning the design of the organization’s official logo. The members would soon go on to approve a “seal” incorporating a medical cross, a lamp of knowledge and “an orbit of process chart symbols denoting modern professional practice in the age of electronics.”
Yes, I’ve been reading history again. Why not? There’s some wonderful stuff to be found in here.
There’s also some wonderful stuff to be found, starting today, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.
HIMSS16 is making good use of the site’s 2.25 million-plus square feet of show floor and meeting space. Throughout the week, the top chatter points amid the glitter will likely relate to 21st-century concerns like interoperability, connected health and—going out on a limb here—mobile everything.
In attendance are more than 25,000 individuals, the majority of whom work for providers (44 percent), vendors (20 percent) or consultancies (16 percent).
By job title, the biggest single identifiable category is C-suite execs (31 percent), followed by other IT professionals (24 percent) and senior management (18 percent).
One of the keynote speakers is a household name across America, while two others are familiar in healthcare settings and business offices (Peyton Manning, Sylvia Burwell and Michael Dell).
Yes indeed, hospital/healthcare management systems have come a long way since 1962. So too the society that’s done so much meaningful work to propel the growth.
Whether or not you’re among the imaging people attending HIMSS16, you can keep up with the key proceedings—sure to be epic, maybe even historic—by following @HealthImaging and @ClinicalInnTech all week.
Dave Pearson, Senior Writer
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.