HIMSS20 trends we’re following

I look forward to attending HIMSS every year. The discussions and sessions are always insightful, and it’s inspiring to be surrounded by so many people dedicated to improving healthcare — for patients, employees and communities.

The HIMSS20 schedule is packed with topics that I’m excited to hear more about. Here are three trends my team and I will be following throughout the conference.

Consumerism in healthcare

With the advent of technology that provides you information about anything you want wherever and whenever you want, healthcare isn’t just a need-to-have service anymore. In many settings, it’s a choice for patients and families to make — who they want, where they want it, and what they want it to be like throughout their interaction and experience.

That adds a whole other level of considerations for hospitals to take on about providing not just the best care, but also the best experience that meets and exceeds patients’ expectations.

The pre-conference Consumerization of Health Forum looks to add a variety of perspectives about the topic.

Individual sessions that also sounds like great additions to this conversation include:

• What can healthcare learn from theme parks and museums? (session 184)
• Digital strategies for competing in the retail clinic era (session 237)
• Optimizing patient engagement and consumerism strategies (session CP25)

The influence of personal technology

Smart tech like voice assistants, wearable fitness trackers and phone apps are part of people’s daily lives. What role do they — or should they — play in professional healthcare? What actionable data from the smart tech would your patients provide to you, or you to your patients and colleagues? Can it facilitate proactive healthcare?

There’s a range of impact this kind of tech can have on personal health and the way people interact with their environment, but it also comes with some justifiable concerns.

I’m looking forward to seeing what people have to say about the possibilities during these sessions:

• Wearables 2020 panel (session IH18) and wearables and wireless products for 2025 discussion (session IH17)
• Integrating voice into digital products panel discussion (session IH61)
• Aligning with strategy: Mapping a case study in proactive innovation (session INV07)
• Innovation Forum: Driving transformation, creating value (pre-conference program)

Tech’s role in patient experience

The at-home, in-room and behind-the-scenes technology in healthcare can all influence a patient’s experience with your clinicians and health system. I expect that people from all fields will get great insights from events like these:

• Patient engagement and experience forum (pre-conference program)
• Hindsight 2020: Engagement from the patient perspective (session 65)
• Patient engagement: A part of a bigger strategy (session IL33)
• Driving to value through patient engagement and care access (session 22)

 

One of my favorite parts of HIMSS, though, is getting to talk to people at the exhibit hall. It’s wonderful to have those one-on-one conversations that answer questions, share ideas and discuss the possibilities.

If you’re heading to HIMSS20, my team and I would love to meet up with you — stop by our SONIFI Health booth (#1871) or sign up for a personal demo of our system.