Yes, it’s time for the insanity that is HIMSS and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what HIMSS brings to us.
We get the chance to see our colleagues who we may only see once or twice a year – especially those of us who work remotely. I think I’ve only seen my boss about five times since last HIMSS. This is an important part of our social and business networking, and no, not the Facebook kind but real face-to-face time with our colleagues from across the nation.
We get an opportunity to hear from the best minds in the country about the issues facing healthcare and from the pioneers who have already “done that” now sharing their triumphs and their “should’ve, would’ve, could’ve” experiences.
Touring the exhibit hall is always a mind-expanding experience as we see the ideas, products and services that are already in place and those that may be still be vaporware but only a step away from everyday practice.
One thing that many people are going to be seeking is assistance with ensuring their organization meets the meaningful use criteria. Every advance marketing piece I’ve received has touted meaningful use. While reading one card, I thought, “what in the heck does that company understand about meaningful use?” Make sure that whatever vendor you are considering for services or product truly understands the healthcare environment. Or are they going to drop off, switch on, or hookup their product without truly understanding the impact on workflow and business needs?
So just a quick reminder - ask some hard questions about experience and understanding before being dazzled by the possibilities.
Cheryl Parker is senior informatics specialist at Motion Computing
