HIMSS Mania 2011

The big HIMSS conference is here once again (for those not in the field - that is the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society... the conference is 5 days, about 30,000 people). 

I'm looking forward to hearing keynote talks from former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and Actor/Parkinson's Advocate Michael J. Fox, as well as CMS chief Don Berwick.  And I'm wondering if David Blumenthal will give his usual rah-rah talk to the audience he has been giving (as head of ONCHIT), or if he will plan to unleash how he might really feel as he is "retiring" this spring. 

I'm also looking forward to catching up with a lot of friends and colleagues, as well as meeting new folks, hearing new ideas and seeing new products - it's a big event and a long haul, but I always walk away with some new ideas and inspiration at this event (as well as achy feet).

I've been helping out with a "sub-conference" at HIMSS called HIT X.0.  It is basically a track of "special" educational sessions which highlight innovation and future thinking, with a fun twist.  It will be held in a single auditorium that seats up to 900 people and I'm moderating/presenting at four of these sessions - so if you are at HIMSS, hope you can make these!  

FYI, if you registered for the HIT X.0 "sub-conference" separately - you will be guaranteed seats (they limited registrations to around 900)... BUT, if you didn't register for it - you can just show up a bit early and about 5-10 minutes before the event starts they will open the doors to everyone (since you have to assume that all 900 won't be showing up for every session).
Here is what will be keeping me busy for part of each day:

HIT Geeks Got Talent? Round 1
Monday, February 21, 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Description:  HIT Geeks Got Talent?" HIT X.0 is a multi-media educational series that takes attendees on a trip to the not-too-distant future of healthcare technology. Building on the blockbuster reality show "America's Got Talent", these sessions will host a talent-search-like format featuring eight contestants demonstrating their latest technologies developed for the healthcare IT space.  The three judges will be:
* Erica Drazen, FHIMSS, Partner, CSC Healthcare Group
* Dave Garets, FHIMSS, Executive Director, Advisory Board Company
* Jonathan Teich, MD, PhD, FHIMSS, FACMI; Chief Medical Information Officer, Elsevier
AND the Audience gets to help choose the four finalists

HIT Geeks Got Talent? Final Round
Tuesday, February 22, 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
The four finalists vie for a shot at top HIT Geek!
Same judges, same audience participation!

Iron Programmer Challenge: Agile Programming for Web and Mobile
Wednesday, February 23, 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Description:  Iron Chef meets HIT!  We give two teams the same "ingredients" (specifications for a new tool) and they use "agile software development" (quick, iterative) to create a web or mobile solution.
Objectives:
* Learn about the benefits of agile programming methodologies and how it can be used to create solutions which can work in parallel or be interfaced with your EMRs and other IT systems.
* Think about how own organization can use agile programming techniques to build small focused tools which result in "quick wins" for your users.
* See and hear how two teams of agile programmers addressed this challenge and created brand new tools. These tools will be demonstrated at the session.
Check out Healthfinch ("We create easy-to-use medical apps for clinicians.") and their blog to get an idea of what one team is working on for this challenge!

Expensive, Exasperating and Exhausting - EHR the Extormity Way
Thursday, February 24, 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Description: Fictional Extormity CEO Brantley Whittington explains how his company combines the principles of extortion and conformity to extract revenues from hospitals and physicians who pay dearly for its proprietary EHR solutions.
Objectives:
* Describe the need for physicians and healthcare executives to suspend disbelief and allocate significant budgets to the purchase and maintenance of an inflexible client-server EHR from Extormity.
* Learn to self-attest to meaningful use in a convincing manner, confidently proclaiming that with the aid of Extormity, you have met all the requirements and there is absolutely no need for an audit.
* Practice endorsing your stimulus checks over to Extormity, as this EHR solution will require every penny of the ARRA funds you receive.
* Prepare for breach notification, as the security protocols embedded in the Extormity EHR will no doubt result in a leak of PHI.
* Learn about Extormity's shackled PHR solution that takes the tethered patient portal model to a new level, turning patients into indentured servants.