Key Takeaways from the HIMSS 2019 Conference

The Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society trade show, commonly known as HIMSS, is among the largest trade shows in the world, drawing more than 42,000 people looking for the latest innovations and emerging trends in health information technology.

It’s so big, it can almost be overwhelming.

But I did find two key takeaways during my recent visit to HIMSS 2019, held February 11-15 in Orlando, FL:

• The importance of the intersection between the public and private sectors in health care
• The increasing prevalence of non-traditional entrants into the health care space

The opening keynote set the stage for discussions of the importance of the intersection between the public and private sectors in health care as panel participants talked about new regulations introduced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC). The proposed rules aim to improve electronic access to health information.

Education sessions then highlighted the increasing presence of non-traditional companies entering the health care space: from companies focused on block chain as an interoperability solution to Amazon, JP Morgan, and Berkshire Hathaway. I was impressed with the way leading health systems and payers are adopting new technology to improve the lives of their patients.

RTI International has been supporting public-sector health care for more than 30 years, and now, through our newly launched RTI Center for Health Care Advancement, we are joining the non-traditional companies entering the private-sector health care space. The big difference between RTI and many other new entrants into this space is that we know health care.

RTI has decades of experience working with federal clients to identify ways to improve health and health care through the development and testing of new payment models, interventions, and technology applications. The RTI Center for Health Care Advancement is leveraging that experience to help private market clients navigate the complex, changing rules of today. Our broad experience evaluating the effectiveness of health care programs and technologies positions us well to advise private market companies as they evaluate their potential impact and effectiveness.

I came away from the 2019 HIMSS conference energized by the people I met and excited by the opportunities for The RTI Center for Health Care Advancement to positively contribute and support payers and providers looking for health technology solutions.

Go to our Health IT & Informatics Capability Page to learn more about how we can help you effectively use health IT to maximize value.