As HIMSS 09 fades into the history books, and we look forward to next year – Atlanta, my home town, it’s important to reflect on what makes us all come back year after year. For those of you who missed my pre-HIMSS post, after 27 consecutive years of attending, the network you build is what makes putting up with the wait for cabs, crazy vendor gimmicks to pull you into their booth, and repetitive education sessions on the hot topics of the moment (this year its “meaningful use”, physician EHR and health information exchange), all worth the effort. Year after year certain characters are always there:
- The old timer who re-emerges once a year to let you know they are still around
- The newbie vendor who, on the outskirts of the exhibition, sees visions of grandeur in healthcare slowly fade away
- The money guys who are looking for that next big thing
- The giant corporation who enters healthcare only to later join the other bodies strewn on the healthcare information superhighway
- The sales guy who moves one booth down from last year
- The thought leader want-a-be who finally comes into their own by working for a large company
- The party hopper who well…that’s probably all of us to some extent
Each of you probably have some other categories to add. Year after year, I see old friends, meet a few new ones and recognize that ultimately when it’s all said in done, it’s the relationships you build and the work you do together to help the industry, that makes the difference. See you next year!
