News Feature | April 7, 2015

What IT Solutions Providers Can Learn At HIMSS15

By Megan Williams, contributing writer

Healthcare IT News For VARs — January 16, 2015

HIMSS15 is coming up, and it promises to be an enormous event. It features:

  • An expected 38,000 visitors

  • 200 live education sessions

  • 1.3 million square feet of exhibits

Highlights Of Interest To Solutions Providers

Monday, April 13

ICS-CERT Lessons Learned for Medical Device Security
Session ID: CS1
11:30AM - 12:00PM CT

Securing Healthcare IT Operations In The Cloud
Session ID: CS2
12:15PM - 12:45PM CT

Cyber ROI
Session ID: CS3
1:00PM - 1:30PM

Cyber Risk - Are You Prepared For An Advanced Cyber Attack?
Session ID: CS7
4:00PM - 4:30PM C

Tuesday, April 14

It's Time For A Security Wake-up Call: Re-think Security
Session ID: CS12
11:30AM - 12:00

Cure For The Common Cloud: How Healthcare Can Safely Enable The Cloud
Session ID: CS14
1:00PM - 1:30PM CT

Identifying Vulnerabilities And Mitigating Risk: Follow The Patient Data
Session ID: CS18
4:00PM - 4:30PM CT

Wednesday, April 15

Cyber Security And The Current State Of HIPAA Enforcement
Session ID: CS21
10:00AM - 10:30AM CT

Afraid Of The Dark: Healthcare Threats You Can’t See
Session ID: CS24
12:15PM - 12:45PM CT

Improving Healthcare Security With Big Data
Session ID: CS28
3:15PM - 3:45PM CT

The entire list of sessions available here

The Cybersecurity Command Center

One of the newest features is the Cybersecurity Command Center, where visitors will have the opportunity to listen to experts from both government and industry. You’ll also have the chance to connect with peers, interact with a ransomware attack simulator, take quizzes and tests, and even play daily games of Capture the Flag to win prizes that protect a virtual hospital network.

Semi-Finalists And Finalists Announced For HX360 Challenge

The first annual HX360 Innovation Challenge will be wrapping up at HIMSS15. The purpose of the event is to recognize companies in healthcare that have made the most notable strides in, and contributions to improving the patient experience in not-for-profit hospitals and health systems. Two winners will receive cash and other prizes to launch their customer pilot programs. Four finalists were selected from the group of 16 on the basis of improved patient satisfaction, access to care, increased patient convenience, patient empowerment, access to health information, positive impact, and market readiness.

The four chosen finalists are:

  • Clockwise.MD: Developed an online platform that allows patients to check-in for medical appointment with a text message on expected wait times (Read about the security of healthcare’s text messages here)
  • Ginger.io: Developed an mHealth solution that uses machine learning analytics and passive data gathered through smartphone sensors, designed to help patients and caregivers create better behavioral health care plans. (Read about the future of mHealth here)
  • Wellframe: Developed a platform that is designed to convert evidence-based clinical protocols to multi-media, daily health checklists for consumers on mobile devices.
  • WiserCare: Developed a method of analyzing a patient’s quality of life, clinical situation, treatment goals to develop improved guidance on treatment plans.

The two winners will receive access to $75,000 in cash and legal services used to fund new pilot programs at not-for-profit systems in the U.S. Their pilots will be identified by AVIA, the accelerator that co-founded HX360 in partnership with HIMSS.

Going Deeper

Read about resources that HIMSS offers year-round here.