The Totally Unofficial Guide to #HIMSS15 Hashtags

Many attendees of the 2015 Health Information and Management Systems Society conference in Chicago know the official list of hashtags used for the conference. The HIMSS organization has defined this Official #HIMSS15 Hashtag Guide.

Here’s the totally unofficial, unsanctioned, probably not approved by the lawyers and certain to offend someone list of Unofficial #HIMSS15 Hashtags.

Updated on 4/10/15 @ 10:43 PST: Added #HIMSSFashion & #HIMSSStalker

Unofficial #HIMSS15 Hashtags
Warning! Be extremely thoughtful, cautious and careful using these powerful hashtags. Lives, reputations, employment status and marriages can be unduly impacted with their careless use.

#HIMSSBestSpeaker 
- Used to note a particularly good conference speaker or presenter.

#HIMSSBling
- Call out vendors giving out good booth swag or prizes. See also #HIMSSSwag and #HIMSSSwagRat. To note vendors giving out lame swag, add the #HIMSSMustAvoid hashtag.

#HIMSSBlingRat
- A person who visits vendor booths solely for the handouts/bling/swag. Typically identified by someone carrying multiple bulging bags and running from booth to booth. Often seen multiple times at the same vendor booths tagged with #HIMSSSwag and #HIMSSMustSee. See also #HIMSSSwagRat.

#HIMSSBoothBabe
- An attractive or nice looking female booth attendee. See also #HIMSSBoothStud

#HIMSSBoothStud
- A attractive or nice looking male booth attendee. See also #HIMSSBoothBade

#HIMSSBro
- A male conference attendee. See also #HIMSSChick.

#HIMSSBrownNoser
- A session attendee tossing out over the top compliments to the session presenter.

#HIMSSChick
- A female conference attendee. Not to be confused with #HITChicks which are a superset of #HIMSSChicks due to their above average health IT intelligence, exceptional poise and both inner and outer beauty AND their exclusive association with the #HITChicks LinkedIn Group. See also #HIMSSBro.

#HIMSSDanceOff
- A challenge to prove the HealthIT-niess of two or more attendees. Often used to challenge a potential poser to prove his or her HealthIT-niess. As in "I challenge you to a #HIMSSDanceOff - right now @TechGuy!"

#HIMSSFashion
- Used to call out a well-dressed conference or booth attendee.

#HIMSSFood
- Used to call out an on or off-site eating opportunity – whether a must-see or must-avoid place. Include the optional #HIMSSMustSee or #HIMSSMustAvoid to further qualify the eating opportunity.

#HIMSSLackey
- A HIMSS staffer who works behind the scenes with little to no recognition or praise. Likely highly intelligent, low paid and humble. See also #HIMSSPawn.

#HIMSSMustAvoid
- Identifies a booth, session, restaurant or other place that must be avoided at all costs. See also #HIMSSMustSee

#HIMSSMustSee
- Identifies a booth, session, restaurant or other place that is a must-see for all attendees. See also #HIMSSMustAvoid

#HIMSSPawn
- Identifies a conference attendee, vendor person or support staff that does a lot of work without any attention, recognition or glory. See also #HIMSSLackey

#HIMSSPickupLines
- A line that can be used in an attempt to meet a member of the opposite sex.

#HIMSSPics
- Any picture of the HIMSS Conference Event. See also #HIMSSSelfie

#HIMSSSeatHog
- A person who takes up more than one seat and/or reserves more than one seat at a keynote address, education session or resting place. Show your scorn for #HIMSSSeatHogs by taking and posting a picture of their hoginess. Be sure to include the #HIMSSPic hashtag too.

#HIMSSelfies
- Used to identify a "selfie" - which is a picture taken by an individual of themselves or a group surrounding the picture taker.

Note: This tag was originally conceived by Mandi Bishop (aka @MandiBPro). Note her use of 2 "S's" - So this may also be used to note little tiny elf's seen at HIMSS. You know...An "elf" as in a supernatural creature of folk tales, typically represented as a small, elusive figure in human form with pointed ears, magical powers, and a capricious nature.

#HIMSSSwag
- Used to identify a vendor handing out good booth bling. See also #HIMSSBling, #HIMSSBlingRat and #HIMSSSwagRat.

#HIMSSSwagRat
- A person who visits vendor booths solely for the handouts/swag/bling. See also #HIMSSBlingRat

Additions - 3/11/15
Thanks to HIMSS Social Media Ambassador Linda Stotsky aka. @EMRAnswers for the following unofficial hashtags. Definition and commentary added by @HITConfGuy.

#HIMSSParty
- Identifies parties held before, during and after the event and days of the event.

#HIMSSMeetup
- Identifies meetup’s and conversations held before, during and after the conference.

#HIMSSH2O
- Identifies locations for obtaining water and other beverages. Keep this one handy! Remember what happened in New Orleans last year? See also #HIMSSJava, #HIMSSCandy and #HIMSSTreat

#HIMSSJava
- Identifies locations for obtaining coffee and other fuels to keep you going during the conference. See also #HIMSSH2O

#HIMSSShoes
- Used to identify cool, classy, nice, crazy and otherwise extraordinary footwear seen around the conference center. (as in "Did u see those shoes @MandiBPro is wearing??? #HIMSSShoes #HIMSSMustSee)

#HIMSSCameos
- Used to note the appearance of a famous or semi-famous person like keynote speakers sGeorge W. Bush and Karen DeSalvo. Maybe Health IT Luminaries like Brian Ahier, Chicago native Mr. T or maybe Geraldo Rivera - who apparently had something for Chicago guy Al Capone?

#HIMSSInterview
- Flags scheduled and impromptu interviews you’d like to share with others.

#HIMSSGadgets
- Identify cool gadgets and other things you’d like to call out to others.

#HIMSSCandy
- As in all of it, where is it and how good was it. See also #HIMSSJava and HIMSSTreat.

#HIMSSTreat
- Identifies any edibles and where they're available. Be sure to include clear directions to the location. See also #HIMSSJava and #HIMSSCandy.

Additions - 4/09/15
Thanks to John Lynn @TechGuy for the #HIMSSHaze hashtag. Definition and commentary added by @HITConfGuy.

#HIMSSHaze
- a slight obscuration of mental acuity prior to and often during the HIMSS Conference, typically caused by well meaning but misguided vendor PR people inundating media with last minute requests for meetings. synonyms: #HIMSSMist, #HIMSSFog.

Additions - 4/10/15

#HIMSSFashion - Used to note the classy, stylish wardrobe, accessories and/or manner of behavior of certain select HIMSS attendees.  A HIMSS attendee classified with the #HIMSSFashion hashtag has a strong belief and demonstrates that fashion, form and function are not mutually exclusive. Origination of this hashtag is attributed to the classy, stylish and well-behaved (as far as one can tell) Dr. Geeta Nayyar @gnayyar.

#HIMSSStalker – a HIMSS attendee or person who stealthily hunts or relentlessly pursues a specific person, vendor or topic in the realm of health information technology. For instance, Charles Webster might be considered a workflow #HIMSSStalker. Origination of this hashtag is attributed to the complex, yet adaptive theoricist Ryan Lucas @dz45tr

Note that in some instances it is appropriate to use multiple hashtags to further qualifiy your tweet or search. For instance, #HIMSSFood and #HIMSSMustAvoid to inform others of a poor dining experience

Do you have any others? Please let me know and I’ll add them to the list!

Also, for more information on the 2015 HIMSS Conference, consider following @HITConfGuy.