The Totally Unofficial #HIMSS16 Hashtag Guide

Here’s this year's Unsanctioned, Probably not Approved by the Lawyers, and Certain to Offend Someone, Totally Unofficial #HIMSS16 Hashtag Guide for the 2016 HIMSS Conference in Las Vegas. These hashtags are intended to supplement the Official #HIMSS16 Hashtags.

General 

#HIMSS16Hacks

Identifies tips, ideas, practices and/or tactics enabling an attendee to get the most out of their HIMSS conference experience.

#HIMSS16Newbie

Identifies a first time HIMSS conference attendee. Must be used with utmost respect as #HIMSSNewbie’s represent the future of health information technology.

#HIMSSVegasBaby

General exclamation of excitement that can be used before, during and after the conference. Heard often at the McCarran International Airport’s baggage claim area.

#HIMSSSMA

Identifies a HIMSS Social Media Ambassador (SMA) and/or something wise and newsworthy uttered by a SMA.

#HIMSSSanity

A tag used to identify the general craziness generated by 40,000 health IT-crazed individuals converging for the HIMSS conference. Origination of this hashtag is attributed to Larry Lin – a former #HIMSSLuminary who has gone undercover or into the witness protection program. Shhh…

#HIMSSSpeedDating
The process of hitting up as many vendors, exhibits and meetings as you can during the actual conference. 

Attributed to Neil Versel aka. @nversel

Conference

#HIMSSBestSpeaker

Used to note a particularly good conference speaker or presenter. Must be used sparingly.

#HIMSSMeetup

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

#HIMSSInterview

Flags scheduled or impromptu interviews conference attendees want to to share with others.

#HIMSSMustSee

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

#HIMSSMustAvoid

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

#HIMSSXXWrath

A form of negative attention that might be put upon the author of this blog if timely clarifications are not made to certain Unofficial Hashtag definitions.

Bling, Swag & Such

#HIMSSBling

Calls out vendors giving out good booth swag or prizes. See also #HIMSSSwag and #HIMSSSwagRat. Note: Identify exhibitors offering lame swag with 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.

#HIMSSSwag

Used to identify a vendor handing out good stuff. See also #HIMSSBling, #HIMSSBlingRat and #HIMSSSwagRat.

#HIMSSSwagRat

A person who visits vendor booths solely for the handouts/swag/bling. Often seen running through the exhibit hall and cutting in lines. See also #HIMSSBlingRat

The People of HIMSS

#HIMSSHotties 
Describes pleasantly pretty HIMSS Conference attendees of the female variety. Not to be confused with #HIMSSBoothBabe

Attributed to @ErinEWold via this tweet

#HIMSSSwagger
A confident HIMSS attendee. Not to be confused with #HIMSSSwag

Attributed to @dz45tr  

#HIMSSBoothBabe

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

#HIMSSBoothStud

An attractive or nice looking male booth attendee. See also #HIMSSBoothBabe. 

#HIMSSChick

Any female conference attendee who wants to be at the conference. Not to be confused with #HealthITChicks who are a superset of #HIMSSChick’s due to their above average health IT intelligence, exceptional poise, inner beauty AND their likely association with the #HealthITChicks LinkedIn Group. See also #HIMSSBro.

#HIMSSBro

Male conference attendee who often participates in healthcare-related tweetchats. See also #HIMSSChick.

#HIMSStud

A handsome HIMSS conference attendee. Often seen with a #HIMSSChick. Or two.

#HIMSSKid

The offspring of HIMSS conference attendees. Usually the primary consumers of all #HIMSSBling or #HIMSSSwag collected at the conference. 

#HIMSSLuminary

A famous or semi-famous person in the healthcare IT sphere. 

#HIMSSCameo

Used to note the appearance of a famous or semi-famous person like keynote speakers Peyton Manning or Michael Dell. Might be used to identify a Health IT Luminary like Brian Ahier , Brad Justus or a Las Vegas entertainer like Wayne Newton

#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.

#HIMSSPawn

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

#HIMSSBrownNoser

A session attendee who tosses out over the top compliments to session presenters, vendors, attendees or others like kids tossing peanuts to elephants at the circus.

#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. Origination of this hashtag is attributed to the complex, yet adaptive theorist Ryan Lucas @dz45tr

#HIMSSMakers

A movement that creates physical or virtual objects –most often using 3D printing technology – and somehow associated with the HIMSS Conference.

Attributed to Charles Webster aka. @wareflo

#HIMSS16TweetHog

A person who over shares and abuses the #HIMSS16 hashtag. Not to be confused with a #HIMSSSeatHog

#HIMSSSeatHog

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

Fashion, Styles & Art

#HIMSSArt
Used to identify artsy, crafty items ranging from the sophisticated to kitschy. Be sure to visit @XeroxHealthcare's booth 8005 to see the sophisticated art of @ReginaHolliday.

Origination of this hashtag is attributed to Surfer Dude HealthIT Media Guy @2healthguru Gregg Masters.

#HIMSSFashion

Used to note the classy, stylish wardrobe, accessories and/or manner of behavior of certain select HIMSS attendees. A HIMSS attendee tagged with #HIMSSFashion 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.

#HIMSSShoes

Used to identify cool, classy, nice, crazy and/or otherwise extraordinary footwear seen around the conference center. As in "Did you see those #HIMSSShoes @MandiBPro is wearing?”

#HIMSSPapaNeedsNewShoes

Notes a male attendee needing to get some comfortable walking shoes.

Attributed to Joe Lavelle aka. @Resultant

#HIMSS16Shopping

Used to describe a form of retail therapy. Respectfully associated with the female gender. Also used to call out a screaming bargain that must be shared with fellow HIMSS conference attendees.

Attributed to John Lynn aka. @techguy

#HIMSSChaChing

Used to express a big HIMSS conference win – on the exhibit floor, in a conference session or in one of the many casinos.

Eat, Drink & Be Wary

#HIMSSFood

Used to call out an on-site or off-site eatery. Include the optional #HIMSSMustSee or #HIMSSMustAvoid to further qualify the eating opportunity. See also #HIMSSTreat

#HIMSSJava

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

#HIMSSDrinks

Identifies locations for obtaining water and other beverages. Keep this one handy! Remember what happened in New Orleans in 2013? See also #HIMSSJava and #HIMSSTreat

#HIMSSTreat

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

Techie Stuff

#HIMSSelfie

Used to identify a "selfie" - which is a picture taken by an individual of themselves or a group surrounding the picture taker. Per Brian Ahier @ahier, a selfie MUST be taken by one of the individuals shown in the picture.

#HIMSSPic

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

#HIMSSGadget

Identifies cool gadgets and/or other mechanical things that should be called out to others.

HIMSS State of Mind

#HIMSSHaze

A slight obscuration of mental acuity occurring prior to and/or 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.

#HIMSSomnia

A condition created by the excitement of preparing for and attending the HIMSS conference. Usually wears off a few days after the conference. (What @MandiBPro won’t have after 18:00 Vegas time)

Attributed to Mandi Bishop Meyer aka. @MandiBPro

#HIMSSMist

Used to identify a vendor employing savvy marketing intended to mask the reality of the vendor’s under-developed and over-hyped offering.

#HIMSSPeasouper

See #HIMSSMist

#HIMSSPickupLines

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

Now It's a Party!

#HIMSSParty
Identifies parties of any nature held before, during or after each day of the conference

#HIMSSScavangerHunt
A game where typically mature, reserved adults go all out in search of illusive #HIMSSSwag or #HIMSSBling.

Attributed to Colin Hung aka. @Colin_Hung

#HIMSSDanceOff

A challenge to prove the HealthIT-niess of two or more HIMSS attendees. Often used to challenge someone to prove his or her HealthIT-niess; as in "I am NOT a #HIMSSTweetHog! I challenge you to a #HIMSSDanceOff - right now @TechGuy!"

New Tools

#HIMSSBlab

A HIMSS-related event or happening shared via the popular video streaming platform Blab. See also #HIMSSPeri.

Attributed to Charles Webster aka. @wareflo

#HIMSSPeri

A HIMSS-related event or happening shared via the popular video streaming platform Periscope. See also #HIMSSBlab

Attributed to Charles Webster aka. @wareflo

Everything Else

#HIMSSNoMoICD10

Declaration that ICD-10 will no longer be a hot topic at the HIMSS conference. Thank God!

Attributed to Joe Lavelle aka. @Resultant

#HIMSSNordic

A HIMSS attendee from geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic

#HIMSSDutch

A subset of the #HIMSSNordic class

#HIMSSWorkflow

Special tag reserved for the exclusive use of Dr. Charles Webster aka @wareflo. Unauthorized use of this tag on any tweet or other social media post without pre-authorization by Dr. Webster will result in denial of your claim as a HIMSS attendee.

#DownWithHIMMS

Used to express dissatisfaction with a ‘misspelled’ HIMSS hashtag. Ex. #HIMMS2016

Using #HIMSS16 Hashtags

Tags can be combined to create very powerful tweets. For instance, one might tweet: 

Did you see that #HIMSSLackey clothesline that #HIMSSBlingRat running off w/ the #HIMSSSwag? Wish I had a #HIMSSBlab of that!

Or…

I’m off for some #HIMSSShopping to get some #HIMSSShoes so I can be a #HIMSSBro who's a #HIMSSMustSee!

What Else?

To get all the official and unofficial scoop on the 2016 HIMSS Conference, be sure to follow the HIMSS Social Media Ambassadors. Personally, I'm partial to @ShimCode so be sure to follow him. You can also follow ALL of the SMA's via this Official List of 2016 HIMSS Social Media Ambassadors.