How to Be the Perfect Healthcare Conference Attendee - When You'd Rather Be Somewhere Else

Attending conferences, forums and/or institutes is a lot of fun and a rewarding experience for most people. These events can be great ways to gain awareness of what’s going on in the industry, expand your network and learn actionable methods to add value via your day to day work. But for some people, sitting through a few days of presentations one after another, many of which pitch the same information liberally sprinkled with thinly-veiled company product information, conference attendance can be a real chore.

For those people who could care less about a specific topic being presented but who want to derive some value nonetheless, here are ten tips for being the perfect healthcare conference attendee – when you’d rather be somewhere else.

Ten Ways to Maximize Attendance at a Presentation

1. Sit in front, near the presenter

This applies only if you plan to stay awake; if you don't, see item #8 below. If you're going to all the trouble of attending the presentation and making a good impression, the presenter should get a chance to see your act.

2. Look alert. Keep your eyes on the presenter

If you MUST consult your watch, don't stare at it unbelievingly; or shake it.

3. Make a great show of taking notes

The presenter will believe you’re paying rapt attention. If used wisely, the gimmick of asking him or her to repeat a particularly significant statement is a good way to call out your presence. (Don't do this more often than twice in a single presentation)

4. Nod frequently and murmur, "How true!"

To you, this seems exaggerated; to the presenter, it is quite objective.

5. Tweet out some links to posts related to the topic being presented

This operation demonstrates fiery interest, and gives others some content to discuss and share with others. If you can't find anything related to the topic at hand, just share anything you find. Most healthcare thought-leaders think everything deals with their subject anyway.

6. Laugh at the presenter’s jokes

You CAN tell when a joke has been made. A clue: If the presenter looks up from his or her notes and smiles expectantly, he or she has just told a joke.

7. Ask for outside readings or special references

You don't have to read anything that may be provided to you. Just ask for it.

8. If you sleep, set an alarm to be woken a few minutes before the session is over

It may create an unpleasant impression if the rest of the attendees have left and you’re sitting there alone, dozing.

9. Ask only questions you believe the presenter can answer

This is so obvious it doesn't require any commentary.

10. Call attention to the presenter’s publications

This ploy produces an exquisitely pleasant feeling within the presenter, which becomes associated with you. Hint: If you discover your presenter has written a book or article, ask if he or she wrote it. Be sure to express appropriate reverence.

It Works. Try It.If you are a professional, do any of these thoughts bring back memories of your college days? 

For more information on healthcare conferences and events - specifically those related to information technology, products and services, consider following @HITConfGuy and @ShimCode on Twitter.

Note: The above was adapted from “How to Stay in College” by Robert Tyson of Hunter College. 

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. 

'The Best' Places to See and Things to Eat and Do in Las Vegas

Here’s a list of some of “The Best” places for eating, drinking, entertainment, sightseeing and adventures in Las Vegas. If you’re attending the 2016 HIMSS Conference this year, you’ll want to check out these lists.

Tip: Bookmark this page as I will be adding to it as I find more of “The Best Things in Las Vegas"

Eating & Drinking

The 15 Most Epic Breakfasts in Vegas

The Best Coffee Shops and Cafés in Las Vegas

The 30 Best Things to Eat In Las Vegas for $10 (Or Less)

10 Things You Don’t Know About Las Vegas Buffets

The 30 Best Happy Hours in Las Vegas

The 10 Best Secret Bars & Speakeasies in Las Vegas

The Definitive Guide to Sin City’s Best Outdoor Drinking Spots

Entertainment, Sight-Seeing & Adventures

The 13 Most Amazing Shows in Las Vegas Right Now

The 21 Most Instagrammed Places in Las Vegas

12 Secret Things in Vegas You Didn’t Know Existed

7 Hidden Vegas Gems You'd Never Think to Hit... Until Now

15 Things to Do in Las Vegas... For Free

11 Secret Spots in Las Vegas

What Else?

Consider following @HITConfGuy on Twitter and also my good buddy and 2016 HIMSS Social Media Ambassador @ShimCode.

Almost 30 Tips for Attending the 2016 HIMSS Conference (Or Any Conference)

Sometimes the comments on a blog post have information that is just as good – or even better – than the post itself. This blog post titled “12 Ways to Get the Most Out of Attending a Conference” is a perfect example of where reader comments were every bit as insightful as the post itself. I’ve pulled out ideas and tips for attending conferences from that post and am sharing them here for your conference-going pleasure. Thanks to all the commenters who supplied these ideas.

Pre-planning & Travel

1. Consider investing in a nice looking backpack or messenger bag. You’ll need it for chargers, snacks, water bottles, jackets, etc. And all those conference materials and vendor handouts.

2. Wear comfortable shoes and dress in comfortable, nice-looking clothes!!

In the words of Thurstson Howell III’s wife Lovey, one never knows whom one might meet. And you never know what could come from that meeting.

3. Plan ahead for quick trips to charge your phone/device charge and get a snack.

4. And don’t forget the freebies. Only pack your bag half fill with clothes to make room for them. And be choosy about what you take. If there’ something really good, take as many as they’ll let you get away with.

5. Don’t be fooled by maps. Get clear directions to where you are going. Orlando isn’t Vegas but it’s not Mayberry either.

6. Bring a sweater or jacket to every session. So many of those big conference rooms are FREEZING. Recommend layers. You can take one off and put it in that backpack or messenger bag mentioned above.

7. Maximize your conference: pick up new skills, learn about trends in your field, and make networking contacts

8. Set aside a “vendor block”. HIMSS conference have LOTS ofvendors which means lots to discover as well as specific vendors you'll want to see. Pick a 2+ hour block out of your schedule to do nothing but walk the vendor hall. And make sure you have some downtime after that block too. This is easier than trying to sneak in vendor visits between sessions.

Conference Sessions

1. Go to a session that has a subject you know little or nothing about; you just might learn something and find a new passion.

2. Pick out alternative sessions to attend if your first one does not work out, and your route to get there quickly. Sometimes the room is full. Sometimes presenters don’t show. Sometimes the session just plain sucks and is nothing like the description.

3. Don’t be afraid to leave a bad session. If it is clear that a session is not what you thought it would be, leave. Go to one of your second choice sessions and do not spend 30-60 minutes sitting in an unproductive session.

4. When you are in an awesome session, tweet about it. People stuck in bad sessions will see your tweet and can move to your room to see a great speaker they would have otherwise missed.

5. Don’t tweet about how bad a session is; but if the speaker doesn’t show or something similarly disastrous happens, alert others to that so they do not waste their time walking down there.

6. Consider occasionally splitting your sessions. If the first speaker of one session is interesting, and the third speaker of another, get up and go to the other session. Make sure you sit at the back of the room so you can leave unobtrusively between sessions. Do not do this all the time, because you want to end the session in a room with people you want to talk with.

Networking at Conferences

1. Talk to the celebrities of your profession. Those hot shot people who do keynotes, lightning talks, etc? They are normal people too. And most of them are very excited about what they do and want to share with others, so they can give you some great conference advice.

2. Be nice and introduce them to other folks you know.

3. Don’t be afraid to approach strangers.

4. Look for semi-professional social gatherings like user group meetings, meetups, sub-discipline meetings, etc. There are many unofficial and official tweetups in various public areas and restaurants near the conference and they're a good way to force yourself out of room service and into meeting more people

5. Make time to socialize outside your pack. If there’s a luncheon, let them know you are going to sit with others to spread your wonderfulness.

6. Want an easy excuse to talk to industry celebrities? Do a photo safari. Set a goal to collect as many pictures as you can of yourself with those industry celebrities. Feel free to even tell them that you are doing a photo safari, it makes a good ice-breaker. It will also help you plan out how to meet these people.

Using Twitter at a Conference Session

1. Use Twitter socially. You can find out about networking opportunities and where people are going for dinner or early evening drinks. This is especially a great tool for the introverted, as you can gather good information and focus your social time to be as effective as possible before you start to tire out.

2. Tweet. If you don’t use twitter, start learning, because a conference is one of the most useful professional situations for twitter.

3. Follow the conference back channel on Twitter where you can found out about neat things on and off the agenda. Sometimes there is a Tweet Up before the conference, a gathering where people can put faces to handles for conference twitter users.

Warning…Warning!

1. Don’t make non-work plans for the evenings.

2. A late night in the bar will trash you for the whole of the following day.

3. Think twice about going to the hotel bar after 9pm to talk further with conference people. This is generally when the hooking-up-at-conferences stuff starts getting kicked off

4. Don’t use a professional event as your opportunity for social justice warrioring or politicking or proselytizing.

Ending Each Day

1. End each working day by reviewing your notes, the panels you attended, the people you talked to, etc and jotting down action items or ideas to bring back to the office.


2. Doing so at the end of the day nets better results than doing it at the end of the conference. Once you’re back in the office, it’s too late — the pressing matters of the delayed work waiting for you will be overwhelming.

For more information on the HIMSS conference and healthcare information technology, consider following @HITConfGuy and/or @ShimCode.

Why should you follow the @HITConfGuy Twitter Account before and during #HIMSS16?

Why? To get the good HIMSS conference-related tweets without having to sift through all the advertisements, spam, stale and repeated tweets. That’s why!

HIMSS conference attendees can be freed from being glued to a popular hashtag that’s experiencing increased levels of spam and abuse so they can focus on the conference, presentations and vendor booths. Those who aren’t attending the HIMSS conference will have an enhanced means to eavesdrop on the proceedings remotely.

How are Tweets Selected?

Twitter, popular blogs and other sources of information are monitored using various automated and manual methods using terms and phrases expected to describe the HIMSS conference. A human with 20+ years of experience in the healthcare IT and services industry will review each tweet before it’s surfaced in Twitter.

What This Account Will Do

1. Only share information related to the HIMSS 2016 conference and only share relevant healthcare IT topics. I’ll focus on the following:

#digitalhealth – Mobile health, Digital Health and Connected Health

#telemedicine – Telehealth and telemedicine
#mhealth – Mobile Health
#ACO – Accountable Care Organizations
#ehr – Electronic Health Records
#hix – Health Insurance Exchanges
#icd10 – ICD-10
#interoperability - Interoperability and integration topics

2. Monitor alternative sources of information off Twitter’s oft beaten path. This includes blogs, content made available to me by followers, various search mechanisms I use, etc.

3. Include links to supplemental content and resources associated with certain tweets.

4. Share select vendor info (whitepapers, surveys, content, offers, etc) that are not clearly a sales pitches. Veiled sales pitches may be passed along at my discretion.

5. Verify that all embedded links and embedded content can be accessed

6. Spare you the excess of the “over-tweeters”

7. Share select info on "booth-bling," tweet-ups, parties and contests.

Keep an eye out for the following “unofficial HIMSS16 hashtags” suggested by others:

#HIMSS16GoodStuff - Identify good presentations, speakers, etc
#HIMSS16DanceOff - See #HIMSSanity
#HIMSSanity - General craziness
#HIMSSFood - Places to eat – good and bad – note them!
#HIMSSPickuplines - See #HIMSSanity
#HIMSSTips - Tips and How-to’s to maximize conference value
#HIMSSwag - Booth bling and handouts worth noting

What This Account Won't Do

1. Share the same tweet more than once. Except for periodic “promotional tweets” to call attention to the service this account provides.

2. A primary value of this account is that you can just periodically review its timeline and get the scoop as to what’s going on at #HIMSS16. No need to do special searches and/or monitor the #HIMSS16 hashtag - that's my job. :)

3. Retweet every tweet mentioning this account. This isn’t about me. I really didn't even want to have my real name on this blog but it's a Google term of service item. I'm doing this because I want to share good good healthcare IT info related to the HIMSS conference.

4. Repeat the same tweet over and over and over and over and over

5. Post content requiring login or special add-ins unless a warning is given – such as [requires login] or [Requires yada yada add-in]

So click here and follow @HitConfGuy 

How to Promote Your Technology Conference Event Using Social Media

One of the guys I work with is involved with the Pacific Northwest Software Quality Conference. He had asked me about some ideas for promoting their 33rd Annual Software Quality Conference held October 12 through the 14th in Portland. Well I’m not an expert in conference event marketing by any stretch of the imagination but I do know how to do research, what appeals to me as an IT professional and how to present information. I found a lot of good information about how to market your conference event using social media so I’m sharing it in a two-part post. Here’s part one.

Note: The information presented here is a combination of others work and my own ideas. I’ve noted the sources where I directly copied information.

Lay the Ground Work

1. Create a hashtag for your event. Make it short and easy to remember. Balance the uniqueness of using a “year” designation in the tag vs. the ability to use the tag for events held in future years. Include the hashtag on all tweets. For instance, do you want to use #EventName15 to identify this year’s event? Or #EventName to be more generic and allow for future use? I’m not sure which is best.

2. Create a template with branded images and consistent color palette to make it easy to share quotes, comments and other information about the event in a consistent, branded manner. Include these images with each tweet in a manner in which the image is displayed in its entirety and doesn't require the user to click on a link

3. Try to include an image in each tweet. Besides the events logo or graphic, you might include a vista of the city in which the event is taking place or the venue in which it is held.

4. About 3-4 weeks before the event, add information about the event to the email signatures of all those people who are organizing the event or otherwise involved.

Share Information about the Event

5. Call out agenda items in a tweet and include a link to conference tracks.

6. Share news and other content related to the topic of the event

7. Share photos of the event’s venue and the setup of the event

8. If it’s a multi-day event, include tweets about any events held in the evening. Or Local Things to Do in the evening if no event-sponsored activities are planned.

9. Respond to any inquiries about the event and consider re-tweeting and favoriting tweets made by others.

10. If financially feasible, hold a contest for everyone who tweets about the event and give away a ticket or two

Use What You Already Have

11. Either link to existing pages or consider creating a page on your web site with information about last year’s event. Then tweet information about this year’s event and the link to that page

12. Create a page on your web site with information about last year’s event and tweet information about this year’s event and the link to that page.

Share Content from Previous Year’s Events.

13. Tweet info about the conference/event on a daily basis; better yet several times a day: morning, noon and night. You have a better chance at reaching people who operate on different time cycles. Just mix up the tweets as suggested later in this post.

14. Do you have any good comments from previous events? Maybe you’ve interviewed attendees or speakers and captured statements of excitement about specific sessions, speakers or your event in general.

Hashtag It Danno!

15. Include a hashtag pertaining to the general content of the event on EVERY tweet. There are several good tools out there to help you ascertain the good tags. Here are some good sites:

https://ritetag.com
http://topsy.com
http://hashtagify.me/
https://www.hashtags.org/

It’s Halftime

So there’s the first half of what I came up with on How to Promote Your Technology Conference Event Using Social Media. I’ll post the second half tomorrow. If you’re interested in conferences and events related to healthcare information technology, consider following @HITConfGuy on Twitter.

An Agile Retrospective on Last Week’s #HIMSS15 Conference

Those who work in an “Agile Environment” know that a Retrospective review is often held after each sprint. The purpose of an Agile Retrospective is for team member’s to share three categories of information:

1. What worked well?
2. What did not work well?
3. What actions can we take to improve things going forward?

Click here to submit your thoughts on the above three questions.

Alternatively, some people like to use the Mad, Sad, Glad format where participants share what made them Mad, Sad or Glad about the sprint – in this case – the HIMSS Conference.

In this case, I’m thinking that “team member” means “HIMSS Conference Attendee.” One of the key benefits of a retrospective is that the recent events should be fresh in everyones mind and easier to recall and share.

If you’re willing to participate in a retrospective on last week's HIMSS Conference in Chicago, I’ve set up a Survey here. You do not have to enter any personal information unless you want to receive the survey results. And the survey is not unique to anyone so please feel free to share this survey.  I’ll publish the results next week and provide the entire detailed results to anyone who participates and gives me their email address.

If you have any questions on this survey, please contact me at HITConfGuy@gmail.com.

Presentations & Handouts from Various HIMSS Educational Sessions

Here are some presentations from the various education and other sessions held at HIMSS this week in Chicago. the "topic" is my quick assessment of what the presentation covered.

Here are official slides w/ way more metadata: http://www.himssconference.org/handouts 

Wish I'd have had access to these before today. Last year I recall that HIMSS didn't make the slides available until after the conference.

Apologies on the formatting. BlogSpot is brutal. Moving to WordPress after the HIMSS Conference

Session	Topic	Title	URL
PHY6	ACO/PCMH	The Pressures and the Politics of Participating in an Integrated Clinical Network	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PHY6.pdf
CBA1	ACO/PCMH	Extracting Value Patient Centered Medical Home	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cba1.pdf
147	Analytics	Data Analytics in the Military Healthcare System Reorganization	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/147.pdf
150	Analytics	Dartmouth Experience: Proudly Accepting PGHD	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/150.pdf
205	Analytics	Analyze, Measure, Customize: Get Right Clinical Alerts Now	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/205.pdf
211	Analytics	Making Structured Reporting Happen in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/211.pdf
218	Analytics	Using Large Data to Drive Physician Clinical Adoption	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/218.pdf
300	Analytics	BI/Analytics and Stage 7: How Can It Be We’re Just Getting Started?	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/300.pdf
306	Analytics	Better Care with Big Data	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/306.pdf
PHY4	Analytics	Turning Data into Information: The Power of Clinical and Business Intelligence	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/phy4.pdf
NI4	Analytics	A New Data Point for Nursing: PGHD	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/NI4.pdf
115	CareCoord	“Managing Patient Information during a Mass Casualty Incident”	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/105.pdf
112	CareCoord	Transforming Traditional Care Management Engagement Models	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/112.pdf
113	CareCoord	EHR-Enabled Chronic Care Management: A Davies Story	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/113.pdf
119	CareCoord	Coordinating Care to Improve Care & Reduce Costs	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/119.pdf
157	CareCoord	Bridging the IT Functionality Divide in Care Coordination	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/157.pdf
166	CareCoord	Safety Nets Improve Care Coordination with HIE	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/166.pdf
168	CareCoord	Are We Being Accountable to Our Kids?	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/168.pdf
182	CareCoord	Using RTLS to Enhance Patient Flow & Care Team Coordination	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/182.pdf
221	CareCoord	Fuel Outpatient Revenue Growth with Better Provider Care Coordination Strategies	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/221.pdf
116	CareCoord	CMS Quality Reporting Upgrade	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/116.pdf
HIE3	CareCoord	Evolving Solutions to Transitions in Care	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/hie3.pdf
109	Clinical	A Multidisciplinary Approach to Combating Sepsis	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/109.pdf
114	Clinical	Technology Key to Improving Efficiciency and Containing MERS	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/114.pdf
115	Clinical	Managing Patient Information during a Mass Casualty Incident	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/115.pdf
PSNI12	Clinical	IVIG – Ohh, Now I See	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni12.pdf
PSP6	Clinical	Evaluation of the Accuracy and Consistency of the Patient Problem Lists in Clinical Documents	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PSP6.pdf
188	Clinical	Using Genomic Data to Make a Difference in Clinical Care	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/188.pdf
197	Clinical	Business Intelligence for Sepsis & Heart Failure Readmissions	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/197.pdf
163	Collaboration	Improving Clinical Communications and Workflow via Smartphones	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/163.pdf
176	Collaboration	Improving Health Care Delivery Through Collaboration with Lean Tools	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/176.pdf
192	Collaboration	Crowdsourcing Consumer Access to Healthcare	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/192.pdf
302	Collaboration	DIRECT Patient Information Exchange Outcomes	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/302.pdf
307	Collaboration	Using Technology to Engage the Community Around Acute-Care Settings and Improve Patient Outcomes	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/307.pdf
PSNI11	Collaboration	Interprofessional Collaboration: Nurses in IT and IT Professionals	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni11.pdf
PSNI23	Collaboration	Meaningful IS Relationships	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni23.pdf
NI3	Collaboration	Improving Clinical Communications & Workflow	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/ni3.pdf
27	Digital Health	Harnessing the Science of Behavior Change in Digital Health	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/27.pdf
305	Digital Health	Healthy Living, Connected Devices, & Wearables	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/305.pdf
PSP7	Digital Health	Protecting Access and Preventing Violence in the Emergency Department	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PSP7.pdf
400	Digital Health	The Convergence of mHealth: A Consumer and Clinical Perspective	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/mh1.pdf
MH2	Digital Health	Establishing Connections – Infrastructure Enabling mHealth	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/mh2.pdf
MH4	Digital Health	Establishing ROI and Forming Partnerships: Growing mHealth Collectively	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/mh4.pdf
MH5	Digital Health	The mHealth Policy Conundrum: Keeping Pace with Technology	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/mh5.pdf
128	EHR	Extending the EHR Platform with Open Apps and Services	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/128.pdf
183	EHR	Riding the Wave of EHRs for Nutrition Practice	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/183.pdf
199	EHR	Measuring Redundancy in EHR Data and Workflow	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/199.pdf
PSNI20	EHR	Improving Shift Reporting: Getting the electronic workflow into shift reporting.	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni20.pdf
PSP3	EHR	Rising Computerized Provider Order Entry Rates Predict Shortened Length of Stay	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PSP3.pdf
INV4	EHR	Answering Clinicians’ Questions within the EHR with Infobuttons	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/INV5.pdf
INV1	Financing	Failure with a Capital “F” May Just Mean “Finally”	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/INV1.pdf
121	Governance	Data Governance:  Measure Twice, Cut Once	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/121.pdf
125	Governance	AHIMA: Leading the Adoption of Information Governance in Healthcare	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/125.pdf
ITPM2	Governance	IT Governance: Stopping the “Yes Machine”	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/ITPM4.pdf
100	HIE	Using HIE to Improve Care for Military Personnel	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/100.pdf
209	HIE	A Hybrid Model HIE: Path to Sustainability	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/209.pdf
HIE2	HIE	California Integrated Data Exchange	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/hie2.pdf
HIE4	HIE	Consumer Access and Health Information Exchange	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/hie4.pdf
107	HIPAA/Security	Preparing for a New Level of HIPAA Enforcement	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/107.pdf
137	HIPAA/Security	What does “HIPAA Compliant” mean?	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/137.pdf
148	HIPAA/Security	OIG Security Audits of EHR Incentive Program Participants	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/148.pdf
HS04	ICD-10	Successful ICD-10 Implementation from a Provider Perspective	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/hs04.pdf
130	Innovation	From CMIO to CHIO: Information, Integration and Innovation	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/130.pdf
143	Innovation	Shaping a Culture of Innovation from Idea to Execution	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/143.pdf
145	Innovation	Fostering Innovation Through Federally Funded Programs: Assessing the Strategic Health IT Advanced Research Projects (SHARP)	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/145.pdf
402	Innovation	Great Idea! Now Make it Real	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/INV2.pdf
INV2	Innovation	The Innovator’s Checklist	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/INV3.pdf
INV3	Innovation	Innovations (and Meta-Innovations) that Solve Clinical Problems	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/inv4.pdf
HIE1	Interoperability	Connecting Health and Care for the Nation: A Shared Nationwide Interoperability Roadmap – DRAFT Version 1.0	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/hie1.pdf
HIE5	Interoperability	Network of Networks: Approaches to Interoperability from Coast to Coast	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/hie5.pdf
PJY7	Interoperability	Achieving Clinical Transformation with an Interoperable Health IT Infrastructure	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PHY7.pdf
175	Management	How the CIO and IT Provide Value to the C-Suite/Boardroom	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/175.pdf
HIE6	Medicaid	Medicaid Moving Forward: Systems Priorities for 2015 and Business Case for Integration at All Levels	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/hie6.pdf
160	MU	CMS Meaningful Use Stage 3 and ONC 2015 Edition Certification Criteria Changes	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/160.pdf
220	MU	MU2 Transitions of Care with "Best-of-Breed" Approach	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/220.pdf
PSNI15	Pat Engage	Patient Story: Designed for Telling	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni15.pdf
135	PatEngage	Empowering Patients Enabled through Personal Health IT – Secrets in the Health Engagement Sauce	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/135.pdf
165	PatEngage	Three Perspectives of Patient Engagement: A National Study	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/165.pdf
194	PatEngage	The Educated Patient - Opting in on Patient Engagement	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/194.pdf
310	PatEngage	Beyond Patient Engagement: The Road to Patient Empowerment	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/310.pdf
77	PatEngage	HIT Alone Isn’t Enough: Humanizing Patient Engagement	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/77.pdf
CBA5	PatEngage	Patient / Consumer Engagement - Key to Successful Population Health Management	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cba5.pdf
MH2	PatEngage	Active Patient Engagement: mhealth as a Tool for Interaction	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/mh3.pdf
PE2	PatEngage	Access to Data - Patient Portals, Blue Button, Open Notes	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/pe2.pdf
216	Patient Safety	Innovative RTLS Integration for Process Improvement & Patient Safety	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/216.pdf
15	Payers-Providers	Payers and Providers Build an HIE: A Major Metro Region Experiment	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/15.pdf
CPM5	Payers-Providers	Technologies Needed to Support the Payer, Provider and Patient Associated with New Care and Payment Models	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cpm5.pdf
CPM6	Payers-Providers	Navigating Disruptive Change in the New Provider-Payer Environment	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cpm6.pdf
127	PopHealth	Applying Analytics to Population Health Management	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/127.pdf
180	PopHealth	Bad Data’s Effect on Population Health Performance	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/180.pdf
185	PopHealth	Population Health Success at the North Carolina State Health Plan	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/185.pdf
#N/A	PopHealth	Population Health Management: Using Geomapping to Enable Data-Driven Decisions	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PHY2_1428844781824_1.pdf
CBA2	PopHealth	Population Health Management Defined	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cba2.pdf
CBA3	PopHealth	Population Health Presents Unique C&BI Challenges	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cba3.pdf
CBA4	PopHealth	Analytics for Population Health Management	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cba4.pdf
CBA6	PopHealth	Clinical Integration & Population Health Including Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics and Decisioning Systems: A GLIMPSE at the FUTURE	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cba6.pdf
CPM4	PopHealth	Greater Rochester Independent Practice Association… Leading the way in Population Health	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/CPM4.pdf
QU2	PopHealth	Chronic Care Management & Population Health	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/QU2.pdf
120	Portals	Engaging Patients Online in Rural Wisconsin - A 10 Year Journey	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/120.pdf
403	Portals	Implementing a Patient Portal at the FMC	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psp8.pdf
PSP4	Portals	INFORMATION RETRIEVAL FOR PROVIDERS	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PSP4.pdf
PE3	Portals	Of Portals and Patient Centered Interoperability	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/pe3.pdf
PE4	Portals	Provider Perspective on Patient Adoption of Portals, Secure Messaging	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PE4.pdf
108	Process	Transforming Process Improvement through RTLS Data April 14, 2015	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/108.pdf
133	Process	Beyond Implementation: Achieving Value After EHR Implementation	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/133.pdf
155	Process	CAVEAT EMPTOR: Decision Making on Clinical Technology Acquisitions	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/155.pdf
203	Process	Application Retirement Planning: Compliance, Cost & Access	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/203.pdf
106	Quality	Quality Monitoring Utilizing Natural Language Processing	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/106.pdf
129	Quality	The Joint Commission's Performance Measurement Journey	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/129.pdf
131	Quality	CMS Future Directions in Quality Measurement	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/131.pdf
193	Quality	UDI and Health IT: Key to Unlocking Medical Device Quality and Costs	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/193.pdf
210	Quality	The Future of Administrative and Electronic Quality Measures	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/210.pdf
PSNI18	Quality	Real Time Quality Initiatives Dashboard Within the Electronic Medical Record	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni18.pdf
PSNI19	Quality	Quality In/Quality Out: The Nursing Role in Medication History	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni19.pdf
QU3	Quality	Core Measures: Pursuing Perfect	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/QU3.pdf
QU4	Quality	eCQM Implementation: A Provider’s Perspective	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/QU4.pdf
QU5	Quality	Tools for Aligning Quality Improvement and Quality Measurement	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/QU5.pdf
104	Reimbursement	The New Revenue Cycle Imperative	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/104.pdf
47	Reimbursement	Leveraging Clinical Data for Risk Adjusting Bundled Payments	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/47.pdf
401	Reimbursement	National Perspective on Evolving and Emerging Healthcare Delivery and Payment Models	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/CPM1.pdf
CPM2	Reimbursement	Achieving Changes in Care Delivery through Incentive Payment Models	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/cpm2.pdf
215	Research	Trust in Regional Exchange Supports Patient-Centered Research	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/215.pdf
139	SocialMedia	Social Service Integration Strategy for Medicare Patients	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/139.pdf
301	SocialMedia	Converting Unknown Consumers into Patients Using Social Media	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/301.pdf
172	Technology	Developing an Enterprise Imaging Strategy with VNA	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/172.pdf
219	Technology	Passive Optical LAN A Revolution in IT Infrastructure	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/219.pdf
222	Technology	Using a Regional EMPI to Optimize Data and Reduce Readmissions	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/222.pdf
PSNI17	Technology	Practical Uses and Considerations for Smartphones in Home Health Care	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni17.pdf
INV5	Technology	Boosting IT Capacity Without Adding Cost: Using Modern Process Improvement Methods in IT Departments of Health Care Organizations	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/itpm2.pdf
118	Telehealth	Developing a Game-Changing TeleHealth Strategy for Success	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/118.pdf
204	Telehealth	Advancing Telemedicine through an Adoption Model	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/204.pdf
303	Telehealth	Mobility and Remote Patient Monitoring: No More Secrets	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/303.pdf
304	Telehealth	Reducing the Cost of Healthcare Delivery via Virtual Care	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/304.pdf
111	Workforce	Bye, Bye Boomers	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/111.pdf
126	WorkForce	IT Internships and the ROI and Recruitment that Drives Them	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/126.pdf
132	WorkForce	PEO DHMS Overview	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/132.pdf
140	WorkForce	Competencies in the Schoolhouse	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/140.pdf
161	WorkForce	Building the Workforce for Today and Tomorrow	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/161.pdf
169	WorkForce	The HI Workforce for Tomorrow’s HIT Work – An HR Outlook to 2019	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/169.pdf
PSNI13	WorkForce	Nursing Informatics Competencies for Nurse Leaders/Managers: A Delphi Study	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni13.pdf
PSNI14	WorkForce	Nursing Informatics-Led Optimization Program	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni14.pdf
PSNI21	WorkForce	Encouraging Information Technology Expertise Among Hospital Nursing Staff Development Educators	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/psni21.pdf
PHY1	Workforce	Diverse Roles of Physicians in Health IT	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/PHY1.pdf
309		Understanding the “I” in TIGER	http://files.himss.org/2015Conference/handouts/309.pdf