Although overall attendance at HIMSS has increased steadily over the past few years, the show seems to be waning in popularity among CIOs, according to the January healthsystemCIO.com Snap Survey, which found that 40 percent of CIOs aren’t planning to make the trip to New Orleans.
The most common reason for skipping the show comes as little surprise; with so many projects on their plate, many CIOs are reluctant to head out of town for a few days. And there are other issues. Some believe the benefits of attending HIMSS don’t outweigh the costs, while others feel that the conference is simply too big. “It has become overwhelming,” said one respondent. “I used to love wandering the exhibits to get new ideas, but because of its size, that is no longer feasible.”
For those who do make the trip, the biggest priorities are scoping out vendors (39 percent) and networking with peers (37 percent). In fact, the results indicate that for CIOs who are looking for a particular solution, there is still significant value in being able to view vendor demonstrations and “compare and contrast in a short amount of time.”
The opportunity to interact with peers and other industry leaders is also a draw, particularly in today’s turbulent job market. “It is more to network than anything else, as one never knows when they may be suddenly back in the job market during these very challenging times,” said one CIO.
Interestingly, for many CIOs, the decision to make the trip hinges on the CHIME Forum, with just 32 percent saying they’d still attend HIMSS if it wasn’t held in conjunction with the event. Respondents also cited a lack of CIO focus in the educational sessions and workshops, with one expressing the need for a shorter track for hospital leadership and another calling for more “executive level topics just for CIOs.”
(SnapSurveys are answered by the healthsystemCIO.com CIO Advisory Panel. To see a full-size version of all charts, click here. To go directly to a full-size version of any individual chart, click on that chart)
1. Do you plan to attend the upcoming 2013 HIMSS Conference?
Yes
- Only because I’ve been asked to give a presentation.
- I will have several people on my team attend as well.
- I go every several years.
- It is more to network than anything else, as one never knows when they may be suddenly back in the job market during these very challenging times… and I am a quart low on Scotch.
- I have some specifics to research at HIMSS.
- Because we are from a single, mid-sized hospital, I personally still enjoy attending. I like to be able to walk the floor and just see what’s going on in the market. It’s hard to find time to just keep up with what is coming, so HIMSS is great to me for that. I do think that the CHIME events are much better for the leadership side of CIO, but as CIO in a single hospital, I think you are still a little more involved in the daily routine.
- I must attend because I am President-Elect for my state chapter and am on a couple of national committees. Otherwise I would likely skip this year. I enjoy the keynotes and educational sessions; however the vendor exhibition has become overwhelming. I used to love wandering the exhibits to get new ideas, but because of its size that is no longer feasible, and that was half the value of going to HIMSS for me.
- Attending for CHIME and for the HIMSS Award dinner. Will fill in activities between them and leave the next morning.
- Location of venue… a return to my ‘roots,’ if you will.
- Yes, but I do not find it to a very useful meeting.
No, but I will send a representative
No one from my organization will attend
- Too many competing priorities for the organization at this time.
- EMR go-live at hospital.
- The benefits of attending do not outweigh the costs.
- I just switched organizations, and timing is bad to be gone right now.
- We are in the middle of major system implementation and cannot send anyone this year.
- Not worth the expense.
- Cost for meeting, transportation, hotel, food, etc., is not as valued in terms of the ROI of the meeting content or educational experience.
I’m not sure yet
- Definitely have several members of my team attending.
2. If you aren’t planning to attend, what is the primary reason?
It’s not in our budget
- It was important years ago when we were looking for solutions (EMR). Now that we are implementing, there is really very little value for me. I need to prioritize trips and this one doesn’t make the cut.
- Most of the above apply, with the possible exception of the quality of sessions/workshops. Like any large event, some are relevant and others are a considerable waste of time.
I can’t go because of other priorities (i.e., implementation, upgrade)
The quality of the sessions/workshops has decreased
- HIMSS is too big. It’s too hard to get around and the sessions and workshops are not very informative. The benefit is to the vendors not the members. With recent acquisitions HIMSS is turning into a corporate conglomerate with all the associated baggage. It seems they are more interested in the bottom line than representing the membership. I have two titles and tried to have HIMSS put my non-CIO title on badge and they wouldn’t let me.
- Or they have not been compelling when I have gone.
There isn’t enough CIO focus
- It has primarily become a vendor exhibit event; in addition to no CIO focus, the quality of the sessions/workshops has decreased.
- I can only go to so many conferences and the value of this one is low. There are too many people and I prefer a smaller conference with more executives and more vendor focus on CIOs. It’s hard to accomplish much but networking.
- I am attending, but there is not enough bang for the buck for the ‘true’ senior execs.
N/A
Other
- The HIMSS conference is fantastic but it is also huge. Our goals for each conference are significant and we require a team to complete our plan. Frankly, the importance of my attendance has diminished and I concentrate on the CHIME sessions.
- CHIME meetings & events: Even though I go to HIMSS, I don’t usually get to many educational sessions, and if I make it on the exhibit floor at all, it’s a quick visit.
- Other venues are better. Overall there is too much there. I prefer more focused and smaller settings. Also, the amount of sales focus is a turnoff.
Meeting current vendors we contract with and meeting lots of vendors we work with.
3. When you are able to attend HIMSS, what is your biggest priority?
Networking with peers
- I only attend HIMSS every few years. My team attends on a regular basis and brings back valuable information that we discuss and from which we benefit.
- I like some of the education sessions, but last HIMSS was tough as the rooms were too small, and if you were the least bit late, they would not let you in the session.
- CHIME is a better networking forum but even that group is getting too large.
- Scoping out vendors is a close second, but it is more critical for me to network with other CIOs and vendor executives.
- Yet value declines as fewer peers attend.
Scoping out the vendors
- CHIME CIO Forum is also a major reason I have attended.
- All of them are important. Scoping out vendors was my focus last year, but generally, educational sessions play a significant role and reason for attendance.
- Researching specific vendors and products is the priority; networking is secondary.
- I list this as ‘scoping out vendors,’ but it’s also probably more about “products” than vendors. I like to know what’s coming and where all of the vendors are putting their effort.
Going to educational sessions
Other
- Both networking with peers and scoping out vendors.
- I use it as an opportunity to meet with all my major vendor partners.
- I am a chapter president.
- Really it’s all the above. There’s really not another meeting/show that provides opportunities for all three.
- CHIME Forum
4. How long do you usually stay?
I only go to the CHIME CIO Forum
- I will usually come out on Sunday for CHIME and head home on Tuesday.
- When I do go, it’s just for CHIME CIO Forum.
Two to three days
- I have stayed for the full event or for the majority of time, depending on what is going on back home.
- I absolutely go to the CHIME Forum and will stay a couple more days because I need to look at a few vendors.
- Including CHIME and the first day of exhibit floor
- Need a shorter track for hospital leadership.
I stay for the whole conference
- When I go, I stay for the whole event. I usually leave early on the last day, however.
- I will come in for the CHIME event and stay fly home early Thursday.
N/A
5. Would you still attend HIMSS if the CHIME CIO Forum wasn’t offered?
Yes
- Yes, but not on an annual basis — probably about every three years.
- I go every few years. This just isn’t the year.
- There is lots to learn there.
- As long as I am on a chapter board.
- Yes, but less frequently. CHIME is a huge draw and is done very well. If you want more CIO participation, then you should really focus on CIO events like CHIME and executive level topics just for CIOs.
- For the time being, yes, I would still attend. I think there is so much value in being able to see a week’s worth of demos and get some good quality networking with my key vendors.
- There is value to me there if I can spend some time with knowledgeable representatives at vendor booths. I would go even if CHIME was not there.
Possibly
- Probably not — maintaining continuing education is primary reason for attendance.
- It would depend on the timing that the events are set apart. CHIME is a priority right now. Having served on both boards, I can say with confidence that CHIME members are almost always HIMSS members; same with its board, and not always vice versa. CHIME members see the importance of the two working in close proximity.
- Depending on the vendor needs I had at the time.
- I haven’t been to a HIMSS conference in 3 years due to all of the reasons you have cited. It is of minimal value except if you have some specific technologies that you want to check out and want to be able to compare and contrast in a short amount of time. CHIME is the highlight. This year HIMSS has an additional executive program that will be interesting to see if there is value added for this program. It is an additional cost though so that will probably decrease the number of participants.
- Not every year. It’s not worth the trip. HIMSS remains an important and relevant force. But I wish they focused less on generating revenue growth and more on delivering value. For example: why charge anything to download conference proceedings? This is greedy and not beneficial to our industry.
- It loses a bit for me if the CHIME event were to be cancelled (even though HIMSS runs this under the CHIME moniker, per se).
- Occasionally.
- It is questionable, but I would consider attending or at least attending for more than a day or two.
- I can’t give a firm commitment either way. The CHIME Forum is not as good since HIMSS took over the event 6-7 years ago. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with some vendors, yet I could find other ways to do this.
- Less likely. HIMSS is currently too focused on growth through vendor relations. Most events have more vendors than real decision makers. This cannot last before it becomes a non-event.
- It depends on the Monday and Tuesday educational sessions.
- Less likely.
- Depends on specific needs that year. I evaluate each year depending on needs. Cost is prohibitive in this environment, and benefit is lacking unless you have a very specific reason to go.
No
- Unlikely, unless I was seeking a specific set of solutions that would be best served by visiting vendors on the exhibit floor.
5. Would you still attend HIMSS if the CHIME CIO Forum wasn’t offered?
Yes
- Yes, but not on an annual basis — probably about every three years.
- I go every few years. This just isn’t the year.
- There is lots to learn there.
- As long as I am on a chapter board.
- Yes, but less frequently. CHIME is a huge draw and is done very well. If you want more CIO participation, then you should really focus on CIO events like CHIME and executive level topics just for CIOs.
- For the time being, yes, I would still attend. I think there is so much value in being able to see a week’s worth of demos and get some good quality networking with my key vendors.
- There is value to me there if I can spend some time with knowledgeable representatives at vendor booths. I would go even if CHIME was not there.
Possibly
- Probably not — maintaining continuing education is primary reason for attendance.
- It would depend on the timing that the events are set apart. CHIME is a priority right now. Having served on both boards, I can say with confidence that CHIME members are almost always HIMSS members; same with its board, and not always vice versa. CHIME members see the importance of the two working in close proximity.
- Depending on the vendor needs I had at the time.
- I haven’t been to a HIMSS conference in 3 years due to all of the reasons you have cited. It is of minimal value except if you have some specific technologies that you want to check out and want to be able to compare and contrast in a short amount of time. CHIME is the highlight. This year HIMSS has an additional executive program that will be interesting to see if there is value added for this program. It is an additional cost though so that will probably decrease the number of participants.
- Not every year. It’s not worth the trip. HIMSS remains an important and relevant force. But I wish they focused less on generating revenue growth and more on delivering value. For example: why charge anything to download conference proceedings? This is greedy and not beneficial to our industry.
- It loses a bit for me if the CHIME event were to be cancelled (even though HIMSS runs this under the CHIME moniker, per se).
- Occasionally.
- It is questionable, but I would consider attending or at least attending for more than a day or two.
- I can’t give a firm commitment either way. The CHIME Forum is not as good since HIMSS took over the event 6-7 years ago. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with some vendors, yet I could find other ways to do this.
- Less likely. HIMSS is currently too focused on growth through vendor relations. Most events have more vendors than real decision makers. This cannot last before it becomes a non-event.
- It depends on the Monday and Tuesday educational sessions.
- Less likely.
- Depends on specific needs that year. I evaluate each year depending on needs. Cost is prohibitive in this environment, and benefit is lacking unless you have a very specific reason to go.
No
- Unlikely, unless I was seeking a specific set of solutions that would be best served by visiting vendors on the exhibit floor.
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