From HIMSS 4/19/23

This is how the main aisles look in the exhibit hall, which I’m mentioning again since I heard a lot of complaints today. This is apparently a live electrical line that ends up in a booth, but starts somewhere underground in a McCormick Place tunnel. I’m not saying that I don’t buy Hal Wolf’s “save the environment” excuse for ditching aisle carpet while still requiring exhibitors to rent it for their own areas, but a 10-year-old article I found says that conference supplier Freeman doesn’t automatically trash carpet after a single use even though it is cut to specifications – they “re-seam” it back into a single roll and rent it all over again, up to 4-5 times until it’s too far gone.

I’ll also say that the exhibit hall wasn’t 100% ready for its opening on Tuesday. Freeman people were dodging attendees during show hours as they delivered equipment throughout the hall, and I saw several booths with shipping boxes, electrical gear, and luggage piled up near the main aisle.

I don’t know what a Digital Health Technology Partner is, but I’m sure it involves writing a check.

The puppies were in their play area today, helping raise money for the Anti-Cruelty Society.

Pure Storage and Veritas are offering “HIMSS 2023 Bottoms Up!” each afternoon.

The coat check rooms were stacked high with suitcases on Wednesday, which suggests that quite a few folks are heading home today. Exhibitors are required to staff booths for the shortened exhibit hours Thursday, but it will probably be dead in the hall (and suitcases will be piled up there, too).

NFL player Damar Hamlin, the HIMSS23 Friday morning keynote speaker who nearly died on national TV after suffering cardiac arrest from an on-field collision with another player, is cleared to play and says he will return to the game.

I got bored and bailed early today, enjoying a late lunch / early dinner at Il Porcellino, mostly because it was a short walk from the hotel. It was actually pretty amazing – the grilled calamari in arrabbiata was excellent and the lasagna is the best I’ve had anywhere. It was way too much to finish, but the price was entirely reasonable, especially for the neighborhood. The server said they have seen a bump in business from the HIMSS conference.

News

JTG Consulting Group hires Susan Mize, MBA (Bridgeway Benefit Technologies) as chief services officer.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles promotes interim CIO Conrad Band to SVP/CIO.