EPtalk by Dr. Jayne 2/26/26

I appreciated Mr. H’s comments earlier in the week about the challenges that companies encounter when trying to justify the cost of ViVE and HIMSS exhibits via booked revenue.

As a CMIO, I am unlikely to do business with someone just because I saw their booth at a conference. In fact, having a poorly prepared or apathetic booth staff is probably worse than having no booth at all.

Years ago, my CIO had recommended that I follow up with a vendor whose rep he had spoken to at a high level. I arrived at the booth, identified myself, and said that my CIO had referred me to take a look. I received the conversational equivalent of a pat on the head, with an instruction to come back when my CIO could also participate. I guess they missed the title on my badge and didn’t understand that I was the one with the actual decision-making authority for clinical applications.

In preparing to attend ViVE, I spent too much time deciding what to wear given temperatures ranging from 50 to 80 degrees. And of course, figuring out which shoes to pack. I was grateful to have HIStalk’s Guide to ViVE document to help me scope out some visits with vendors that weren’t on my list.

I noticed that some savvy vendors didn’t list booth numbers, but instead provided a list of their executives who would be on site and instructions on how to book a meeting. I also appreciated those who highlighted members of their company who would be speaking, the planned topics, and where to find them. Those kinds of listings are more likely to catch my attention than a boring blurb about being a cloud-hosted SaaS platform just like everyone else.

In traveling to ViVE on Sunday morning, I was caught in the gap between the Department of Homeland Security saying that they would be suspending TSA PreCheck security lines and the subsequent reversal of the decision. I travel often and at generally the same time, so I recognize a lot of the TSA staffers that typically work PreCheck at my airport. They’re usually pretty chill, even during busy Monday rushes.

Going through the “regular” security line on Sunday, the agents seemed more stressed. Travelers were also certainly stressed. Many who usually go through PreCheck didn’t seem to know how to put their items in a bin or get through quickly. Fortunately, I had seen the announcement of closures before I went to bed on Saturday night and left early. Even so, the security line was extremely long. About an hour later, the PreCheck line was back open, providing relief to the chaotic main screening line.

I’ve been part of several startup companies, so I understand what it’s like to have to show up and work without pay while you’re waiting for your next funding check to clear. Several members of my family were without pay during the last government shutdown. It can be devastating for the average US family that isn’t positioned to absorb that financial challenge.

When traveling, remember that kindness costs nothing. If you have friends or neighbors who are being impacted by government shutdowns that seem to be our new normal, consider offering whatever support you can.

ViVE is an interesting conference due to its co-location with CHIME events. These tend to draw more CIOs, which can make for a higher proportion of conversations with attendees who not only have a budget for solutions, but also the authority to spend it. Still, a “see and be seen” element exists. 

I overheard a couple of folks talking about how they didn’t really have a plan for the conference. They weren’t sure why they were there, or how their attendance was adding value. They were, however, happy to have gotten away from the northeastern US before winter storms hit, and seemed to appreciate the California sunshine.

I also overheard someone who said that he was prospecting for his company that was less than a week old. As a seasoned buyer, I hope he’s not leading with that tidbit.

ViVE provides meal service for a portion of the conference. They had a large seating area, but it was crowded. Outside food truck options were available and popular, but my schedule sent me to the grab-and-go option more than I would have liked.

It was great to see old friends and meet new people. Monday was my busy night attending vendor events. The Healio AI launch party was seafood forward and seemed to have a good turnout. From there, I was off to the Supreme Communications event, which was casual but fun, and then to the Abridge soiree at the Ritz Carlton. I spotted quite a few CMIOs from top 20 health systems at that one.

The best party of the night by far was hosted by Evergreen Healthcare Partners at the Grammy Museum. Attendees had access to an exhibit featuring Tejano music queen Selena. The menu choices were on point, particularly the mini salted caramel chocolate tarts. I had an early morning of work waiting for me in the Eastern time zone, so I was back at my hotel early.

Following my calls, I made my way to the convention center and attended a few sessions that seemed meatier than those that I encountered at HLTH in the fall.

I noticed several people who were wearing microphones even though they weren’t speaking. I wonder how much of their day they record, or maybe they just aren’t taking their microphone off between times they need it. It reminded me of the early days of Google Glass, when people had to wonder if they were being recorded. If you are one of those folks who always has a microphone at the ready, feel free to weigh in with your strategy.

The most eye-catching booth backdrop that I saw was this one from the Berwyn Group. It drew me into stopping in to hear their pitch, where I learned about how they support organizational population health efforts by ensuring the accuracy of information when patients are deceased. I hadn’t thought about that in detail, other than how it impacts me in primary care. The team was great to talk to and explained their business well, so if you’re in the market for a solution to support death audits, give them a look.

As always, IMO Health brought their footwear A game to the conference. On the last day of the show, I saw a woman who was walking to the show floor wearing flip flops at 8 a.m. I don’t know if that was her first choice, or whether it was need-based following less than stellar footwear selections earlier in the week, but kudos to her for sporting them proudly.

I have enjoyed my time in the industry and in seeing tools evolve. I had a chance to chat with the folks at Medicomp Systems, who showed me their generative AI capabilities and how new elements are working seamlessly with the Medicomp Quippe tool. I was glad to see that one of their demo personas named “Seymour Patients” continues to be alive and well, or at least as much as one can be in the virtual world.

Overall, it was a more productive week than I anticipated, which is always a nice surprise. Now I’m hoping for the best for my trip back to the East given the number of canceled and delayed flights and the amount of snow on the ground.

If you attended ViVE, how was it? What were your biggest takeaways? Leave a comment or email me.

Email Dr. Jayne.