Networking at HIMSS

By Patty Enrado, Editor

ORLANDO, Fla. — If the number one reason you’re attending HIMSS08 is to network - meet new peers and hook up with old friends - there are numerous fun-filled networking events in which to immerse yourself.

Kick off the week by attending the Opening Night Reception on Sunday, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Orange County Convention Center, West Building, Hall F. With a backdrop of live music, cocktails and drinks, you can mingle afresh with attendees in an event sponsored by RelayHealth.

Get your tickets soon, as the Awards and Recognition Banquet on Tuesday evening, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., is one of the first conference events to sell out early. Come support and celebrate the contributions made by members to HIMSS, their organizations and the healthcare IT profession. Eight awards, including the 2008 Davies Awards of Excellence, will be acknowledged.

For pure fun, mark down on your calendar the Wednesday Night Event, 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., sponsored by Fujitsu. For $45 per person, you can boogie your way down the New York Backlot Street at Universal Studios as the Blues Brothers perform. Thrill-seekers can hop on Universal’s famous rides, including the Revenge of the Mummy and Twister.

For the athletically minded, lace up your sneakers for the 5K Fun Run/1 Mile Walk sponsored by IntraNexus on Tuesday, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Runners get on their marks at Turkey Lake Park, 3401 Hiawassee Road in Orlando.

HIMSS’s Special Interest Groups (SIGs) is a venue where you can exchange information with your peers in 20 different special interest topics. Learn what others are doing in RFID, for instance. Share best practices in e-Health. Find out what similar or different problems others are facing with electronic health record implementations. Learn from your peers.

The Communities Open House, on Sunday, February 24, from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m., is an opportunity to witness the value of being a HIMSS member through meeting with volunteers and leaders from HIMSS communities.

Other opportunities include chapter receptions and the Second annual HIMSS Health IT Venture Fair, where investors and exhibitors can find a perfect venture match.
Can’t wait until the conference starts? You can start networking with HIMSS Connect, an online networking tool to connect registered attendees and vendors.