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HIMSS Annual Conference Education Committee

Annual Conference Education Committee (ACEC) Overview

Definition:

The Annual Conference Education Committee (ACEC) is a group of annual conference reviewers who each represent an industry, profession, or community within HIMSS. The ACEC is responsible for identifying and programming high quality educational opportunities at the Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition. The planning year for the ACEC runs from conference to conference.

Annual Conference Reviewers are member of the association who lend their time and expertise to review proposals submitted to HIMSS through its call for proposal process. Reviewers are responsible for the review of these proposals, evaluation of those proposals through an online system, and conferring with the other reviewers within their topic category group to produce a list of recommendations of proposals they believe should be accepted for the conference prior to the ACEC face-to-face meeting in early August. Once proposals have been selected by the ACEC, reviewers are assigned presentations, evaluate their presenter’s materials and evaluate the sessions on-site.

ACEC Committee Structure:

Purpose: To identify and program high quality educational opportunities at the Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition.

Committee Chair:

• A volunteer may be named by the HIMSS Board Chair
• Serves 3 years on the committee by end of chair term
• Must be a HIMSS member

Board Liaison:

• The HIMSS Board Chair or designee who will be in office at the upcoming Annual Conference

ACEC Members:

• 8 volunteers appointed by the HIMSS Board Chair (selections based on geographic location, topic category expertise, and years of experience within industry)
• Must be a HIMSS member (for two years)

Reviewers:

• Volunteers approved by the ACEC
• Once selected, Reviewers may continue indefinitely
• Must be a HIMSS member
• A HIMSS member must be a reviewer (for at least two years) before they may be selected as a member of the ACEC

ACEC Liaisons:

• Are a sub-group of the ACEC Committee
• Their role is to represent industry/community stakeholders who are not represented by the ACEC members
• They are approved by the HIMSS Board of Directors
• They are non-voting members that serve in an advisory role to the ACEC and to all
• They are highly involved in the proposal selection process (they must be present for the ACEC summer all-day meeting if the industry is not represented by an ACEC member)
• They must be HIMSS members for at least two years

Continuing Education Accrediting Agency Representative (USUHS):

• USUHS provides a Staff Member to attend the ACEC summer meeting.
• The USUHS representative is a non-voting member that serves in a continuing education consultant role.

Co-sponsor Representatives:

• Are identified by the cosponsoring organization
• They are either a member of the (co-sponsoring) organization or a member of their staff
• They serve as non-voting members
• They are highly involved in the marketing and planning side of the proposal selection process

HIMSS Staff Liaisons:

• H. Stephen Lieber, President/CEO
• Carla Smith, Executive Vice President
• Susan Farrell, Vice President, Education (sfarrell@himss.org)
• Marilyn Geary, Director, Annual Conference Education (mgeary@himss.org)
• Adam Bazer, Manager, Annual Conference Education (abazer@himss.org)
• Mari Franks, Coordinator, Annual Conference Education (mfranks@himss.org)

Annual Conference Education Committee Tasks:

• The ACEC review attendee evaluations of speakers and conference events to improve attendee benefits.
• The ACEC works with assigned Reviewers to evaluate proposals and select sessions, E-Sessions, roundtables, and workshops via the HIMSS web site and conference calls.
• They suggest high quality presenters and additional topics not submitted through the Call for Proposal.

Annual Conference Education Committee Meetings schedule:

• A face-to-face meeting at the Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition
• A face-to-face meeting in September/October of 2008 for 2009. Committee members must be present to participate; there will be no teleconference option.
• There are supplemental committee conference calls as necessary.
• Reviewers do not attend committee meetings; however, they do participate in conference calls during the proposal selection process with their assigned ACEC representative.

Definition of Roles/Benefits of Committee Participation (ACEC):

Annual Conference Education Committee Chair:

The ACEC Chair’s charge is to provide leadership, facilitate ACEC business and monitor progress of the Annual Conference Education Committee and the Reviewers:

Role/Responsibilities
The ACEC Chair:

• Works with HIMSS staff to develop agendas for the ACEC meetings and conference calls after consulting with the staff.
• Assures that committee members are apprised of all committee business, adhere to assigned projects and meet target dates.
• Provides feedback and counsel to HIMSS staff and committee members.
• May be asked to represent HIMSS on "goodwill" collaborations with other organizations, or serve on HIMSS special plan and scope projects.
• Serves a one-year term under current HIMSS bylaws.

Benefits and Rewards
The ACEC Chair:

• Earns 15 points for advancement to HIMSS Senior Member and Fellow Status.
• Receives a complimentary conference registration.
• Receives recognition on the web site and on-site.
• Provides educational value by broadening the knowledge base of conference participants.
• Has the opportunity to play a key role in developing the conference curriculum and direction.
• Increases their peer networking opportunities.

Annual Conference Education Committee Members:

Role and responsibilities
Committee Members:

• Participate in all conference calls and attend 2 committee meetings during the year.
• Review proposals within their assigned topic category.
• Monitor work and review/evaluate results of the Reviewers.
• Act as primary representatives for assigned topic area(s) to Reviewers and HIMSS staff.
• Recommend proposals to schedule as sessions, workshops, e-sessions, and roundtables per assigned topic category.
• Provide suggestions on speakers and topics for consideration at the conference.
• Moderate a session at conference if needed.
• Attend sessions during the conference to evaluation them.

Benefit and Rewards:
Committee Members & Committee Chair:

• Earn 5 points for advancement to HIMSS Senior Member and Fellow Status.
• Receive a complimentary conference registration
• Receive recognition on the web site and on-site.
• Receive educational value by broadening their knowledge base.
• Play a key role in developing HIMSS Annual Conference curriculum and direction.
• Increase their opportunities for peer network.

Annual Conference Education Committee Liaisons:

Roles and responsibilities
ACEC Liaisons:

• Participate in all conference calls and, if the industry they support is not represented, attend up to 2 committee meetings in a non-voting capacity during the year.
• Review proposals within their assigned topic category.
• Review and evaluate the results of the Reviewers within their assigned topic category.
• Act as primary representatives for assigned topic area(s) with Reviewers and HIMSS staff.
• Recommend proposals to schedule as sessions, workshops, e-sessions, and roundtables per assigned topic category.
• Provide suggestions on speakers, topics to invite to the conference.

Benefits and Rewards
ACEC Liaisons:

• Receive a complimentary conference registration.
• Receive recognition on the web site and on-site.
• Increase educational value by broadening their knowledge base.
• Play a key role in developing HIMSS Annual Conference education program
• Increase their peer networking opportunities.