2013 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition Call for Proposals

The HIMSS13 Call for Proposal now open through May 30, 2012

 

Jointly sponsored by and , the Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition provides world-class health IT and management systems education. Our Annual Conference Education Committee (ACEC), consisting of 12 appointed volunteers from all membership constituencies, carefully designs the program to meet the needs of our audience. 

Each year, HIMSS’s Annual Conference offers over 200 general education sessions that are selected from a peer-reviewed process. To ensure that our program’s content is timely, relevant, and optimally targeting our attendees’ needs, the ACEC selects from the submissions received during the “Call for Proposals” and may supplement programming by inviting speakers to fill any gaps identified.

And in response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 which includes billions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments to providers and hospitals who demonstrate "Meaningful Use" of certified health IT products as defined through the publication of proposed rules for Stage 2 in February 2012,  HIMSS’ welcomes and will give preference to abstracts that demonstrate the adoption and advancement of healthcare information technology to Stage 2 in support of the roadmap towards meaningful use. For HIMSS13, our focus continues on the "demonstration" of what has been accomplished.

In addition, HIMSS will give preference to abstracts that demonstrate the adoption and optimal use of healthcare information technology and management systems. Our real-world, practical focus is on what stakeholders have accomplished in over 20 topic categories, spanning the health IT landscape, highlighting lessons learned and best practices, for practical take-aways related to improved quality, improved safety, increased cost-effectiveness and, increased access to care. Topic examples include health information exchange and interoperability, mobile health, usability and workflow, and enhances communication between providers and patients (eConnecting with the Consumer). We are particularly interested in case studies of how health IT is being leveraged to garner clinical and business intelligence to impact care coordination, outcomes improvement, workflow, administrative and cost-efficiencies; increased effectiveness and efficiency in the provision and payment of care; innovation; leadership; challenges, opportunities, and unintended consequences; and change management. These will make for excellent sessions that will equip our attendees to realize transformative change through the best use of IT and management systems.

In the late spring of each year, HIMSS receives many general education session proposals via the online Call for Proposal process. Using ACEC appointees as subject matter leaders, HIMSS engages over 200 volunteer subject matter experts to review all of the proposals. All HIMSS members are welcomed and encouraged to volunteer as a reviewer.

To ensure a fair assessment, every single proposal is evaluated by a minimum of three volunteer reviewers.  Led by ACEC members, review teams meet throughout the summer months to evaluate proposals.   Proposals are evaluated based upon several criteria, and an observer from the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) ensures that our process and selections exceed the standards required for continuing medical and nursing education credits.

As a result of this thorough evaluation process, the ACEC selects initial proposals in early Fall.  To ensure the optimal timeliness and relevance of the subject, speakers are immediately notified of the ACEC’s decision.  Those selected are provided with nearly four months to submit a first-draft presentation.  At the end of the calendar year, ACEC appointees review the drafts to make sure that the most up-to-date and relevant information is included in each presentation.   PIM also performs its final assessment at this juncture, assigning CME and/or CNE credits, as appropriate.

One month prior to Annual Conference, final presentations are due to HIMSS.  Within this ever changing dynamic industry of health IT and management systems, this process presents the best practice on ensuring optimal, world-class education sessions.

If you have any questions regarding involvement in this process, please feel free to email your questions to Deb Clough, Manager of Annual Conference Education, at dclough@himss.org.