HIMSS21 kicks off next week in Las Vegas. This much anticipated event, the industry’s largest, was rescheduled from March and is the first and largest on-site healthcare conference since the beginning of the pandemic. It’s everyone’s favorite healthcare and IT conference, and in past years included over 43,000 attendees.

This year, a little over 700 companies are signed up as vendors, half of the normal vendor list. About 18,000 people have registered to attend online or in person at the conference. The Southern Nevada health district’s COVID-19 trends report shows that Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, has the highest COVID-19 positivity rate in the state, with 283,000 of the state’s 360,000 recent cases.

If you’re going to Las Vegas, first and foremost, stay safe. Here’s a few more things to know:

Masks Are Required

HIMSS will require masks for all attendees, vendors, participants, and workers in public places and inside venues, per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. The CDC mask recommendation targets areas in the U.S. with more than 50 new infections per 100,000 residents or that had more than 8% of tests come back positive during the previous week. The governor of Nevada has also issued an emergency directive requiring face coverings indoors, as of July 30, 2021.

Proof of Vaccination is Also Required

Attendees must bring proof of vaccination validation, along with a valid ID for badge pickup at the conference. You can bring along a vaccination card, or link a recent vaccine record via the Clear Health Pass app. A second option is to book an appointment with a vaccine concierge service to verify vaccination status and then receive an emailed verification card for printing or displaying on a mobile device. Either way, don’t forget to bring your proof of vaccination or you won’t gain admittance.

Safety Protocols Will Be In Place

The exhibit halls will have wider aisles for social distancing. All venues will have socially distanced seating, including educational sessions, keynotes, public events, and networking events. According to the HIMSS website, “our goal is to host a safe and meaningful conference. We recognize that the situation and applicable guidance may continue to evolve.” For the on-site attendees, staff, and vendors, safety is the main concern.

If You’re Attending On-Site, Don’t Forget These Tips

If you’ll be on-site in Las Vegas, planning is key to a successful event. Plan ahead for sessions, networking events, vendors, and meetings. You’ll never get to everything or everyone, so it’s important to decide beforehand what’s most important. Here’s a few more tips to ensure that you have a great experience:

• Wear comfortable shoes. This cannot be over-exaggerated. Your step count will go through the roof, so don’t feel pressured to wear dress shoes or new styles. And don’t break-in new shoes. Consider the amount of walking you’re going to do, which in Las Vegas is a LOT, so seek out comfort shoe options.
• HIMSS scheduled Digital Dialogue Sessions this year to ensure that attendees can browse a personalized, recommended list of attendees who share common interests and schedule time to interact with other changemakers. There are on-site chapter events, collaborator events, exhibitor activities, and networking areas, so be sure to schedule beforehand.
• Take photos of business cards. It’s so much easier when you get home to have one place to sort out contact information. You most likely won’t lose your phone but you might lose a business card. Spend some time at the end of each day taking a quick pic of the cards you gathered. You’ll save time and prevent unnecessary chaos later. There are also apps, like Adobe Scan, which allow you to scan and file information easily and quickly.
• Take a refillable water bottle. Water is available from some vendors and in all dining areas, but you’ll be surprised how far it is between watering stations. Take a refillable bottle and fill it up before hitting the conference floor each day.
• Have fun! We’ve all been waiting to see people in real life and there’s no better place than HIMSS to meet the people you’ve only known via phone or social channels.

About Boston Software Systems

We won’t be in Las Vegas, but we’re always eager to speak with you. We can schedule time before, during, or after the conference. Don’t limit your RPA and digital transformation discussions only to on-site vendors. At Boston Software Systems, we state our truths and keep our promises. And we deliver fast with implementations in weeks, not months, and no on-site disruption, just customer success.

KLAS gave Boston Software Systems solid A’s in company culture, loyalty, operations, and value, uncovering these insights from our customers:

• 100% of Boston WorkStation customers report Boston Software Systems keeps their promises.
• 100% of Boston WorkStation customers report that Boston Software Systems is part of their long-term plans.
• 100% of Boston WorkStation customers report that they would purchase from Boston Software Systems again.

We encourage you to download a whitepaper or schedule time to chat with us. Our 30-year record of success is based on helping our clients understand the best long-term and short-term investments to improve organizational efficiency and maximize ROI.