With so many innovative ideas circulating, conference attendees are hard-pressed to cover all of it. To help provide more knowledge in a shorter time span, the Innovation Live exhibit area will be hosting a new format. Lightning Sessions are 20-minute presentations that will cover some of the most pressing issues in the industry from using analytics in the real world to dealing with interoperability in the EHR workflow.

“There will be a focus on the importance of having a culture of innovation within your organization to prepare and position oneself for a successful innovation initiative,” Paul Murphy and Scott Gaines of the HIMSS Innovation Committee, said in a joint email. “There is a flood of new digital solutions that can be overwhelming, so we are emphasizing the value of having an organized strategy around innovation and adoption of new approaches. If your organization is not prepared to innovate then disruptive technologies and processes will struggle to be successful.”

Some of the sessions focus on specific types of health concerns. For example, the session “Where there’s smoke, there’s ROI” looks at how to create a comprehensive engagement program that supports smoking cessation and long-term health improvement. 

Other sessions have a broader lens. For example, “Are you fit for the fight against cyber threats” takes a closer look at how the healthcare system can provide ongoing protection to patients and services.

The presentations are short but participants are encouraged to stay after and ask questions.

“With only 20 minutes it is hard to prioritize all the content, however, this is a great opportunity to provide insights into the importance of innovation and the technologies and information that will help push our industry forward,” Murphy and Gaines said. “We will focus on the work the HIMSS Innovation Committee is producing this year along with introducing folks to the Innovation Live area and what they can expect from this key destination on the exhibition floor.”

The Lightning Sessions will take place at the Venetian - Sands Convention Center Hall G at booth 9947 from 10 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. March 6 and 7 and 10 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. March 8.