ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition will proceed as scheduled March 9-13 in Orlando, Fla. As of February 27, 2020, registration is experiencing an upswing of 7 percent over HIMSS19 participation. Cancellations rates remain less than .05 percent.
HIMSS20 programming features preconference events, specialty education, entrepreneur activities and the opportunity to earn continuing education credits. Additional sessions offer investment strategy from high-ranking industry leaders, as well as exposure to new industry solutions, reactions from the field on common issues, poster presentations and the popular Views from the Top strategic education sessions. View the full HIMSS20 schedule and program.
HIMSS is closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak and continues to provide regular updates and preparedness plans, here: https://www.himssconference.org/updates/himss-update-coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has publicly deemed the health risk of coronavirus for the general American public to be low at this time. HIMSS20 conference organizers are adhering to CDC guidelines and taking the following precautions:
Traveling to Florida
- At this time, HIMSS is accommodating cancellations from attendees traveling from countries designated as a Level 3 alert by the CDC. Updates and impacted countries can be found here.
- Attendees should not travel to HIMSS20 if they are feeling unwell. Attendees should monitor the CDC travel guidelines prior to their departure.
- Orlando Airport (MCO) is complying with the travel restrictions signed by the U.S. Government on January 31, 2020, which bars entry to the U.S. of most foreign nationals who traveled to China within the 14 days immediately prior to arrival in the United States.
- HIMSS is providing guidelines and updates to conference attendee hotels on healthy procedures and tips. All guests checking in will receive printed copies of safety measures.
On-site Preparedness Plan
- While the risk remains low at this time, HIMSS20 will be a handshake-free meeting. We recommend the HIMSS elbow tap.
- We are working with local hospital systems to provide extra medical support as needed on site
- EMTs and Nurses on site for screening protocols.
- Telehealth access to ER physicians to host virtual visits as necessary.
- There will be three medical offices on site at the Orange County Convention Center. One of the medical offices will be dedicated to addressing both flu and coronavirus symptoms and will be staffed by a trained medical professional with direct access to the Florida Department of Health and an Epidemiologist.
- Screening procedures established by the CDC will be conducted on site throughout the conference; HIMSS and the Orange County Convention Center will consult health teams at the local hospital systems when necessary.
- Should screening reveal an elevated risk for an attendee, the person will be isolated immediately to prevent exposure to conference participants.
- Further, the Emergency Department teams at the local hospitals will be consulted to ensure the risk to conference attendees is proactively managed to ensure the safety of all conference participants.
Sanitation Measures
- Orange County Convention Center has a disinfectant procedure in place for nightly and day cleanings during move-in and throughout conference, which adhere to the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance.
- There will be an increased number of hand sanitation sites available in the Orange County Convention Center and surrounding HIMSS20 venues, providing alcohol-based hand sanitizer for all attendees and staff.
- Disposable, disinfectant wipes will be provided so commonly used surfaces (e.g. doorknobs, keyboards, presentation materials, desk surfaces, etc.) can be routinely sanitized.
- Interested attendees can access medical-grade face masks at any HIMSS20 information booth.
Situation Monitoring
- HIMSS staff is meeting on a regular basis with key conference stakeholders, including Orange County, the Orange County Convention Center and the Florida Department of Health agencies to evaluate any risk in the host city.
- HIMSS is also actively monitoring CDC and WHO updates for further information.
Regular updates about HIMSS20 and preparedness plans can be viewed here: https://www.himssconference.org/updates/himss-update-coronavirus.
About HIMSS
The Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society, Inc. (HIMSS) is a global advisor and thought leader supporting the transformation of the health ecosystem through information and technology. As a mission driven non-profit, HIMSS offers a unique depth and breadth of expertise in health innovation, public policy, workforce development, research and analytics to advise global leaders, stakeholders and influencers on best practices in health information and technology. Through our innovation engine, HIMSS delivers key insights, education and engaging events to healthcare providers, governments and market suppliers, ensuring they have the right information at the point of decision. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, HIMSS serves the global health information and technology communities with focused operations across North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. Our members include more than 80,000 individuals, 480 provider organizations, 470 non-profit partners and 650 health services organizations.
Karen D. Groppe
Senior Director, Strategic Communications
Email: kgroppe@himss.org
Mobile 312.965.7898 | Twitter @Karen_D_Groppe