HIMSS24 from a distance

I haven’t been to a national HIMSS conference since 2019. We all remember how the early days of the pandemic led to a last minute cancelled HIMSS20. Since then, there has been a multi-year transition in the conference approach. It was back to what appeared to be a pre-pandemic level of attendance at HIMSS24 this week. I sat it out again this year but watched from afar on social media.

On social media I saw the key vendor announcements, session highlights, and got a glimpse of the oh so valuable in person networking as many people shared pictures of reconnecting with one another.

Bill Russell’s This Week Health Newsday episode on March 8 – “HIMSS , Yes or No?” – asked are you going to HIMSS, should you be going? He aptly named national conferences like HIMSS as “carnival” type events. With over 1,000 vendors exhibiting at HIMSS, the description fits. But, if you are looking to meet with your vendors or research new vendors to solve real problems, the exhibit hall was the place to be. He also refers to “relationship” events – smaller conferences and events where there is an emphasis on the peer-to-peer connection we all value. That’s where I am putting my focus given my current work.

At any conference, networking is key. There are benefits to you and your organization as you build relationships and learn from your peers. It is not just about your own career journey which is often what people think about networking. In the past four years we’ve become accustomed to virtual connections and events, but I agree that there is nothing like in-person events for networking and renewing relationships.

Did I have FOMO this week? Maybe a little. But am I continuing to build new and nurture old relationships with colleagues and clients every day? Yes.

I look forward to reading the HIMSS24 recaps in industry publications and from attendees on their social media accounts to learn even more. Here are a few to start: Continue reading

Navigating career crossroads

I’m fresh off another stimulating in person CHIME Fall Forum. Many colleagues have already posted on LinkedIn their recaps of the forum speakers and key takeaways. One of my takeaways is the importance of networking on many different levels. A common conversation for me was colleagues who are looking for their next career move or currently in between positions. As I organized my post CHIME to do list on the plane home, I found that I had several people to follow up with from that perspective.

Ironically, when I got home and back into my daily podcast listening routine, the first one I heard was the ThisWeekHealth Newsroom show from November 10 – “The Signs it’s Time to Move on as a Leader”. On Fridays, Bill Russell usually does a stream of conscience commentary on a topic. This one tied very well into some of my CHIME conversations. I encourage you to check it out – only 10 minutes long.

If the end of year approaching has you rethinking your own career plans, check out my previous blogs on career advice. Earlier ones are listed in this blog – “Career advice revisited”. Newer ones are referenced in this blog – “Considering a career move?”. You will find some useful insights and advice for your journey.

And if you’re looking for a career coach, this blog might be helpful – “When to use a career coach”. I’m happy to explore with you what a short 3-month engagement would look like and how best to customize it to meet your unique needs.

HIMSS as a networking event

For those of you attending HIMSS23 in Chicago next week, it will be a mix of education, vendors, and networking. Let’s face it, while education and the exhibit hall are what our organizations are willing to invest in, networking is what we all look forward to each year. Seeing colleagues we’ve known for years, finally meeting in person people we’ve only known on zoom, and making new connections. Especially after a few years of virtual only conferences.

I won’t be attending this year. But that doesn’t stop me from giving some advice on the networking front.

Whether you are in transition and looking to make connections for your next opportunity or you are focused on learning from your peers and sharing success (and failure) stories from your own work, effective networking is critical to your work and your career.

Here’s some general networking advice:

Network extensions – Everyone you know knows a few more people who could potentially be helpful. Proactively and respectfully work your network.

Professionalism – Always present yourself as the consummate professional whether at work, online, or in business interactions after hours.

Two-way street – Figure out what you need from a connection and what you can offer to them.

Diligent follow-up – If you commit to provide a reference, make an introduction, or something else, be sure to do it in a timely manner.

Networking is one of the greatest values of the annual HIMSS conference and HIMSS provides many ways to find people with similar interests as yours. Here’s some slightly modified advice specific to HIMSS from previous years posts: Continue reading

Considering a career move?

The start of the new year is often a career transition time for people. We’ve heard much in the recent period about the great resignation, silent quitting, and remote work options being in demand. And we’ve seen significant layoffs in the tech industry and to an extent in healthcare providers dealing with significant financial challenges. If you or a colleague are considering a job change, some of my previous posts may be useful to revisit.

Career advice revisited is a list of posts providing career advice that I wrote prior to May 2021. I consider many of them “classics” that are still useful – they cover dealing with a competitive market, questions to ask yourself, interviewing and resume tips, and more.

Two more recent posts since that time provide additional perspective and advice. I wrote Reflections on recent career conversations after talking with many colleagues at the 2022 CHIME Fall Forum. And the post Paying it forward with career advice from late summer 2022 includes links to useful articles and tools for comparing opportunities and deciding whether to stay or go.

For more focused posts here are two more to check out – STEM or not, own your career and Know someone interested in a nursing career?

If you are looking for a career coach to help you through a transition, the post, When to use a career coach, could be helpful. I am happy to talk about how I might assist you.

Note – I am taking a short break from writing new posts the next few weeks. With all the blog posts I’ve written over the past 8 years, I’m using this break to share some of my “classics”. Thank you for being a subscriber – I hope you will encourage your colleagues to subscribe in the coming year.

Reflections on recent career conversations

I’ve often written about career advice. After talking to several people in transition while I was at the CHIME 2022 Fall Forum last week, I decided it’s a good time to revisit the topic. Here are some of those interactions – anonymized of course – followed by my general advice given the common themes:

  • I asked a colleague who I knew was unhappy with their situation a few years ago how things are going these days. I got the same response as before – still unhappy. I say, time to do something about it. No one should stay in an organization or position where they are truly unhappy if there are options out there.
  • I met a CIO whose position was eliminated due to a merger. While actively looking for the next position, there are concerns that lacking Epic experience at the CIO level is an obstacle. Yes, there are benefits to having worked with a particular vendor and understanding the challenges and issues with their products and services but as I like to say, the CIO is not doing report writing in the tool so in the end, does specific vendor experience matter?
  • I met a CIO who is concerned about ageism. Will they be given a chance if they are 60 years old? There are laws against age discrimination but unfortunately, we know it’s a reality. I say go for it and focus on your experience.
  • I spoke with someone who is mid-career and unhappy in their current organization given cultural issues and limited opportunities. They are actively looking at a wide range of options as they should be.
  • I got an email from someone at a vendor whose position was eliminated and wanted help networking. I connected that person with someone who is well connected in that specific part of our industry.
  • I spoke to a couple CIOs who have retirement dates set. They will be thinking about the next chapter and whether to go cold turkey or stay involved in some way. The beauty of that phase is you can pick and choose, say “yes” to what you are passionate about and “no” to what you no longer want to do.
  • I spoke to a CIO who isn’t ready to retire but is open to working less and considering alternatives. This may be a growing trend after the pace and demands of the past few years.

And I spent time with some of the people I have formally coached in recent years. Hearing how they are doing and seeing how they have grown in their roles and careers is very rewarding. I’m honored that I helped in some small way. Continue reading

CHIME Fall Forum 2022 – it’s a wrap!

This week was my first in-person conference with CIO colleagues since Spring 2019. The CHIME Fall Forum is an annual gathering of health IT leaders, and this year is the 30th Anniversary of CHIME. Prior to the pandemic, I’ve attended CHIME fall forums almost every year since 2000 when I first joined CHIME. It was so good to again see friends and colleagues I’ve known for decades and finally meet in-person new colleagues and connections I’ve only known via Zoom for the past few years. There is nothing quite like in-person events for networking and informal conversations with colleagues. Kudos to the entire CHIME staff and board who did an excellent job once again!

From the DEI retreat on Monday to the League of Women’s luncheon and track sessions on Tuesday, to the somewhat creepy humanoid robot interview that CHIME CEO Russ Branzell so patiently did as the keynote on Tuesday, to the insightful “CHIME 30th Anniversary – Past, Present, Future” keynote panel on Wednesday, to the inspiring keynote from Carey Lohrenz on Thursday, and all the track sessions and receptions in between….it was a great few days in San Antonio.

I’ve been involved in the CHIME DEI Committee for the past two years. The panels at the DEI Retreat on Techquity and Next-Gen Leadership generated lively discussion amongst the diverse group of attendees. Kudos to Sheree McFarland, CIO West Florida at HCA, and Cletis Earle, SVP and CIO at Penn State Health, who co-chair the DEI Committee with support from the CHIME staff.

The CHIME League of Women track sessions covered a range of topics aimed at encouraging women to lean into leadership roles and take career risks. These were standing room only sessions – a diverse, multi-generation group of women attended with many male allies. Personal journeys and challenges faced were openly shared by the panelists. Kudos to Sheree McFarland and Sarah Richardson, SVP & Chief Digital and Information Officer at Tivity Health, for their leadership to the League of Women.

Past board chairs in attendance took the stage at the opening session to be recognized.  I am grateful for their contributions and leadership over the years. 25 of the past board chairs over CHIME’s first 30 years are white men. Seeing them on stage together was a stark contrast to the diverse group at the DEI retreat and the League of Women’s sessions. Change is happening and health IT leaders are becoming a more diverse and representative group. Continue reading

Importance of community for health IT leaders  

I am a fan of Bill Russell and his multi-media company This Week Health – today is no exception. Bill had a very insightful and spot-on episode last Friday on isolation and the importance of choosing community –“Isolation Destroys Leaders – Choose Community”. It is worth 15 minutes of your time to listen!

Bill starts with a neighborhood community analogy post Hurricane Ian and goes on to talk about the importance for health IT leaders to fight isolation and be part of a sharing and learning community. He talks about checking your ego and being willing to learn from everyone comparing his 16-hospital health system CIO experience with that of a small community hospital CIO with a staff of less than 10 people. As CIOs they both dealt with the same regulatory environment and set of issues.

He encourages health IT leaders to consider getting a coach and uses a sports analogy to distinguish between a coach and a consultant. And he encourages people to find small peer groups to be part of for ongoing learning and sharing.

One of the common goals Bill and I share is developing next generation leaders. There are many ways to do that, and Bill’s podcasts are one of them – thanks Bill for another great episode!

Related Posts:

The power of your network and learning from others

Considering a coach in 2022?

Different organizations, common IT challenges

 

Paying it forward with career advice

I get a lot of calls, emails, and LinkedIn messages asking for career advice. Knowing that people have been very supportive of me over my career, I try to pay it forward. I do a short call, find out where the person is at in their job search and career transition, ask some key questions, and give whatever advice makes sense for their situation. For people I know well and keep in touch with during their search, I often share useful articles that I find. These may include resume writing and layout, prepping for the interview, how to follow-up after the interview, dealing with rejection, how to identify red flags, or building your personal brand.

Many of the resources I have found and shared are from LinkedIn which as we all know is the “go to” for professional networking and content.

A Fortune article by Jennifer Mizgata in March of this year addresses a key question many people are faced with – “Should I take a fancy new career opportunity or stick with the old job I still like?”.  In it she references a great HBR piece, “A Scorecard to Help You Compare Two Jobs”, written in 2017 by a former colleague of mine from Mass General, Allison Rimm. It includes a scorecard tool similar to one I have used when doing career coaching.

I’ve written a lot on career management over the years. My post, “Career advice revisited” from May 2021 has links to most of them. Check it out and share with anyone you know who might find it helpful. In other words, let’s pay it forward!

Note – I am taking a short break from writing new posts over the next month. With all the blog posts I’ve written over the past 8 years, I’m using this break to share some of my “classics”. Thank you for being a subscriber – I hope you will encourage your colleagues to subscribe in the coming year.

FOMO

As I hear recaps of the HLTH 2021 conference in Boston last week and see colleagues posting about the upcoming CHIME Fall Forum, I admit I have a little bit of FOMO (fear of missing out). The HLTH conference was never on my radar given my work and moving schedule though it was nearby. I had looked forward to attending the CHIME Fall Forum in San Diego this coming week and seeing colleagues in person after all this time with only virtual events. But for several reasons, I won’t be attending.

John Lynn with Healthcare IT Today and Bill Russell with Today in Health IT provided highlights of the HLTH conference for those of us not attending. I expect Bill will do the same during the CHIME Fall Forum between daily recaps and live interviews while there.

There will be the usual excellent keynote speakers and track sessions with members presenting at CHIME. One of the highlights I am sorry to be missing will be Wednesday’s pre-forum session – “CHIME’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Retreat”. It will include speakers on “Unpacking Identity and Bias” and a panel session with CHIME members titled “Sharing DE&I Successes, Challenges and Next Steps”.  As a member of the CHIME DE&I committee, I value the connections made and candid conversations we’ve had in the planning of these sessions. We are continually learning from one another on this journey. It was after watching/listening to the DE&I session at the virtual CHIME Fall Forum a year ago that I decided to join this committee and help with this important work finding yet another way to get involved and give back.

Virtual events have been abundant and gotten better over the past 20 months as organizers adapted to the tools and speakers got used to monitoring online chats and Q&A vs interacting with live audiences. Continue reading

HIMSS21 – ready or not

According to HIMSS there are over 18,000 people registered for the big event next week – either in-person in Las Vegas or virtual/digital. It’s not clear what the split looks like. With the current surge in COVID cases, I assume many registrants may decide to convert to virtual and not travel to Vegas in the next few days. I saw last week some people calling for HIMSS21 to be cancelled. I remember well the days leading up to the HIMSS20 cancellation in March last year. Who would have thought we’d be here again 17 months later? HIMSS appears to be taking all the necessary precautions with vaccine proof required of attendees and now adding a mask requirement while there.

I decided months ago to forego in person HIMSS this year. HIMSS20 registrants did not receive refunds but could apply it to HIMSS21. The conversion value from a full registration to a digital one was not a good one given the significant price difference but there wasn’t another choice as far as I knew.

In past years, I’ve written tips on attending HIMSS and how to make the most of it. Those general tips on education, networking, and vendors still hold true whether in-person or virtual. The education opportunities are probably what digital attendees can get the most from though I’m hoping there are also opportunities to learn about new vendors from a distance.

I’m usually a last-minute planner when it comes to HIMSS. I don’t usually look closely at the schedule and make my specific plans until close to the event. As a digital attendee, I tried to keep my calendar flexible next week so I could attend as many digital sessions as possible. But as busy as I am these days, that didn’t work out so well.

So, I’m down to spending some time this weekend figuring out what is available for the digital attendees, deciding what is of most value to me given my current work and focus, and what’s even possible given my calendar. I’m open to any recommendations on digital sessions from those among you who have mapped out your plans. And any general tips on making the most of a digital registration.

Bill Russell has an interesting plan for his HIMSS time next week which will be virtual after he recently assessed his own personal risk level. Continue reading