Stream: social
Topic: HIMSS20 cancellations
David Pyke (Mar 04 2020 at 17:35):
So, aside from Cisco, Amazon and Salesforce, who else do you know that has cancelled? I'm no longer going but some sales people from my company are.
Who's no longer going?
Lloyd McKenzie (Mar 04 2020 at 17:51):
According to HISTalk
Cisco
HL7
Humana
Intel
Lumiata
Salesforce
Siemens Healthineers
TriNetX
VMware supposedly won’t attend.
Microsoft is reportedly debating internally whether to attend.
Providence and Multicare reportedly will keep registrants home.
An anonymous reader says their healthcare organization has suspended all business travel for four weeks.
Medicomp will not exhibit (that comes from Medicomp directly).
HP is reportedly not exhibiting.
MITRE is said to have cancelled attendance plans. (update: now verified via Twitter).
Cleveland Clinic reportedly won’t participate.
A reader says EClinicalWorks is notifying people who are scheduled for meetings that it won’t attend.
I'm aware of a few other payers who either aren't attending or are significantly reducing attendance. Not sure if that's shareable though.
Also, from HISTalk:
From Need to Stay Anonymous: “Re: HIMSS20. HIMSS asked our national, well-known company not to publicize or reveal that we aren’t going to HIMSS20, but rather to say that ‘we are participating at a reduced level’ if asked and without making any public statements. The concern is the optics – HIMSS can’t cancel because this is their main (almost only) revenue stream and having ONC and President Trump means the HHS people are forced to attend. The organizations I know will set up their booths, let them be empty, and attend only the panels where they are presenting and then leave.” Unverified.
Michele Mottini (Mar 04 2020 at 18:58):
Thanks Lloyd
David Pyke (Mar 04 2020 at 19:18):
I can verify that HIMSS has asked orgs not to announce they're not attending. Other orgs I've talked to have told me the same thng
.
David Pyke (Mar 04 2020 at 19:20):
The show floor is going to be a much quieter place than usual
Grahame Grieve (Mar 04 2020 at 19:21):
HIMSS has asked orgs not to announce they're not attending
I think that'll prove to be an own goal.
Dave deBronkart (Mar 04 2020 at 20:06):
Yikes. If major vendors are being asked to hide their withdrawal, that means anyone who's going for all the people they'll meet F2F will be attending a crap shoot.
David Hay (Mar 04 2020 at 20:24):
...and reduce the chance of them going to the next one...
David Pyke (Mar 04 2020 at 20:26):
I think this year will be seen as a special case. Next year (barring another plague) the floor will be full again.
Lloyd McKenzie (Mar 04 2020 at 20:26):
Those who haven't withdrawn might still be reducing the number of planned attendees, number of days attended, etc. That's not necessarily something that would warrant an announcement
David Pyke (Mar 04 2020 at 20:26):
Rumoured: SAP, E&Y, Deloitte, Elsevier, NextGen, Change Healthcare
Grahame Grieve (Mar 04 2020 at 22:54):
Courtesy of the emergency declaration in the state of florida, I have no valid travel insurance to go to HIMSS. So I'm also a concellation. And people have suggested to me to point out: check your insurance T&C
Grahame Grieve (Mar 04 2020 at 23:05):
Lloyd McKenzie (Mar 04 2020 at 23:32):
Additional updates here: https://histalk2.com/2020/03/04/himss-exhibitor-cancellations-3-4-20
Virginia Lorenzi (Mar 05 2020 at 05:04):
Not going anymore.
Virginia Lorenzi (Mar 05 2020 at 17:30):
This just in - got email from HIMSS appears they are canceling
David Pyke (Mar 05 2020 at 17:35):
Yep, I guess they gave in. I'm worried about the future of HIMSS as an org now.
Igor Sirkovich (Mar 05 2020 at 17:43):
The cancelation is confirmed: https://www.himssconference.org/updates/himss-update-coronavirus
Peter Jordan (Mar 05 2020 at 19:28):
Grahame Grieve said:
Courtesy of the emergency declaration in the state of florida, I have no valid travel insurance to go to HIMSS. So I'm also a concellation. And people have suggested to me to point out: check your insurance T&C
With 3 potential trips to the USA this year, I took your advice and checked all the exclusions in my annual Air NZ Policy. I didn't find anything relating to states of emergency but, IF the World Health Organisation officially declares the COVID-19 outbreak to be a Pandemic, I wouldn't be covered for any related medical expenses in the USA which, of course, is an absolute show-stopper.
Grahame Grieve (Mar 05 2020 at 20:13):
the actual language was "epidemic: any spread of disease formal designated by a public health authority". They confirm with me that a state of emergency due to a virus definitively qualified
Brendan Keeler (Mar 05 2020 at 20:39):
I'm concerned for HIMSS financials after this (their new app certainly wasn't cheap). Gotta wonder if their insurance covers pandemics
Brendan Keeler (Mar 05 2020 at 20:40):
JPM for fundraising, HLTH taking over the over the top conference mantel and Dev Days for thought leadership/knowledge transfer?
Brendan Keeler (Mar 05 2020 at 20:40):
Could be worse :shrug:
Peter Jordan (Mar 05 2020 at 21:03):
Grahame Grieve said:
the actual language was "epidemic: any spread of disease formal designated by a public health authority". They confirm with me that a state of emergency due to a virus definitively qualified
Similar to mine...
“Epidemic” means a fast-spreading contagious or infectious disease or illness in an area as documented by a recognised public health authority.
“Pandemic” means an Epidemic that is expected to affect an unusually large number of people or involves an extensive geographic area.
Guess that the definition of 'recognised public health authority' is the key. For an epidemic in NZ, that would be the Ministry of Health - for a pandemic, the WHO.
Lloyd McKenzie (Mar 05 2020 at 21:14):
The cancellation notice indicated that a decision on refunds was up to 2 weeks away - I expect that will include figuring out how much insurance will cover, how much they'll be out for venue and other costs and how much they need to remain viable until next year. I expect the odds of a full refund or full carry-over to next year are slim.
Abbie Watson (Mar 06 2020 at 11:52):
As a first-time attendee, that will be a sour experience to have them take my money and cancel the event with no refund. I had a mixed view of HIMSS before, and will be vocal critic if they don’t offer a refund.
Mary Ann Boyle (Mar 06 2020 at 14:07):
Grahame Grieve said:
Courtesy of the emergency declaration in the state of florida, I have no valid travel insurance to go to HIMSS. So I'm also a concellation. And people have suggested to me to point out: check your insurance T&C
@Grahame Grieve what did your travel insurance say? Other states have issued a state of emergency, and I have been given letters from those in government office stating that it should not effect travel, but I want to show them that it did in fact effect you. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Mohammad Jafari (Mar 06 2020 at 14:46):
(deleted)
René Spronk (Mar 06 2020 at 15:11):
Quote from a Dutch travel insurance policy (my translation) "healthcare costs will not be covered in case that the insured party could have known that travel carried a significant risk (to the health of the insured party)". Examples listed are: if a region/country is on the Dutch government travel-destination black list (e.g. China, northern Italy). Whether the fact of a US state declaring an emergency is sufficient to trigger the "insured party could have known that travel carried a significant risk" clause is anybody's guess.
Mary Ann Boyle (Mar 06 2020 at 15:20):
thank you Rene.
Grahame Grieve (Mar 06 2020 at 20:03):
@Mary Ann Boyle, from my terms and conditions:
“Epidemic” means a fast-spreading contagious or infectious disease or illness in an area as documented by a recognised public health authority.
We will not pay for:
2. claims under Section 2.3 and 2.5 arising from an Epidemic, Pandemic or outbreak of an infectious disease or any derivative or mutation of such viruses, or the threat or perceived threat of any of these.
It's unclear what a recognised public health authority is. But the insurance company confirmed for that that Florida's state of emergency qualifies
James Agnew (Mar 06 2020 at 21:09):
FWIW someone at our office called our (Canadian) corporate travel health insurance provider today and got conformation that the US state of emergency does -not- mean we aren't covered.
Mary Ann Boyle (Mar 06 2020 at 21:24):
James Agnew said:
FWIW someone at our office called our (Canadian) corporate travel health insurance provider today and got conformation that the US state of emergency does -not- mean we aren't covered.
thank you
Peter Jordan (Mar 06 2020 at 21:32):
In insurance terms, COVID-19 became a 'known event' in late January and that, of itself, will trigger many exclusion clauses in policies taking effect after that date. I'd say that, in practical terms, the chances of a NZ insurance company paying out in respect of any such claims is pretty low, regardless of whether a US State Governor classifies <5 coronavirus infections as an 'emergency'.
Last updated: Apr 12 2022 at 19:14 UTC
