After nearly a decade of supporting the Interop & Smart Experience Pavilion at HIMSS, I’m excited to return for HIMSS26—this time in a more focused role. I’ll be supporting the Connected Clinical Demonstrations as a Technical Project Manager (TPM), while Informa’s talented team takes the lead on other pavilion areas.

Stepping back into this environment feels a little like returning to 2016, when the pavilion first evolved from a standards showcase into a living, breathing demonstration of how interoperability could drive real clinical value. That early era was defined by curiosity and connection—vendors meeting not just to compete, but to collaborate, to explore what standards could do when applied to real-world care.

A Return to Matchmaking and Meaningful Collaboration

In the 2019 era of the pavilion, our topics were more predictable. The standards had matured, the patterns were well understood, and the stories largely followed established themes: patient access, FHIR APIs, and streamlined workflows.

But 2025 looks—and feels—different. Healthcare interoperability is once again at a crossroads. We’re navigating a new generation of standards, evolving policies, and expanding definitions of what “connected” care really means.

That’s why my approach this year will echo the spirit of 2016: matchmaking participants based on shared goals, compatible standards, and complementary clinical environments. The goal is to facilitate new connections and foster fresh stories—because interoperability today isn’t about repeating old success stories; it’s about writing new ones.

Why I Love This Project

A wise person once told me that interoperability is the backbone of innovation—and that’s exactly why I love this work.

What makes this space special is that it’s filled with real developers having real conversations about real integrations. The data truly moves in these exchanges, and the integrations are genuinely built—not simulated, not hypothetical. You don’t often get access to potential partners without a shared client or project, especially in such sensitive environments.

Here, though, collaboration is the entire point. Every participant is working toward a shared outcome: making the live demonstration at HIMSS not only function but shine. It’s an environment that’s deeply cooperative and purpose-driven.

Most of the time, vendors at conferences highlight what they may do—“Here’s our 18-month roadmap with all the bells and whistles that are possible if every condition aligns (which, let’s be honest, it rarely does).” It’s all about what’s next—the vision, the roadmap, the future they’re planning to build. And while that’s exciting, it can also be overinflated and not especially dependable.

I don’t just want to hear what you’re thinking about; I want to see what you can actually do—proven by a real demonstration with real products. Even better are those rare, mature use cases supported by data and evidence—but those take months or even years to develop. The Connected Clinical Demonstrations strike a perfect balance between the aspirational and the achievable: the creativity of what could be, grounded in the reality of what we’ve already accomplished.

Yes, it’s an investment—but what conference isn’t? In the current age of AI, where we’re all trying to discern what’s real and what’s hype, I love being part of something that so clearly demonstrates the difference. The Interop & Smart Experience Pavilion is where interoperability stops being a buzzword and starts being visible, tangible, and real.

Why It Matters

When interoperability works, it’s not just about data moving—it’s about meaning moving with it. A truly connected clinical experience impacts everyone in the healthcare journey: patients, caregivers, administrators, and communities.

As a TPM supporting the Connected Clinical Demonstrations, I’ll be helping organizations show not only that their systems can talk—but that they can listen to one another, exchange insight as well as information, and demonstrate the tangible value of standards-based innovation in real time.

Looking Ahead

This year’s Interop & Smart Experience Pavilion will bring together some of the brightest minds and most forward-thinking organizations in healthcare IT. If your organization is exploring participation, I encourage you to look beyond the technology and think about the story you want to tell:

• What real-world challenge does your solution address?

• How can interoperability elevate that story?

• And who might be the right partner to help you tell it?

If you’re ready to collaborate, connect, or even brainstorm possibilities, I’d love to hear from you. The deadline for Connected Clinical Demonstration participation is December 31, and spaces tend to fill quickly.

For more information about the conference or to discuss participation, please get in touch with salesinfo@himssconference.org.
You can also reach me directly at bronwen@bronwenconsulting.com—I’m always happy to help connect potential participants or answer questions about how these demonstrations come together.