BARR Highlights Attendance at HIMSS 2022 Conference with a Focus on Connections

For the second year in a row, BARR Advisory associates attended the 2022 HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition (HIMSS22), in Orlando, Fla., which brought more than 29,000 participants from around the world.

BARR’s President, Brad Thies as well as representatives from our healthcare compliance, business development, and marketing teams had the chance to be a part of this event, absorbing material on cutting-edge trends in healthcare technology, information security, and innovative health solutions. 

BARR associates emphasized the importance of connections at the 2022 conference. Let’s learn a bit more about their experience.

Swathi West presenting at HIMSS22

Swathi West, manager of healthcare compliance and privacy at BARR, presented alongside Thies, speaking on the topic of “Creating a Security Culture in a World Rocked by a Global Pandemic.” Using examples of security incidents from the past two years, West explored how to build a culture of security within an organization, our communities, and across the globe. 

“This year, we focused on partnership,” said West, whose presentation highlighted the importance of continuous security training, effective communication, and celebrating efforts on HITRUST and HIPAA compliance. 

“Security is everyone’s responsibility. We all advance by helping our teams understand the why behind what we do,” added West. “Because of COVID, we depend on each other now more than ever, and at HIMSS, we were able to not only educate, but also collaborate with colleagues on issues pertaining to our current culture in cybersecurity.” 

Steve Ryan, senior consultant for BARR’s HITRUST practice, also took part in the HIMSS22 experience. Emphasizing the many networking opportunities available, Ryan said, “The conference was incredible. You could feel the excitement from participants who were glad to be out of the house and interacting with each other. Creating connections with business leaders and mentors alike was a big takeaway for me.” 

Steve Ryan, Swathi West, Vince Maduri, and Jim Dever at the Cybersecurity Command Center

In addition to presenting, BARR exhibited in the Cybersecurity Command Center. Attendees had the opportunity to discover more about BARR’s healthcare cybersecurity compliance solutions, including the new HITRUST i1 validation assessment and HIPAA compliance, along with opportunities to win prizes and take home giveaways.

BARR also co-hosted a well-attended happy hour, giving associates and their colleagues a chance to talk beyond the conference center. “Having those moments to chat with industry experts helps us understand how we can best support each other and overall, make the world a more secure place,” added Ryan. 

Jim Dever, account executive for business development, said the exhibitor booth was a success. “We were able to spend time with professionals in the global healthcare ecosystem, learning how we can best support their security and compliance needs.” 

“The conference gave us the chance to increase brand awareness,” added Dever. “We met many potential partners who were enthusiastic about BARR’s messaging, and that was really exciting to see.” 

A few other highlights from the HIMSS22 conference include:

• 1,000+ exhibiting companies with more than 250 educational sessions on the show floor
• 300+ general education sessions led by innovative thought leaders
• Featured speakers from a former “60 Minutes” correspondent, Disney executive, and Olympic medalist

The BARR Team at HIMSS22

2022 is all about partnership, and HIMSS22 gave many leaders, including our associates at BARR, the opportunity to reimagine the healthcare industry through collaboration and connection.

Interested in learning more about partnering with BARR? Find out more about our partnership program or contact us today for more information. 

ABOUT HIMSS

HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) is a global advisor, thought leader and member-based society committed to reforming the global health ecosystem through the power of 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 digital health transformation to advise leaders, stakeholders and influencers across the global health ecosystem on best practices. With a community-centric approach, our innovation engine delivers key insights, education and engaging events to healthcare providers, payers, governments, startups, life sciences and other health services organizations, ensuring they have the right information at the point of decision.

HIMSS has served the global health community for more than 60 years, with focused operations across North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.