HLTH 2022 in Las Vegas
HLTH is an integrated show, When I say integrated I am not talking about virtual and in-person integration but rather a different approach and style of a conference setup. In the case of HLTH they have a large floor setting with stages in the four corners and the main stage that is situated just off the main exhibit floor.
While not new it does feel different as the organizers have tried to bring as much as possible together in one location. To be clear one location is still spread out over one very large property and conference facility so there is still plenty of walking involved.
There is a lot to like about this with opportunities to step into presentations from the main floor. For this weary conference going it is always a relief to be able to sit down throughout the day. I shared my memories with several folks from some of the companies I have worked with in the past who had policies that *banned* chairs or any kind of seating in their booth. Staff was not allowed to sit down at any point during conference hours – in the case of an event like HLTH and many other conferences that are from opening to close which can be sometimes as early as 7 am for breakfast through to evening event and drinks at 7 pm. A solid 12 hours of rbi-pedal carbon-based units that were not well designed for this orientation!
In hindsight, I wish I had been stronger in seeking some relief – even when chairs showed up at the booth policies continued to preclude any staff from sitting on them. The chairs were for the customers only….sigh
I had several interactions with people that had stepped into one of the multiple stages and were listening and even managing to grab some food and drink
It is worth highlighting that food and drink are included and available throughout the day – this is a big plus. No more challenges finding food and drinks and getting sticker shock from the inflated prices that inevitably follow every conference (and sports stadium) location. I saw breakfast burritos were still being served late in the afternoon a steady stream of customers so clearly fulfilling market demand!
And the breakdown of areas and stages offered tracks for people to focus on and find options that suited their needs. I saw packed sessions in all corners of the hall so there was clearly a lot of interest
But the downside of this was also one of the big benefits of being back in person and in one location. I could barely walk more than a few blocks of booths without either spotting an old friend or colleague or being spotted and stopping to catch up. I barely made it to any of the sessions that I had originally planned but the plus side was my social tank got filled to overflowing with positive interactions with all the great folks who orbit the healthcare universe we live in.
I was constantly reminded of the fact that everyone in my experience comes to the table with some kind of personal story or experience. Sadly many were poor experiences and challenges either with themselves or family members or friends. Even the stories with unhappy endings proved to be inspiring, mainly because the individuals despite tragedy and loss had used this to drive change in a system that is just not working for most people. Each story inspired me and reminded me of the reason I started Healthcare Upside/Down
Each episode finishes with the same phrase
“Keep trying to solve the business of healthcare as if your life depended on it, as one day soon it will”
Yesterday I met so many people who have stepped up to this challenge and offered hope that we can make the change necessary to allow access to great healthcare all the fantastic people who go into the practice of medicine go to work to deliver but oftentimes are frustrated by a system that stymies their genuine compassion and caring from arriving at the most important person in the system – the patient
There were other challenges in the stages from my perspective – it could be difficult to hear if you were on the periphery. Not sure how this problem is solved in an open plan set up and maybe it varied depending on where you were.
As for the floor, a bustling hive of activity that looked busy but not overcrowded all day long. Everyone I asked at the booths seemed pleased with the show and the general traffic and interest being shown. I came across of slew of interesting companies and am looking forward to following up with more details on their offerings and where some of these ideas are really going to bring about impact in our healthcare system here in the US and around the world. Behavioral health showed up several times as did the technology to reduce friction – friction not just for the patients with integrations and creating a seamless and smooth experience but also for the people working inside the system who struggle with the distraction of technology. I know most people want the same experience they have with most other parts of the economy and life to come to healthcare. Long been missing but I certainly saw some real relief coming in the form of innovation that was economic and importantly scalable. There were some unique and interesting technology innovations with some clever additions and ideas to existing capabilities that I was impressed with
My biggest challenge was finding the way out. In fact, one kind gentleman stopped after he saw me walking and staring for a second time clearly looking lost. I failed to mark the exit in my mind and because of the circular nature of the event setup, everything started to merge. I have been to this location for other shows in the past so the whole central restrooms on the floor below did not fool me this time. For those that got turned around – it can be very disorientating as you can find yourself exiting a different location and direction by accident when you walk back up (a different) set of stairs.
I did eventually find my way out and of course, found yet another healthcare unicorn to show me the way
Unicorns at HLTH22
