HIMSS24 Europe Draws Together Thousands of Healthcare Leaders to Build Tomorrow’s Health

Global and European leaders forged new pathways and partnerships to improve healthcare at the 2024 HIMSS European Health Conference and Exhibition, which convened more than 2,000 healthcare executives, practitioners and professionals from 84 countries in Rome to learn, connect and innovate.

Esteemed participants included Italy’s Minister of Health of the Government Orazio Schillaci and the incumbent Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri. Disability rights advocate and former NBC Euronews anchor Isabelle Kumar served as moderator for the conference’s most compelling sessions.

In addition to hundreds of exhibitors and sponsors showcasing their latest innovations, speakers led in-depth discussions on AI in healthcare, interoperability, health equity, clinical decision supports, wearables, EMR adoption and predictive analytics. Sessions also offered cutting-edge insight into Europe’s current regulatory landscape, including the AI Act, the European Health Data Space, The European Health Union and the European Recovery and Resilience Fund.

Keynote addresses were delivered by experts on the forefront of health, innovation and policy, including:

• Dr David Novillo-Ortiz, Unit Head, Data and Digital Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe
• Hela Ghariani, Co-Chair of the EU eHealth Network, Co-Head of the Digital Health Delegation, French Ministry of Labor, Health and Solidarity, France
• Henning Schneider, Chief Information Officer, Asklepios Kliniken, Germany
• John Riggi, Former FBI Senior Executive and Supervisory Special Agent, National Advisor for Cybersecurity and Risk, American Hospital Association, United States of America
• Marco Marsella, Director, Digital, EU4Health and Health Systems Modernisation, DG SANTE, European Commission
• Dr Waheed Arian, Humanitarian, innovator, former Afghan refugee, Arian Wellbeing Limited
• Hal Wolf, President & CEO of HIMSS
• Prof Ernst Kuipers, Board of Directors Member, HIMSS & Former Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Netherlands, Vice President, Research, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

HIMSS recognized multiple healthcare systems during the Digital Maturity Awards Ceremony at HIMSS24 Europe for their outstanding achievements in enhancing clinical outcomes with the implementation of HIMSS maturity models. Five organizations achieved Stage 7 validations on EMRAM and 15 organizations achieved EMRAM Stage 6.

Attendees received an inside look at Italy’s recently launched Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico, a groundbreaking approach to health data that lets citizens trace their entire medical history online. Innovation funds like Smart&Start Italia are also helping cities across Italy build thriving healthcare startup scenes.

Partners from the HIMSS Italian Community — including AISIS, AIIC, Donne 4.0 and Donne Protagoniste en Sanità — also hosted sessions throughout the week.

Seven projects showcased advancements in cybersecurity, chronic condition management and patient-focused tools, aiming to improve healthcare outcomes: AI4HealthSec, WARIFA, FLUTE, EDiHTA, Gravitate-Health, Label2Enable, and ADLIFE.

HIMSS Strategic Partner GVM Care & Research, led by its CIO Elena Sini, who is also the Chair of the HIMSS Board of Directors, opened the doors of its San Carlo Hospital, a hospital that has experienced heavy investment in technological innovation to improve its healthcare services.

The highly anticipated Digital Nursing Summit at the conference was a two-part program that delved into the cutting-edge advancements in digital support for nursing care. In light of the ongoing, global workforce crisis, the second part of the summit focused on strategies to bolster and support nurses in their vital roles.

Members of the HIMSS European Nursing Informatics Community and the Italian Nurses Association were in attendance, in addition to speakers such as Professor Pam Cipriano, president of the International Council of Nurses; Christine Antorini, nursing student and former Minister of Education in Denmark; and Matthew Little, associate chief nurse - Digital / chief nurse information officer (CNIO) at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

HIMSS24 Europe showcased emerging healthcare solutions through Startup Pitchfest, offering a platform for innovative startups to address entrenched challenges faced by health systems and providers. Attendees witnessed insightful discussions on leveraging technology to promote health equity, refugee care and mitigate the impact of climate change.

As announced in Rome during the closing keynote sessions, the 2025 HIMSS European Health Conference & Exhibition will take place in Paris, France, from 10-12 June 2025, at the world-famous venue, Palais de Congrès.