HIMSS17 Social Media Ambassador Matt Fisher: Healthcare attorney who once was a Starbucks barista
Matt Fisher is likely to win some fans among the Women in Health IT and #HITchicks crowd at this year’s HIMSS17 when they read who his hero is.
Fisher is an associate with Mirick O'Connell where he serves as chair of the firm's Health Law Group, and tweets at @Matt_R_Fisher.
Healthcare IT News asked Fisher what he’s anticipating at HIMSS17, the issues top-of-mind for his social media followers, and more.
Q: What are you most looking forward to at HIMSS17?
A: Continuing to develop existing friendships and meeting lots of new people. The social media connected to HIMSS and the conference in general are a great means of connecting with a variety of people and learning about new ideas. The learning aspect is another piece that I am looking forward to. Being an attorney, I do not always get to see developments and changes firsthand. I appreciate the opportunity to find out what is happening in the industry, which helps me understand tools and solutions that my clients are either looking at or for.
Q: What issues do you think are top-of-mind for your social media followers?
A: Given my tendency to focus on regulatory and legal issues, I see privacy and security as foremost concerns. Those often lead to questions about HIPAA, including what HIPAA does, what it covers, and what actions it requires. The questions about HIPAA and regulatory requirements also lead to discussions about the impact on both the development and use of health IT. The topics all connect and interact and a noticeable change occurs once the regulations are explained.
Q: Who's your favorite healthcare hero? Why?
A: My wife, Stacey Beberman, who is a primary care internal medicine and pediatrics physician. She actually has to work with and handle all of the different health IT issues that we debate and sees the impact on patient care. She is good around technology and still feels an impact. It is also interesting hearing her perspective on different EMR systems, which have been many between residency and two jobs since finishing residency. At the end of it all though, she does not let the issues get in her way of being a compassionate and caring physician who feels vested in the lives of her patients.
Q: What's your pet peeve? (Either on- or off-line?)
A: A growing pet peeve is the tendency to knee-jerk reactions without attempting to engage in a real conversation. Oftentimes, it feels as though issues become bigger than necessary because a statement is taken out of context or twisted to fit a certain preconception. My feeling is that our viewpoints may not align, but we owe each other the common courtesy to discuss and possibly learn from each other.
Q: What is something your social media followers do not know about you?
A: I worked at Starbucks for 3 years in college and miss the old espresso machines that required making sure that the beans ground right, hand tamping the grounds and timing the espresso shots to pour for the right period of time. I could also steam a nice creamy pitcher of milk for lattes and cappuccinos.
Related HIMSS17 profiles:
⇒ Meet Drex DeFord: Former Air Force CIO who started as a rock-n-roll DJ
⇒ Health IT guru Brian Ahier: A big fan of analytics, Don Berwick and Jerry Garcia
⇒ Linda Stotsky: She writes poetry, sticks up for underserved and loves ... boxing?
⇒ Jane Sarasohn-Kahn: Health economist, woman in HIT, Social Media Ambassador
HIMSS17 runs from Feb. 19-23, 2017 at the Orange County Convention Center.
This article is part of our ongoing coverage of HIMSS17. Visit Destination HIMSS17 for previews, reporting live from the show floor and after the conference.
