HIMSS is debuting a new set of communities ahead of, during and after the HIMSS19 Global Conference.

Called HIMSS Circles, they’re an opportunity for like-minded people to convene at the conference, get to know each other and learn together what will be of most interest, according to HIMSS Vice President Karen Malone.

For its first year, the HIMSS Circles program will include nine distinct communities: non-IT C-suite executives, IT executives (CIO, CTO), clinical IT executives (CCIO, CMIO, CNIO), security executives, investors, entrepreneurs, physicians, nurses, and researchers or scientific specialists focusing on life sciences.

“The experience we’re creating for these groups will help them navigate the conference and identify what’s important,” Malone said. “We’re taking the initiative and saying ‘you might want to participate in this session with other nurses,’ for example.”

The HIMSS Circles communities will begin in the fall, with webinars for each group and the HIMSS19 Global Conference will feature an on-site welcoming activity, identified relevant education sessions, tours of specific exhibit areas, HIMSS executive thought leadership briefings and custom activities.

The HIMSS Investor Circle, for example, includes exhibition, professional development and networking events.

The exhibit portion including the Innovation Live Showcase, Innovation Pavilions, start-up booth, a Developers Lab and the Innovators Genius Bar.

When it comes to professional development, HIMSS Investor Circle participants will have access to Venture Connect pitch competitions, Reverse Pitch Competitions and Market Debut Sessions.

And the networking events also include orientation, an investor reception and the investor lounge so Circle members have a private place to conduct business.

“Circles are an opportunity to be engaged with the community and services, such as HIMSSTV, year-round,” Malone added. “We’re starting with nine stakeholder groups this year and hopefully we’ll be expanding it for HIMSS20.”

Attendees can opt-in when they register for the HIMSS19 Global Conference and anyone who did not do so can go back in and edit their registration to join a Circle.