National Health IT Week 2018 happened around the country and, as usual, plenty of conversation took place in face-to-face events, inside the Beltway, at state capitals and, of course, on social media.

HIMSS Senior Director of Congressional Affairs Samantha Burch explained that 2018 is a transformative year for NHITWeek because the purpose has shifted from proving the value of health technologies to demonstrating the achievements and successes.  

While that may be somewhat different from last year, one aspect did not change: Healthcare is a human story. That plays out each NHITWeek and 2018 was no exception.

It's the real stories behind #HealthIT that make our collective efforts come to life.

Read these here, and stay inspired:

https://t.co/Xp5joyqolo#IHeartHIT #NHITweek #Aim2Innovate #HCLDR #HDPalooza

This year's themes hit the mark! pic.twitter.com/rpDJmETen4

— Rasu Shrestha MD MBA (@RasuShrestha) October 8, 2018

Why do #IHeartHIT? There's so much potential to change the lives of clinical staff and patients - and so many ppl working to solve the challenges that stand in the way.

Also (in a nod to the Southern accents I've been hearing this week) y'all are awesome.#NHITWeek

— Brian Eastwood (@Brian_Eastwood) October 10, 2018

Powerful stories humanize health information and technology, inspiring us to innovate. What keeps you motivated to help move health IT forward? #IHeartHIT #NHITweek pic.twitter.com/vWhKu25fI9

— HIMSS (@HIMSS) October 11, 2018

Up to 1 in 5 patient records may not be accurately matched within the same health care system – and that’s a problem for patient care. Learn more: https://t.co/MeQkliouHf #NHITWeek pic.twitter.com/mMiRT9GE6c

— Pew Health (@pewhealth) October 8, 2018

Echoing the sentiments of Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King, and Smash Mouth, we could all use a little change. That’s the theme of #NHITWeek. Learn how Lauren is working to change EHR education and support for the better. #IHeartHIT pic.twitter.com/qgAuUTafbH

— Nordic (@nordicwi) October 9, 2018

When it's your mom, getting the right care at the right time becomes very personal: https://t.co/O6CNUjei6q #NHITWeek #IHeartHIT

— Carla Smith (@CarlaMSmith) October 8, 2018

Empathy is the heartbeat of healthcare. When you combine that with curiosity, you get to innovation.@TToddDunn of @Intermountain at @HealthLeaders Innovation Summit. #pinksocks #hcldr #innovation #NHITWeek pic.twitter.com/OuvZteKHre

— Rasu Shrestha MD MBA (@RasuShrestha) October 8, 2018

Location, language & luck....no longer factors to seeking quality care when traveling abroad.
We make purchases, bank & connect to each other w/confidence from around the globe.
Now we can access quality healthcare from anywhere.
As it should be. #virtualcare #IheartHIT #NHITWeek pic.twitter.com/tEHwRYeBqB

— Lewis Levy, MD, FACP (@lewismlevy) October 9, 2018

That’s really just a taste of all the #IHeartHIT stories told during this National Health Week and year’s past. Read them all here.

The power of technology to improve people’s lives was front-and-center this week and it shared some of the spotlight with social determinants of health.

Everyone can make a difference. More than 1,000 @KPShare IT employees across the country volunteered 4,100 hours planting gardens, cooking/serving meals, sorting food bank produce and more to bring healthy food and nutrition to our communities.#NHITweek pic.twitter.com/VZ5QaBWFAI

— Bernard J.Tyson, CEO (@BernardJTyson) October 8, 2018

I’ve worked in #healthcare for over 25 years, but it was when I entered #HealthIT that I found my passion. The ability to improve outcomes by combining IT systems & services w/ communication processes, still amazes & motivates me EVERY day. #NHITWeek pic.twitter.com/jdC4rAjFi5

— Linda Stotsky (@EMRAnswers) October 8, 2018

“Why do I love Health IT? We can use analytics to help doctors make data-driven decisions that improve patient care. With natural language processing, we can pull usable data from doctors’ notes, which make up some 80% of info in patient records.” –Kerry Bommarito, MTS #NHITweek pic.twitter.com/nZIvVSqDmY

— Mercy Technology Services (@MercyTechnology) October 10, 2018

As noted above, NHITWeek is also a time to demonstrate already-won success stories of using information and technology.

Wanted to recognize my favorite IT Team. Marcus Gomez and his team ⁦@LeonMedical⁩. Proudly standing by the ⁦@HIMSS⁩ stage 7 recognition. More photos to follow because it’s a large group of really smart and dedicated people.#healthIT #NHITWeek #OneTeam pic.twitter.com/O7I1VX0TZF

— Julio Rebull (@JGRebull) October 10, 2018

The week might be over but health IT is an important issue year-round, so keep your stories coming.

Your stories are the beating heart for inspiration in health information and technology. This #NHITweek, tell us why you health IT! #IHeartHIT pic.twitter.com/LDdL5JjYkp

— HIMSS (@HIMSS) October 9, 2018

Twitter: SullyHIT
Email the writer: tom.sullivan@himssmedia.com