HIMSS20 digital is now live – a new initiative that capitalizes on the rich and varied array of healthcare information and technology expertise that had been scheduled for the 2020 HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition this month, made available for registrants' on-demand viewing.

"As you know, it was a clear necessity to cancel HIMSS20, following updated reports regarding the global spread of COVID-19," said HIMSS CEO Hal Wolf by way of introduction to the new HIMSS20 Digital online platform.

"Once the action was taken to cancel the conference, we immediately turned our attention to building a digital environment for HIMSS20 – an environment with free access for those who were registered for the conference in Orlando," he said.

"Our goal is to ensure that the wealth of informative content so many of you have created will be shared and viewed with your colleagues across the global health ecosystem."

Among some of the first presentations made available online – more thought leadership and specialized learning opportunities will be posted every week in the months ahead – is a timely and informative interview from HIMSS International Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Charles Alessi, who speaks to two CIOs on the COVID-19 front lines in Italy and Germany, who offer hard-won perspective on optimizing technology infrastructure for the battle against coronavirus.

Other new sessions include:

• Improving Smart Contract Security in Healthcare Supply Chain
• Privacy Challenges in the Internet of Health Things
• HIPAA and a Cloud Computing Shared Security Model

Registrants can also watch a valuable archived webinar from earlier this month, in which Providence Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips describes how the Seattle area health system quickly acclimated its systems and processes to manage the fast-moving coronavirus crisis there.

In the weeks ahead other recorded and live sessions will be available, as will be new updates from HIMSS20 exhibitors.

As Wolf told Healthcare IT News earlier this month: "People often say, 'At HIMSS I love going to the presentations, I just wish there were two or three of me because two or three are going on simultaneously.' This is the beginning of us making that available."

Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.