Welcome to the Spring edition of the LA HIMSS Newsletter!

In this edition of our LA HIMSS Newsletter you will find information on 2024-2025 board nominations, a call for 2024 GC3 speakers, LAHIMSS Scholarship Information and more!

Creating Tomorrow's Health at HIMSS24

Are you passionate about healthcare technology and want to make a difference in the industry?

Join our 2024-2025 LA HIMSS Board!

Nominations are now open.

LA HIMSS Members

 The Louisiana chapter is now accepting nominations for candidates to serve on the 2024-2025 Board of Directors for the following positions: 

·    President-Elect

·    Secretary

·    Treasurer

·    Member at Large (2 nominations)

All candidates must:

·    Be a current active member of HIMSS national for the last year,

·    Have served as a board member in past years or served on a committee for at least one year, and

·    Demonstrate strong leadership skills and a commitment to performing the duties of office.

If you would like to nominate a member or yourself, please submit the following to LouisianaHimss@gmail.com by May 24th, 2024:      

·    Candidate biography

·    One (1) paragraph detailing why you believe you are a good candidate to hold this position and the skills you bring to the board

·    Current contact information

·    Photo to be included on the ballot

All applications will be reviewed by the Louisiana Chapter of HIMSS Nominating Committee who will select the eligible candidates for each position to be included on the official ballot. All members in good standing will be eligible to vote for the 2024-2025 Louisiana HIMSS Board positions.

More Ways to Serve!

Volunteering as a committee chair is a great way to actively engage and contribute to the Louisiana HIMSS community. The Committee Chair positions are by appointment. You need only be a member of the national HIMSS to apply. If you would like to be considered for any of the committee chair positions below, please email LouisianaHimss@gmail.com by May 24, 2024.

Committee Chair Openings

·    Advocacy

·    CIO Liaison

·    Marketing/Web

·    Membership

·    Nursing

·    Professional Development

·    Academic and Student Liaison

·    Programs/Education

·    Sponsorship

·    Student Outreach

Thank you for taking the time to recognize and nominate leaders from our local Health IT community.

GC3 Conference

Gulf Coast Annual Regional Conference

Call for Speakers – 2024 Annual Conference

Nov 13-15, 2024 (Weds – Fri) Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel, Mobile, AL

General Information:

The 2024 Gulf Coast (GC3) Conference seeks timely, topical presentations for our annual educational conference! This event will be held at the Renaissance Riverview Hotel in Mobile, AL, November 13 – 15th. This conference provides education, information, resource sharing, collaboration, networking, program development, and a student poster competition. The conference attendees include healthcare information and technology professionals, healthcare executives, nurses, clinicians, operations and advocacy staff. There is an active student component and attendance as well. 

For more information or to submit a proposal, please visit the GC3 webpage or email gc3himss@gmail.com.  

Congratulation to Michele Martin!

Professor and Louisiana HIMSS Board Member Michelle Martin, MEd, MBA, RHIA, FAHIMA, CRHCP has recently taken the role of Department Head for the Department of Health Informatics & Information Management at Louisiana Tech University.

Please join us in congratulating Professor Martin in her new role at LA Tech. We know she will provide valuable leadership and guidance to Louisiana Techs' Health Informatics & Information Management Department.

Highlight your organizations innovation in HIT!

 Contact us to schedule a podcast and share your expertise with the LA HIMSS community.

You can find our latest podcast or videos on most podcast apps. or click one of the following links to connect:



Podcast

YouTube

Errol Labat/Louisiana HIMSS Annual Scholarship

The Louisiana Chapter of HIMSS provides assistance to students in the fields of health information technology through the Errol Labat, LA HIMSS Chapter Scholarship.

In today's world, technology is rapidly transforming the way healthcare is delivered. Our Health Information and Technology Scholarship is designed to support individuals like you who are determined to make a difference in the healthcare industry.

Louisiana HIMSS awards $1,000 to one student each year to be used in a HIT undergrad or grad related program. Your completed application, transcripts, and a written statement are due before April 30th. The recipient will be notified and award announced by the Summer (May/June) in preparation for the Fall semester.

To apply for this scholarship, go to Louisiana HIMSS Chapter to download your application today.

Are you a Member of HIMSS?

If you are not already a member, joining HIMSS is easy - simply visit HIMSS.org and select your membership type. And as an added bonus, you'll receive a free membership to the Louisiana Chapter (or your local chapter) along with your national membership. Alternatively, you can opt for a local chapter-only membership. Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to enhance your healthcare career - join HIMSS today.

2023 LAHIMSS Chapter Receives Silver Award

Thanks again to all of our LA HIMSS members for being such an essential part of our community and making the Silver Recognition possible! We are looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish in 2024.

2023-2024 LA HIMSS Board Members

President and Communications Chair

Bryan Taylor, MSN, FNP

Telehealth Operations Manager

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana

Past President

Amy Trainor, MHA, RN

System Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Ochsner Health

President-Elect

Chris Newsom

Senior Director of Infrastructure, Technical Services and Operations

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System



Secretary

Michelle Martin, MEd, MBA, RHIA, FAHIMA, CRHCP

Associate Professor at Louisiana Tech University

Health Informatics and Information Management Department

Treasurer

Alan Thriffiley, CPHIMS, FHIMSS

Director of Project Management and Strategy at LSU Health Care Services Division's Center for Healthcare Effectiveness

Sponsorship Chair

Allen Abshire

Director of HIT Operations

Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum



Advocacy Chair

Hank Fanberg, MBA

Member of the Office of the CIO and Director,

Technology Advocacy for CHRISTUS Health



Member at Large and Nursing Informatics Chair

Chad Cothern, RN, BSN, CPHIM, FHIMSS

CEO of Health Informatics Exchange

Member at Large and Communications Co-Chair

Pamela Camp, RN, MHI, CCM, CPHIMS

RN Informatics Consulting

Read more about your LA HIMSS FY2023-2024 board members HERE:

Stay connected with us on LinkedIn or visit our LAHIMSS Website to learn more about all upcoming LA HIMSS events and how you can get involved. Our events provide a platform for healthcare professionals to connect, share knowledge, and stay on top of the latest industry trends. Join us and be a part of the future of healthcare!