Healthcare IT sector faces uncertainty amid U.S. policy changes
NEVADA, UNITED STATES — The annual HIMSS25 conference in Las Vegas has exposed a fair degree of tension among healthcare IT specialists as they try to steer their way through an environment that has recently been subjected to policy changes by a new administration.
Despite having more than 28,000 people in attendance, many of them appeared to be leery of openly talking about the negative impacts that they thought could result from reduced funding and policy alterations.
Silent concerns amid technology discussions
Although the four-day conference had many topics on artificial intelligence, electronic health records, and digital health investments, Pietje Kobus of Healthcare Innovation observed that none of these seemed to capture the immediate issues that healthcare organizations are facing. These include the mass firings in national health agencies, the restrictions on the messages that health agencies can send, and the expected cuts in the healthcare sector, including Medicaid.
This tension was captured when a PR professional whispered to Kobus, “Why is no one talking about what we need to talk about?” – a big issue that many people seemed reluctant to raise explicitly in public.
Industry leaders acknowledge challenges
Only a few industry leaders could mention the challenges. Hal Wolf, the current president and CEO of HIMSS, was one of the rare few who actually addressed these concerns directly.
“If you’re not concerned, I’d be more worried,” said Wolf when asked about healthcare funding.
“If you listen to comments from the administration, there will be challenges to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicare. I’m not trying to overreact to what we hear, but I want to understand what we see. But am I concerned? Absolutely.”
Wolf emphasized that scenario planning had been incorporated into various conference sessions to help organizations prepare for the “unsettled” policy environment. These included Government Relations meetings, Nursing Informatics meetings, and dedicated policy-focused events.
The healthcare sector is currently facing a number of challenges: delivering quality care with reduced staffing, defending against cyber threats, and, in the event that the new administration delivers on its promises, reduced funding. As the administration’s policies start to take shape, healthcare IT leaders are proceeding with caution and more deliberate thinking about technology spend.
Whether it be HIMSS26 that is set to take place in Las Vegas again next year, Kobus says the industry will have to keep a close eye on how these policy alterations are going to impact the healthcare sector and technology adoption in the months ahead.
