BREAKING NEWS: HIMSS20 Cancelled: HIMSS Takes Unprecedented Step to Cancel Its Annual Conference, i…

The Chicago-based HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) took the unprecedented step on Thursday, March 5, of cancelling its annual conference for the first time in its history, citing World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warnings around the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

Below, in its entirety, is the announcement that HIMSS posted to its website at about 12:30 PM eastern time on Thursday:

“ORLANDO, Fla., March 5, 2020 – Today, following recent reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HIMSS announced it is clearly necessary to cancel the 2020 HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition. ‘We recognize all the hard work that so many have put into preparing for their presentations and panels that accompany every HIMSS conference,’ said Hal Wolf, president and CEO of HIMSS. ‘Based on evaluation of evolving circumstances and coordination with an external advisory panel of medical professionals to support evidence-based decision making, it is clear that it would be an unacceptable risk to bring so many thousands of people together in Orlando next week.’”