HIMSS 2026: A little less conversation, a little more action

Las Vegas - For those of a certain age, it’s hard to think of Las Vegas without also thinking of Elvis Presley.

For years, the King played in Vegas, which hosted the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition last week. The annual digital health conference drew 24,000 healthcare leaders to Sin City to see the latest technology and for lively discussions about AI, federal policy, delivering care at home, and other big trends and topics in the industry.

Throughout the conference, a lyric from one of Elvis’ hits: “A little less conversation, a little more action.”

Healthcare leaders at the conference generally agree about some of the big problems that need to be addressed. Too many people don’t have convenient access to care, and too many can’t afford it. There’s an aging population and a shrinking workforce.

Many healthcare leaders say federal policies, including cuts to Medicaid, are going to exacerbate the problem. Hal Wolf, HIMSS president and CEO, said in a media briefing at the conference that he’s troubled by policies that could make it harder for people to get medical care.

“We run a horrible risk of disenfranchising millions of people from gaining access to health care services,” Wolf says.

Wolf talked about the need to adopt AI and other digital tools to help health systems care for more people.

“I think we're absolutely at an inflection point where we have to do that,” Wolf says.

Healthcare leaders also said some solutions don’t require technology as much as they do a willingness to think differently.

David Banks, president and CEO of AdventHealth, offered a keynote address at the beginning of the conference that focused on recognizing reality and dealing with it, rather than simply wishing for circumstances to improve.

“Headwinds are inevitable. The goal is not to avoid the headwind,” he said.

It's simply to not let it be a total disruption to what your purpose called you to do,” Banks said.

He also said it’s time to recognize that many Americans aren’t happy with the results they are seeing from the healthcare system.

“Employers and governments don't like the value they're getting from us,” he said.

On an encouraging front, more hospital and healthcare leaders say they realize that it’s time to focus on solutions, rather than simply asking for more money or hoping that policies get reversed.

Leaders at HIMSS sounded similar messages about thinking differently and being open to new approaches. The conference offered countless opportunities to share ideas, ask questions, and learn best practices.

Hopefully, leaders are now ready to move forward, because the big challenges ahead require more than words.