HCIC 2022: Ready for a Comeback in Miami
// By Melanie Graham //
After a virtual conference in 2020 and a scaled-back event in 2021, HCIC is ready for a return to normal this year in Miami. With new session formats, an exciting slate of topics, and a beautiful setting, this is a conference that healthcare professionals won’t want to miss.
After two years of virtual sessions and scaled-back events, 2022 is proving to be the year that healthcare conferences officially make their comeback. And for HCIC, they’re going to celebrate that comeback in Miami.
Kathy Divis, president, Greystone.Net
“We’re hoping this year in Miami we’ll finally be back to the pre-COVID normal in terms of our activities and attendance,” says Kathy Divis, president and cofounder of Greystone.Net, producers of HCIC. “We’re excited to get people back together to interact and network in a beautiful location. It’ll be a lot of education and a little bit of fun, too.”
The 26th annual HCIC takes place November 7-9 at the JW Marriott Turnberry in Miami. With topics focusing on healthcare digital content and technology, the event is the premier conference for healthcare marketing, IT, communication, web, data analytics, and PR professionals.
After drawing roughly 50 percent of their normal attendance in 2021, the Greystone team anticipates that 2022 will have a different, pre-COVID energy and attendance level.
“It was great to be back in person last year and see people again, but there’s a different vibe this year. It feels like people are getting out there more, networking again and getting together with colleagues,” says Mike Schneider, executive vice president and cofounder of Greystone.Net. “I’m looking forward to having a more normal conference this year and getting back to the level we were at before COVID.”
As for the content, this year’s agenda will feature plenty of learnings from the rapid digital transformation the healthcare industry has experienced in the past three years.
“COVID truly expedited the digital transformation of healthcare and that has had a big impact on HCIC,” Divis says.
If the location isn’t enticing enough, you’ll have plenty to look forward to on this year’s HCIC agenda. Here’s what you can expect.
New Formats and Offerings
Mike Schneider, executive vice president and co-founder of Greystone.Net
HCIC attendees may notice a few changes to this year’s event. One change will be the session length — each one will last 45 minutes (instead of 60) with five minutes for Q&A. Ideally, this will give attendees more time for networking, Divis says.
The pre-conference workshops will also get a makeover for 2022. Instead, HCIC is offering nine master classes on the first day of the conference. The classes are spread across two blocks on Monday morning.
“We’ve always offered content on the morning of the first day, but this year, we’re offering master classes on a wider range of topics and with a deep dive into each topic,” Schneider says.
Some of the master class topics include marketing on TikTok, native and mobile apps, podcasting, and the transition to Google Analytics 4.
HCIC will also bring two panel discussions to the main stage this year. Each discussion will represent a major part of the HCIC audience, with a CIO panel on November 8 and a CMO panel on November 9.
And if you’re looking for virtual content, HCIC will also provide some online-only sessions to attendees. While there won’t be a virtual conference this year, in-person attendees can access exclusive bonus content through the HCIC app.
Kathy Divis and Mike Schneider discuss some of the key themes for this year’s HCIC agenda.
Leveraging the Relationship Between Marketing and IT
Although HCIC has always had an IT component, the 2022 conference will feature a larger share of IT-focused content. Lee Carmen, associate vice president and chief information officer at University of Iowa Health Care, will give a keynote address on cooperation between marketing and IT. There will also be a panel discussion showcasing CIO perspectives on the digital front door.
“We’ve never had a shortage of marketing presentations at HCIC, so I love the idea of giving more time to the IT folks to talk about collaboration with the digital teams and the issues they’re facing in the industry today,” Schneider says. “There’s certainly a level of IT involvement that we haven’t seen in years past.”
Accelerated by the pandemic, healthcare consumerism and personalization have been major targets for marketing teams over the past few years. IT plays a big role in that — whether it’s online appointment booking, telemedicine platforms, physician directories, CRM, or leveraging user data.
“Since COVID, we’ve seen a lot more cooperation and alignment between marketing and IT to accomplish organizational goals,” Schneider adds.
Personalization in the Patient Journey
Both Divis and Schneider also see personalization and user experience taking center stage during this year’s conference.
“We’ve moved beyond the digital front door 1.0 to version 2.0, which is based on the user’s unique needs and the idea that consumers want their journey to be specific to them,” Divis says.
Schneider says attendees can expect presentations that focus on usability research, persona testing, and user feedback surveys that have helped guide marketing strategies. There will also be plenty of topics covering tools and technology that marketers can use to build this personalization.
A Mix of Practical and Philosophical
The Greystone team has built a strong HCIC agenda that’s a mix of both “the philosophical and strategic,” Divis says. In other words, plenty of sessions will cover big-picture ideas and concepts, and talks will give actionable takeaways for the audience.
The keynote sessions are a great example of this practical and philosophical balance. In addition to the CIO keynote, HCIC will also feature a unique presentation about improving the patient experience titled What If Hospitals Ran Disney? with Jake Poore, president and CXO of Integrated Loyalty Systems.
“Jake is highly entertaining, but his commentary and ideas about the patient experience are on point,” Divis says.
HCIC will also feature the latest email marketing best practices with a keynote from Jay Schwedelson, founder of SubjectLine.com and president and CEO of Worldata Group. And Jessica Rector, MBA, founder and CEO of Blaze Your Brain International, will give a keynote on burnout and stress management.
Honoring Healthcare Leaders and Innovators
As in previous years, HCIC will include three award programs alongside its robust session schedule and networking opportunities. They include:
- The John A. Eudes Award for Vision & Excellence, an honor named for one of the Greystone.Net cofounders. The award recognizes an individual who represents Eudes’ ideals of excellence. (November 8)
- The Healthcare Internet Hall of Fame awards, which honor individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the healthcare internet industry.
- The eHealthcare Leadership Awards, the grand finale of the conference, recognize the very best websites and digital communications of healthcare organizations and highlight the role of digital communications in achieving healthcare organizations’ business objectives.
Pack Your Bags, Your Swimsuit, and Your Schedule
Although HCIC will be jam-packed with learning and networking opportunities, Divis reminds attendees to leave some room for fun.
The conference location — the JW Marriott Turnberry — offers a world-class waterpark and spa. It’s also close to multiple golf courses and provides shuttles to the beach. If you have time, you can also make a trip to Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, or the Keys.
“We always try to pick locations for HCIC that give attendees the power to make the most of the conference,” Divis says. “We want to create a great experience and learning opportunity with the content, but we also want to offer a setting that’s fun and entertaining.”
Learn more about this year’s HCIC and see the full agenda »
Melanie Graham is a writer and digital/content marketing expert specializing in multichannel content strategies that drive healthcare brand growth and awareness.