Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality, safety, cost-effectiveness, and access, through the best use of information technology and management systems. Originally founded in 1961 as the Hospital Management Systems Society, it is now headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The society includes more than 50,000 individual members, over 570 corporate members, and more than 225 not-for-profit organizations.

It was organized in 1961 as the Hospital Management Systems Society, an independent, unincorporated, nonprofit association of individuals. The society was co-founded by Edward J. Gerner and Harold E. Smalley. In late 1961, the constitution of the HIMSS was drafted and approved, and in 1962, the first national convention was held in Baltimore. In 1963, the second national convention was held in Chicago, and the following year the its national headquarters were moved there. In 1967, the Bylaws, Rules and Regulations of HIMSS were written and approved. By 1982, it had 15 affiliated chapters (14 in the US and 1 in Australia). In 1986, the HIMSS was renamed to include “Information” in the title. By 1996, membership had grown to 7,500. As of April 2014, it has more than 52,000 individual members. Its annual conference was attended by more than 38,000 in Orlando, Florida.