Queen’s Bethel to Lead New England Chapter of HIMSS

We are excited to announce that one of our own, Senior Account Executive Katie Bethel, is the president-elect of the New England chapter of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Katie’s one-year term begins July 1.

About HIMSS and Katie

HIMSS is a global nonprofit organization that uses information and technology to improve the provision of healthcare. For sixty years, the group has worked to deliver innovation, insights, education and events to healthcare providers, payers, governments, IT consultants and other health services organizations worldwide. The New England chapter (NE HIMSS) implements the global organization’s mission by presenting events, education and networking opportunities to more than 3,000 members in the six-state New England region.

Katie joined Queen Consulting Group six years ago after previously working in the financial services industry. Her manager, Jessica Doherty, has been a long-time member and volunteer in NE HIMSS and she encouraged Katie to become involved, too. Katie has now served on the organization’s programs committee for almost five years—the last three as chair—where she works to present networking events and educational programs.

Benefits of Involvement

Queen Consulting Group sees many benefits of Katie’s involvement. As a regular sponsor and exhibitor at conferences and other events, our firm is thrilled to have Katie right there representing us, where she and other QCG employees can network and meet new healthcare IT professionals. “Learning directly from industry experts about healthcare IT is so valuable,” says Katie, “and in turn helps QCG become more effective in healthcare staffing.”

Another benefit of our involvement is being able to give back to the community and be a part of advancing the mission of healthcare IT - using technology as a way to improve patient’s lives. This involvement helps us play our part in providing teams the talent they need for certain projects within their organizations.

Some specific ways Katie has been involved is through organizing educational and networking events on topics that New England membership have requested, inviting speakers to share their wisdom and knowledge at events, and through the Scholarship program to students in the region. “It’s a great way to give back to the healthcare IT community, and I feel very lucky to play a big part in that through NE HIMSS.”

Industry Trends and New Initiatives

Katie had a chance to immerse herself in the latest and most important industry trends when she attended the HIMSS22 global conference, held last month in Florida. “With 29,000 attendees, more than 1,000 exhibitors and 300-plus networking and educational events, I became a sponge to try and soak up as much information as I possibly could. It’s great to have such a powerful resource to learn from!” says Katie.

She was especially impressed with a panel of influential women in healthcare IT, and with the closing keynote speaker, swimmer Michael Phelps, who spoke about breaking the stigma associated with mental health. Among the trending topics discussed at the conference were telehealth and digital innovation in healthcare, as well as the need for health equity efforts to ensure universal access to healthcare. All this information enables Katie to be proactive about deepening her understanding about the challenges facing IT departments at hospitals – and in turn allows her to educate QCG’s recruiting team so they can more effectively find the right types of healthcare IT resources. 

What’s Next for NE HIMSS?

As incoming president of the New England chapter, Katie has identified some top priorities for her term.

“A big goal for this year is to bring back in-person events. We plan on being flexible and smart about it. For example, we were able to hold a holiday social in December just before the omicron wave swept in, but moved our planned January event to this June. Realistically, we will most likely offer a hybrid program of in-person and virtual events that accommodates member needs and preferences, as well as the reality of Covid.”

Another focus will be on the educational component of NE HIMSS’s programs. “We want to help our members learn about the many facets of digital innovation,” says Katie. “We believe we have an important role to play in educating our members so that they are prepared for new technology and the way it transforms their workplaces. We also are working to expand our stable of speakers to include new and diversified voices.” Katie notes that the New England chapter of HIMSS is presenting a conference on May 12 that addresses diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts in the delivery of healthcare.

Give NE HIMSS a Try

It's not just Katie—all of us at Queen Consulting Group see many benefits to participating in the New England chapter of HIMSS. It’s a great way to keep up-to-date on the latest trends in healthcare IT and, especially as in-person events become more common, the networking and education opportunities can open up doors to new connections and new knowledge. We encourage everyone in our community to check out NE HIMSS by visiting an event or taking an online program!

Reflecting on her time at HIMSS22 last month, Katie notes that she was inspired by a quote from one of the speakers on the women’s panel: “In order to go up, you must show up.” At Queen, we are grateful for how Katie is showing up at NE HIMSS: for our own organization, and also for our healthcare IT community!