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At the 2025 HIMSS Global Conference & Exhibition, leaders from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) outlined their strategic direction for influencing health policy in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Senior Vice President Tom Leary and Senior Director Jonathan French shared how HIMSS is actively engaging governments and stakeholders worldwide to advocate for health equity, guide responsible artificial intelligence implementation and promote cybersecurity readiness. Their focus underscores HIMSS’ mission to reform the global health ecosystem through informed policy rooted in data and technology.
Driving Health Equity Through Policy and Technology
Health equity remains the foundation of HIMSS' public policy agenda, shaping all other areas of focus. The organisation’s Public Policy Committee works to ensure every policy recommendation aligns with its equity-first vision. In practice, this means prioritising inclusive access to digital health tools, fostering connected health infrastructure and ensuring the interoperability of health data systems. Policy guidance issued by HIMSS reflects these priorities and includes frameworks that support patient engagement, quality outcomes and population health.
HIMSS believes that equity in healthcare can only be achieved when technologies are deployed with the right support and infrastructure. This includes a robust workforce capable of managing and implementing digital health tools. As a result, workforce development is not a peripheral issue—it is central to HIMSS’ mission. Without a well-prepared and empowered workforce, digital transformation, AI integration and cybersecurity initiatives cannot succeed. HIMSS emphasises the need for inclusive policy that allows individuals at all educational levels to meaningfully contribute to the healthcare technology ecosystem.
Related Read: The Role of Policy Change in Advancing Health Equity
Advancing AI Policy with Responsible Oversight
Artificial intelligence remains a major focus of HIMSS’ 2025 agenda, with a particular emphasis on developing risk-based, patient-centred policy frameworks. The organisation advocates for regulations that recognise the unique characteristics of AI in healthcare, including its potential for bias, risks to safety and the need for human oversight. HIMSS' AI Policy Principles propose structured approaches for development, deployment and real-world monitoring, as well as standardised feedback mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability.
One of the critical challenges discussed by Leary and French is the lack of a unified federal AI policy in the United States. With the recent shift in administration and the rescinding of key executive orders, HIMSS has called for renewed leadership to establish national frameworks that reflect healthcare-specific considerations. While some states like California, Virginia and Oklahoma have developed their own AI strategies, HIMSS warns that this fragmented approach could hinder innovation and force developers to navigate inconsistent compliance rules across jurisdictions. To address this, HIMSS continues to promote harmonised standards and urges federal policymakers to adopt a coordinated national strategy.
Cybersecurity and Digital Infrastructure Modernisation
In a healthcare system increasingly reliant on digital tools and connected infrastructure, cybersecurity has become a critical priority. HIMSS’ 2025 policy agenda includes advocacy for scalable security measures, improved risk management protocols and education programmes to expand the cybersecurity workforce. In particular, HIMSS supports the use of industry-led frameworks such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 and the HHS Cybersecurity Performance Goals to guide policy formation.
HIMSS has also responded to proposed changes in HIPAA Security Rules by recommending a focus on high-risk threats like ransomware and encouraging flexibility in compliance timelines. Its Cybersecurity Policy Principles advocate for a global, consensus-based approach to security, ensuring that data privacy and patient protection are central to technological innovation. HIMSS is also prioritising telehealth expansion and remote patient monitoring in 2025, alongside broadband access and public health data modernisation. These efforts are crucial for strengthening infrastructure and improving access to care, particularly in underserved communities.
As the digital health landscape continues to evolve, HIMSS remains a key voice in shaping global health policy. With a focus on health equity, responsible AI governance, workforce readiness and cybersecurity, the organisation seeks to guide governments in implementing policies that are both innovative and practical. By grounding its recommendations in real-world impact, HIMSS ensures that policy does not remain theoretical but instead supports clinicians, IT professionals and patients across all care settings. In 2025, HIMSS’ proactive approach aims to help stakeholders navigate complex challenges and realise the full potential of health technology.
Source: MobiHealth News
Image Credit: iStock
