HIMSS 2025: Context is king

AI was everywhere—“So what?”

This year’s HIMSS talk about AI divided the audience: some said AI was overhyped, some said it was undervalued. One thing was undeniable: nearly every booth had an AI story to tell. Some companies showcased real, tangible applications—from ambient listening tools to AI-driven clinical documentation—while others leaned on broad AI claims without clearly answering the essential question: Why does this matter?

Attendees interact with a lifelike hologram of a smiling woman at a high-tech healthcare booth, surrounded by other exhibitors and branded setups.

As marketers, that got us thinking. At what point does AI stop being the headline and start becoming just part of how things work? No one markets their product as an “internet-based solution” anymore; soon, AI will follow the same path. The best messaging won’t be “We use AI.” It will be: “Here’s the problem we’re solving with AI.” Many companies at HIMSS have already made this shift—but soon, it won’t be optional.

Booths that stood out showed context

One of the biggest takeaways from HIMSS 2025? Simplicity wins. While many companies fell into the usual trade show trap of jargon-heavy messaging, the ones that truly stood out kept it clear, concise and—most importantly—contextual. The best booths didn’t claim impact, they proved it. Whether it was embracing nuanced brand color expressions, using live actors to demonstrate scenarios or featuring customer quotes directly on their booths, interactivity and evidence stood out and drew attention.

For marketers, this is a powerful reminder: Evidence is everything. A compelling testimonial, an interactive demo or a creative way to bring a product story to life shows that the best messaging doesn’t just declare value—it makes it undeniable.

Epic Systems’ illuminated booth features bright signage reading “…with the patient at the heart,” suspended above a wood-themed display at the HIMSS convention.

The real challenge in healthcare? Integrations and data quality

It’s easy to sell the dream of a seamlessly connected healthcare ecosystem. But at HIMSS 2025, one question kept surfacing: How does it all actually work? And by this, we mean the underlying challenges of data and integration. Many companies promised “real-time insights” and “actionable analytics,” but there’s an underlying assumption that often goes unspoken—how clean is the data powering these solutions? The reality is, even the most advanced AI models and predictive tools are only as good as the data feeding them. Without reliable integrations and high-quality data, even the most promising innovations risk falling short.

As marketers, this is a critical takeaway. Selling the vision is important, but acknowledging reality builds trust. The best messaging doesn’t just paint a picture of an ideal future—it provides a roadmap to get there.