Frequently Asked Questions—HIMSS Committees

Who is eligible to join a committee?

To be eligible to serve as a committee member, an applicant must have belonged to HIMSS for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the beginning of the committee term. Applicants cannot be currently serving in a leadership position (ex: Committee Chair or Board of Directors), nor hold a current committee appointment within the Society.

Ineligible member types: Chapter only and Digital only.

*To check your membership status and history, log into your account and your member-since date will be shown in the Member Summary section of the Dashboard tab.

Can I serve on my local chapter board and a committee?

Yes, a member can hold both a local chapter leadership role and serve as a national committee member.

What are the benefits of joining a committee?

Serving on a committee gives HIMSS members the opportunity to contribute to public policy and HIMSS initiatives. It provides many opportunities to network with other industry experts and career-minded professionals. Members work to develop and deploy tools and resources for the benefit of all levels of health IT professionals. They participate in thought leadership development, act as speakers for various educational events, and serve as subject matter experts.

What is the time commitment for serving on a committee?

Time commitment and responsibilities vary from committee to committee. The average time expected from a committee member is three hours per month. Each committee will hold at least one one-hour virtual meeting per month. Standard committee terms are two years, beginning January 1 and ending December 31.

What is the structure of each committee?

HIMSS has designed its committees in such a way that approximately 50% of the volunteers on each committee rotate annually. This results in somewhere between 4–7 openings for new volunteers to be selected for appointments on each committee, allowing for an influx of new volunteers while preserving some measure of continuity in a committee's work. Members generally serve a two-year term, with chairs serving a one-year term. Terms run from January to December.

What is the selection and notification process?

The Annual Call for Committee Volunteers will take place through an online application process. The Staff Liaison reviews the applications, consults with the Committee Chair, and makes a recommendation to SBU Leadership for final decision; Liaisons may convene interview-type calls with candidates and check references. All applicants are contacted with the outcomes of the selection process. Most often, members not selected for involvement in a Committee are invited to consider involvement in a Task Force, Work Group, or as a Subject Matter Expert.

The criteria used to select new committee members includes but is not limited to ensuring that:

1. Each Committee represents, in microcosm, the broader HIMSS membership
2. The Committee is represented to the best of HIMSS’ ability, and as appropriate to focus of that committee, with a variety of voices in terms of age, ethnicity, geographic location, professional role, and perspective to mirror the diversity of our HIMSS membership
3. The Committee includes both those who are relatively new to HIMSS volunteer work and those with more experience
4. The Committee includes both those who demonstrate content expertise and those who are relatively new to the content area  
5. The incoming Committee appointee attributes are balanced with those of the returning committee members

How can I get involved other than joining a committee?

Many committees have affiliated workgroups and taskforces, all of which involve smaller time commitments and no membership requirement. These affiliations are great opportunities to learn about a committee and gain experience before applying to serve as a full member. There is a listing of additional opportunities to get involved on each individual committee page.

Additional ways to get involved with HIMSS

Chapters

• There are 58 HIMSS Chapters throughout the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and India.
• Each HIMSS membership includes one complimentary chapter membership of choice.
• Chapters host local networking and educational events. Additional chapter activities and information can be found on each chapter’s website.
• View a list of all chapter websites.

Communities

• All members are welcome to join any community of their choice, at any time.
• Communities bring together global HIMSS members who share a specific interest or characteristic.
• Communities provide a venue to connect with peers, learn from global leaders and custom content.
• Community members can enhance their professional development and participate in relevant initiatives and networking events.  
• Members can join by logging into their accounts, visiting the “My Involvement” tab, selecting “Participation” from the dropdown and choosing which communities they would like to join.

Updated October 12, 2020