RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Arabia is the largest and fastest growing healthcare market in the GCC, estimated to reach SR92.6 billion (US$25 billion) by 2020. Last year, the Kingdom announced 420 health projects and laid foundation stones for an additional 127 other health facilities worth SR12 billion (US$3 billion). As Saudi Arabia continues to be an important part of HIMSS's global presence, HIMSS Middle East drives the enterprise's thought leadership through its own diverse networking events and initiatives.

In April 2017, HIMSS Middle East welcomed more than 1,500 attendees to their 2030 eHealth and Beyond event. The most common job title in attendance was 'informatics professional'. In fact, 42 percent of attendees worked in hospitals themselves – interesting facts to consider as we think about how each conferences, forum and event hosted by HIMSS takes its own unique shapes and form. The only thing each one is guaranteed to have in common is a shared goal of transforming health through information and technology.

Organized by the Saudi Health Council, Ministry of Health and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialities, the HIMSS Saudi Conference & Exhibition 2018 is now in full swing, with conversations focused on the following topics:

• 2030 Visionary Innovation in Healthcare Transformation
• Disruptive Technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Precision Medicine
• Digital Health Education, Career Development and Workforce Needs
• Consumer Empowerment/Prosumer Health Technologies
• E-Health Leadership and Impact of Benefit Realization
• Cybersecurity and Blockchain Technologies
• Local Stories of E-Health Innovation Startups

This year's theme, "Reimagining Healthcare in Saudi Arabia" will address all these topics and more throughout the week. Attendees will leave with relevant takeaways and knowledge that will help them and their organizations tap into the transformative power of digital health.

"It is fascinating to see that the digital transformation is a reality in many hospitals across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond," said Charles Alessi, MD, LRCP, MRCS, chief clinical officer of HIMSS International. "Vision 2030 will accelerate the transformation of care through technology. During this conference, I look forward to hearing about the most critical updates, knowledge and showcases to improve clinical outcomes in every organization."

Alessi will provide opening and closing remarks for the event. Learn more about his global digital health perspective in this recent HIMSS blog post.

About HIMSS

HIMSS is a global advisor and thought leader supporting the transformation of health through information and technology. As a mission driven non-profit, HIMSS offers a unique depth and breadth of expertise in health innovation, public policy, workforce development, research and analytics to advise global leaders, stakeholders and influencers on best practices in health information and technology. Through our innovation companies, HIMSS delivers key insights, education and engaging events to healthcare providers, governments and market suppliers, ensuring they have the right information at the point of decision. As an association, HIMSS encompasses more than 72,000 individual members and 630 corporate members. We partner with hundreds of providers, academic institutions and health services organizations on strategic initiatives that leverage innovative information and technology. Together, we work to improve health, access and the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, HIMSS serves the global health information and technology communities with focused operations across North America, Europe, United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. www.himssme.org

SOURCE HIMSS Middle East