Did you run out of time too? I needed two more days for all the info I was hoping to get at HIMSS this year. This year a few of the publicity firms scheduled me for meetings with key people at a number of companies. To my interviewees, thanks so much for your time - it was probably a departure from interviews with a publication. Once I've written the post, it will be your's (and your customer's) turn to continue the conversation via comments.

While in a coffee line, I said to one CEO in passing that I was looking forward to visiting their booth. I was told they were expecting me and to, "take my best shot." Of course I was planning to take pictures (and got some great ones), but then wasn't sure what they meant. Analysis and opinion, along with product details, should be expected, but there is no malicious intent. Thankfully, I don't pick the winners, the market does. And while I make no excuses for passion expressed in the interest of customers and especially their patients, I guard my independence and neutrality regarding vendors or technologies carefully.

Days three and four reinforced the business development nature of the show. Many of the press releases around this year's event were about alliances and solutions created through the efforts of vendors working together. I remember seeing one very cool demo given to about 8 people - all vendors, not a white badge in the crowd. Emergin is a great example of this, and the RFID vendors were emulating their strategy. Even companies like Welch Allyn were in a half dozen other vendor's booths.

Last year I spent more time posting from the show but didn't do any follow-ups afterwards. This year I will be dribbling out HIMSS posts over the next several weeks. Contrary to what some might think, this blog is not my business; it's more a compulsion or maybe an obsession (no interventions, please). I have a lot of consulting work right now and have little time available to blog. The cynical among you might think this is a strategy to drive up site traffic; you would be wrong, they are just the unintended consequences of being busy.

At right, I caught up with Matthew Holt with Tuomo Rutanen of Ekahau talking RTLS.