The Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine is the latest in a long line of healthcare special interest groups to shelve its in-person conference in favor of a virtual gathering.
SIIM leaders made the announcement Tuesday afternoon, revealing they’ve canceled the show that was set for June 24-26 in Austin, Texas. The society said the decision was influenced by both continued travel restrictions among its members and a desire to quell the spread of COVID-19.
“We are saddened by the fact we will not be together in-person at #SIIM20 nor be able to celebrate SIIM’s 40th anniversary with you,” the organization shared in an April 28 email. “That said, with a bias towards action, a propensity for innovation, and a high regard for collegiality, we are excited to digitally offer the same relevant content over the same dates.”
SIIM Board Chair James Whitfill, MD, shared further details on their thought process in a video message posted Monday. “These are extraordinary times that we are in,” he said. “I hope that you and your family and friends are keeping as safe as possible during these extraordinary events. This is a challenge like we’ve never seen before, or certainly not in many, many decades.”
SIIM joints numerous healthcare groups that have opted to take their conferences to the web, including the American College of Radiology. Others canceling shows include the Society of Breast Imaging, American Roentgen Ray Society, and the Society of Interventional Radiology.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.