HIMSS has revealed it will open a new global headquarters in Rotterdam this summer.

The announcement was made by HIMSS president and CEO Hal Wolf during today’s keynote speech at the HIMSS23 European Health Conference and Exhibition in Lisbon (June 8).

Wolf told delegates that HIMSS has seen “tremendous growth internationally” and plans for the global headquarters in the Netherlands had been underway since before the COVID pandemic.

He added that the central European location is intended to give HIMSS a more robust physical presence in a dynamic, diverse city, where it can better serve its global constituents.

The current HIMSS headquarters in Chicago, will be known as the Americas headquarters, following the opening of the new location.  

WHY IT MATTERS

The Rotterdam headquarters will give HIMSS access to an expanding group of members and colleagues across the world, notably the World Health Organisation, European Region (WHO/Europe), which HIMSS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with last year to accelerate adoption of digital health solutions. 

Rotterdam is also home to Erasmus University Rotterdam, a highly ranked international research university that conducts health information technology research. 

THE LARGER PICTURE 

As well as the HIMSS Americas headquarters is in Chicago and the US is home to six satellite offices in Arlington, Burlington, Cambridge, Denver, New York and Portland. HIMSS also has regional offices in London, Berlin, and Leipzig, Germany. 

For its Asia-Pacific reach, HIMSS has a base in Singapore. HIMSS holds its flagship events each year in North America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Europe. 

ON THE RECORD 

Speaking at HIMSS23 Europe, Abigail Norville, deputy secretary general of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of The Netherlands and vicechair of the Global Digital Health Partnership, said: “I think it’s important to have the global group of HIMSS to work from Rotterdam to build on the network and make a storm in that network based on analytics and information.”

Wolf said: “Rotterdam is known as the ‘gateway to the world’ and our new headquarters will help us better serve our constituents in Europe and around the world. Our global headquarters underscores our ongoing commitment to reforming the global health ecosystem. I am proud of our accomplishment and excited about the future.”