February arrives with a welcome shift in North Carolina—warmer days, bright sunshine, and those unmistakable Carolina blue skies that make stepping outside feel like a fresh start to the year. This month also brings meaningful healthcare observances, including American Heart Month, National Cancer Prevention Month, National Children’s Dental Health Month, and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, each offering important reminders of the role our health IT community plays in advancing prevention, education, and access to care. As we take advantage of the milder weather and renewed energy February brings, it’s the perfect time to reconnect with colleagues, elevate awareness efforts, and continue building momentum for the innovations and collaborations that lie ahead.

Upcoming Events

Board of Directors Call for Nominations

We recognize that our healthcare providers are essential to our operations and encourage nominations from anyone affiliated with a provider organization. To nominate yourself or a colleague, please email the individual’s name, title, company, and a brief bio by March 1, to events@nchimss.org.

We are proud to exhibit at the 47th Annual Minority Health Conference

We are proud to exhibit at the 47th Annual Minority Health Conference, themed “Uniting Words and Worlds: Innovation in Health Communication.” By participating in this long-standing event, NC HIMSS supports the conference’s mission to advance health equity and strengthen how communities connect, communicate, and access care through innovative health information and technology.

More Information

Going to HIMSS 2026?

Don’t Miss the Mid-Atlantic
Chapters Networking Event

Join the Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia HIMSS Chapters for an evening of networking, collaboration, and connection while at HIMSS26! This special joint reception brings together health IT professionals, innovators, and leaders from across the Mid-Atlantic region to celebrate our shared commitment to advancing healthcare through technology.

Whether you’re a long-time HIMSS member or new to the community, this event is the perfect place to connect with colleagues, meet chapter leaders, and discover new opportunities for involvement.

Register Here

Spring Social – Top Golf in Greensboro

 

The panel will explore how health systems are adapting their security programs to remain resilient, protect their infrastructure, and support patient care even in these challenging times. Space is limited so don’t wait!

NC HIMSS Connect

In-Person Regional Pop-Up
Event Series Continues in Raleigh!
When: Thursday, February 26, 2026
5:30–7:00 PM
Where: Level7 Rooftop Bar
101 Park at N Hills St, Raleigh, NC
https://www.level7roofbar.com/

NC HIMSS members who value connection and networking with peers, this one’s for you!

Join us for NC HIMSS Connect Raleigh, a pop-up gathering designed exclusively to bring our members together for meaningful connection and conversation in an intimate setting. With capacity limited to 15 attendees, this rooftop meetup creates space for authentic networking, peer-to-peer dialogue, and light programming focused on what’s top of mind across our health IT community. Whether you’re a long-standing member or newly engaged, this is an opportunity to strengthen relationships within NC HIMSS and continue building a collaborative, connected statewide network. We look forward to seeing you there.
Come for the view. Stay for the connections. Space is limited, register now to secure your spot.
Parking note: Parking for Level 7 is across the street at Bank of America.

Save the Dates for our Annual Conference

Advocacy Corner

North Carolina Moves Toward a Modern Public Health Data Future

North Carolina is taking important steps to modernize its public health data infrastructure, positioning the state to benefit from the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI) in public health practice. Across the country, AI is transforming how agencies analyze data, predict outbreaks, and streamline operations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already demonstrated the value of these tools, reporting that AI systems are enhancing disease prevention capabilities and improving staff efficiency through advanced analytics and generative AI applications. Similarly, recent findings from The Lancet Public Health highlight AI’s ability to rapidly process large, complex datasets and support better decision‑making—tools that could revolutionize public health workflows. [ncdataportal.org] [legiscan.com]

North Carolina is embracing this shift through both policy action and system‑level planning. In 2025, the General Assembly passed House Bill 576 (Session Law 2025‑27), a sweeping update to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). While not an explicit Health Data Utility (HDU) bill, H576 strengthens many of the underlying systems that HDUs rely on, including public health reporting laws, vital records, health department authorities, and medical record governance. These changes collectively improve the consistency, reliability, and usability of statewide health data—elements essential for a modern, interconnected data ecosystem. [ncleg.gov]

Beyond legislation, the state is advancing a comprehensive Data Modernization Initiative (DMI) through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. This multi‑year effort is modernizing core communicable disease platforms—such as NC EDSS and NC DETECT—and preparing them for more robust data sharing, automation, and cross‑system interoperability. These upgrades will allow public health professionals to securely access real‑time, high‑quality data across local and state systems. The initiative also includes improvements to data visualization, automated data transfers, and support for local health departments, all of which align directly with the national vision for HDU‑style data infrastructure. [epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov]

Momentum is also growing through statewide collaboration. At North Carolina’s 2024 Public Health Data Summit, leaders and practitioners gathered to explore emerging tools—including generative AI and machine learning—and to strengthen data governance and equity frameworks across the public health system. Breakout sessions focused on strengthening local data capacity, creating shared data governance, and building the workforce skills necessary to use advanced technologies responsibly. These conversations demonstrate North Carolina’s commitment to preparing its workforce and communities for a more connected, data‑driven future. [healthdisp…es.ecu.edu]

Taken together, these developments show that North Carolina is steadily laying the groundwork for a modern health data ecosystem capable of supporting advanced analytics, AI‑assisted public health operations, and eventually formal HDU structures. With federal momentum around data modernization and AI, North Carolina’s combined legislative, administrative, and collaborative efforts position the state to lead in creating more responsive, equitable, and integrated public health systems. If future legislation continues to build on these foundations, North Carolina will be well‑placed to adopt HDU‑specific policies and fully leverage the transformative potential of AI to improve the health of communities statewide.

Brooke Yeager McSwain
NC HIMSS Advocacy Chair
Senior National Policy Research Analyst, on Digital Health &
Public Health Infrastructure at the American Heart Association

Program Announcments

NC HIMSS Mentorship Program

The NC HIMSS Mentorship Program connects healthcare IT professionals at all career stages with experienced industry leaders to support professional growth, skill development, and career planning. Designed to be flexible and goal‑oriented, the program offers meaningful guidance while fitting easily into a busy schedule.

Call for Mentors

NC HIMSS is actively seeking additional mentors who are passionate about developing future healthcare IT leaders. Mentorship requires approximately one hour or less per month, making it a high‑impact, low‑time‑commitment way to give back, share expertise, and strengthen our professional community. Whether you’re new to mentoring or a seasoned leader, your perspective can make a lasting difference. Apply today!

News

Sponsors and Sponsorship

How do these sponsors support healthcare IT?

 

For over 30 years, Zones has worked with industryleading partners to offer comprehensive IT solutions to customers around the world. Our Workplace Modernization, Network Optimization, Data Center Transformation, and Security Fortification solutions lead clients through their digital transformations, and our services offer support every step of the way. That’s what makes us the First Choice for IT. http://www.zones.com/healthcare

 

Intellect Resources is a woman-owned healthcare IT staffing and consulting firm based in North Carolina. For over 25 years, we’ve helped health systems and technology partners build highperforming teams by connecting them with proven talent across EHR, ERP, and health tech platforms. From fractional executives to go-live teams and specialized project support, we deliver with speed, precision, and a relationship-first approach to help organizations advance care through technology. https://intellectresources.com/

 

Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: CCSI) is a global leader in digital cloud fax technology. Built on 25+ years of success with eFaxⓇ, the company delivers secure interoperability solutions that use AI and data exchange to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and support regulated industries such as healthcare, government, financial services, insurance, real estate, and manufacturing. http://www.consensus.com

 

Secure a sponsorship spot for NC HIMSS events for the 2024-2025 year! Click here to Become a Sponsor – North Carolina HIMSS (nchimss.org). For questions, please contact McRay Simmons.