Due to the talks I’ve given and my bad ukulele playing, I have fooled some into thinking that I am an extrovert. They would be wrong. I am an introvert, who has learned to put on the Suit.
I intentionally put on my Extrovert Suit for UGM, XGM, and other meetings, and push myself to go meet people. The introvert avoids large crowds, but also recognizes that meeting people and building relationships with friends always pays off in the long run. Research proves this viewpoint right among train riders.
This evening, as in past years, I agreed to meet friends outside the Ivory Room Piano Bar. The introvert in me insisted I return to my hotel room. I’m glad I did not listen.
Above, my new besties: Deborah Russo, Emily Webber, Sue Chang, (me), Penny Fu, Eugenia McPeek-Hinz, Dirk Stanley. Thank you to Ken Angle, photographer.
I am reminded and amazed at the brainpower, skills and accomplishments of my peers at XGM. Our generation of informaticists have been at ground zero for many EHR implementations in the past 2 decades, have shared their lessons, stories and cautionary tales so that we are all better. There are no signs that EHR work is slowing down, as health system consolidations, EHR swaps and optimizations continue in our industry. Informaticists who understand “It’s Not About the Tech” will be needed for quite a long time to come.
We happy few, we band of sisters and brothers, love to hang out and swap stories. (Sorry, late nite posts lead to hyperlink madness) Many of us are introverts, and end up pushing ourselves to come to public events, and end up enjoying ourselves most, just OUTSIDE of the venue, as we did this evening, where we can hear ourselves think and chat, while our colleagues are inside singing their hearts out.
For years, I went to conferences, optimized the sequence of presentations I’d attend, studied the slides and take home notes. It took a long time for me to understand that equally important, if not more so, was to meet and make new friends, re-connect with existing ones, and nurture relationships. You never know who might have the insight that unlocks a problem you’re trying to solve. “Phone a friend” is always a good option in our work. Phone a friend also works great for commiseration.
More new besties pictured: Menaka Prakasam, informaticist; John Tate, application manager, Angad Singh, ACMIO, University of Washington, Jason Hill former ACMIO and now Vice Chair Hospital Medicine at Ochner, Gunjan Dalal, informaticist; (me).
“Just outside the piano bar” has been one of the best places at XGM, for me. Thank you for sharing your journeys, your struggles, your joys.
In the Age of AI Acceleration and Fear Of Missing Out on the latest news and the greatest technologies, it is so great to take a breath, shake hands, hug, and be ourselves. I am grateful to be among such wonderful humans.
Thank you.
