Dozens of technology companies switched to virtual demos of their latest products following last month’s coronavirus-related cancellation of the 2020 HIMSS conference.

Typically, the conference draws more than 60,000 visitors looking for the latest in healthcare innovation. It’s a prime opportunity for providers to understand how products and services might improve their ability to offer high-quality, efficient care for post-acute patients.

At press time, HIMSS had announced a digital version of the convention, allowing would-be attendees to watch educational and thought-leadership webinars. It joined numerous other associations and trade shows that either canceled or substituted virtual platforms for events wiped out by the threat of the COVID-19 virus. 

“Our goal is to make all of the sessions and panels from HIMSS20 available online,” the organization announced.

It noted that anyone already registered for the in-person event would be granted access to the content and automatically registered for next year’s live event in Las Vegas. Full details were not yet available as of press time.

Speakers, exhibitors and sponsors were being contacted with ways to participate, but many had already become creative about positioning their products via alternative methods.

Though its Medic.Lav patient-monitoring toilet won’t be available for two years, Medic.Life promoted its ability to measure viral concentration of coronavirus in urine samples as being comparable to detection in the nose and throat.

“Current events — including the cancellation of HIMSS — highlight just how critical it is to monitor real-time results about our health,” said Chad Adams, president and CEO of Medic.Life.

“Detecting viruses and other illnesses through urine sampling in public and private toilets will, in our opinion, become mandatory within five years. Our goal is to help everyone become proactive rather than reactive with their health.”